and that’s all I’ll ever be and I am a horrible person because I…”
“You don’t want to be a parent?”
“I…” I hesitated. “I don’t know. I love Sammy and Ron
so much… but I miss being who I was before.”
Then he did something that left me speechless; he
flicked a few blades a grass at me. “You have two young children who are
growing up at every minute. Someday they will be gone, living on another world
even. Your youngest can walk. More importantly, he may not be able to talk, but
he can run for his life. Sammy was even younger than him when you were running
from the Ancient. You watch them at home. They wake up, they do whatever, and
they go to sleep. Of course you’re bored. You humans are known for that. So go
out. Take the kids and mate on an adventure.”
“Like what?”
“Just travel around. I guarantee for a family as
powerful as yours, danger and excitement will find you. Possibly an ancient
monster, possibly a demon. Who cares, right? You should take the dragon child,
too.”
I sat there fantasizing for a while. Could I really
take Sammy and Ron out in the world? Ron is only four. It could be dangerous.
“You overthink things. How much trouble could your
children get into with a god and a powerful Noquodi watching over them? Show
them the world now and open their eyes. This is a crucial time in their
development.”
“Would you help Ron?”
“I will take a look and see if I can figure out why
he cannot talk.”
We flashed back to the house to find Sammy and Ron
sitting on the porch. “Where’s your mother?” I asked. We usually didn’t let
them outside alone at night, as there were some strange people wandering about
Shomodii.
Sammy pointed behind him. They both looked miserable.
“Divina and Mom are arguing in the kitchen.”
I turned to Regivus, but he waved me ahead. I trusted
him to watch over my kids. I certainly didn’t want to make them go into the
house if there was arguing; that was one thing I tried my hardest to shield
them from. Just as Sammy had said, I found Divina and Mordon in a fierce
argument. They both stopped and turned to me when I walked in. Mordon’s eyes
were black, as they normally were when he was angry, but I could feel the lack
of connection in them. Mordon and I were best friends for seven years, so there
was a look of acknowledgement and recognition in him when he saw me, even when
his eyes were black. This time there was none.
“Hello, Rojan. Long time no see.” I meant Rojan in
particular; I saw Mordon all the time. My friend was fully mature, almost the
exact same height as myself, and a little heavier built. He was no longer the
scrawny young man trying to escape a life of being a king that he was when I
first met him.
“It is uncanny how you always know it is me, Dylan.
Nice to see you.”
“Somehow I doubt that. What brings you out? Is Mordon
okay?”
“He is for now, yes. We do have a problem, though.
One I was hoping you could assist us with,” he said. His eyes shifted back to
normal, one ice blue and one striking purple. He was himself again.
“I’ll always help, you know that,” I said to Mordon.
“I know you would, but Divina here wants you to stay
home.”
She glared at him before turning to me, her deep blue
eyes pleading and mournful. “I have to go take care of some stuff with my
brothers and I need you to watch the boys for a few days,” she said. “If there
was any way I could get out of this, I would, but I can’t. Please. I know I
leave you all alone too much, but–”
“Of course I’ll watch them,” I said, cutting her off.
Mordon immediately looked wounded and startled, since I would never refuse
helping him and Rojan when they needed me. “As long as Mordon’s okay with them
coming with us. Otherwise we’ll have to get Edward to babysit or Vivian and
Nano. Hell, even Nila would volunteer. You don’t worry about it. Go deal with
your grouchy brothers and I’ll make sure the kids are