The Raven's Source

Chapter 33 - The Guardian's Daughter

"How is she?" Cerno asked, smiling at Shej as he came walking in the door.

"She's healthy but Lydia has put her on bed rest," Shej said, slipping out of the jacket and letting it hang neatly over the back of the nearby chair. "Lydia worries that the stress from last night could cause the babies to come early."

"What happens if they do?"

"There is a higher chance that they couldn't survive," Shej said. "But Leena has accepted the bed rest, believe it or not."

"No-Lazy-Card Leena accepted bed rest?" Cerno belted out with a laugh.

Shej smirked and sat down on the couch across from his brother.

"We'll see how long she's able to keep that up before we have to intervene."

"I give it a week, I can already tell she's restless," Shej said.

"No bet," Cerno joked. "Anyway, down to business matters. I want to talk about it less than you do but—"

"—you want to know how much I know?"

"Well, yes. I need to know we are all on the same page," Cerno advised.

"I understand," he said softly. "And I remember everything, Cer. I heard his voice, I saw the birds. I don't doubt you had Madeleine look back into the whole thing and she saw them too."

Cerno nodded.

"We need to keep all of our family safe and away from any public until he's gone."

"He was after you, do we need to safeguard Leena?"

"Leena, Twyn, Ily, Arwen," Shej listed. Cerno looked confused. "I just have this bad feeling he'll come for the babies. His note said 'one death or death of three', meaning he knows she's pregnant with twins and he must know they're mine. He no doubt despises them as much as he despises me, and maybe Leena for carrying them."

"How would he know this though? Lydia is the only one outside of this family that knows."

"Salashai," Shej stated. "She only had to see any one of us thinking about them, and she was constantly watching."

"Shit," Cerno muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"I was going to go interrogate her today, but if I go, she'll see that you're alive."

"Jhon can't get to Salashai for her to report anything to him but to be safe, you can always send Madeleine to Timekeep her," Shej suggested. "Last she saw of me, I was a corpse in the snow. She has no idea I'm alive and she doesn't have to ask questions, she can just rewind the time and report back."

"That's not a bad idea," he said. "I'll bring it up to Rosie and see if Madeleine would be up for the task. She's certainly getting her practice in this month."

Shej smirked.

"What?"

"Nothing, I'm just glad you're happy."

Cerno got to his feet and walked over to Shej, sitting down next to him and taking his hands. Shej could tell he looked troubled. "Last night, I didn't think any happy thought would ever come again. If Lydia hadn't came when she did, I think I would have committed to something atrocious."

Shej's heart sank.

"As soon as our father was caught and Leena had the babies, as soon as I knew my city would be fine without me..." Cerno's breath shook as he tried to take a deep, calming breath, "...if I could even have held out that long."