The White Werewolf || Season One: Ties That Bind

Chapter Fifty-Two

Cintra, 1249

As they all parted, everyone kept staring. But not at Pavetta. At Robin. Her glow had faded, but that didn't prevent them all from seeing how fierce and beautiful and powerful she was. Mousesack in particular was impressed, and even more curious now than he'd been before.

"You've been holding back," Geralt murmured. "You finished your advanced training as well."

"Yes, but I hadn't tested it yet," Robin murmured back.

She was fully in control of her magic now. She knew exactly what she was capable of, and how far she could safely push herself.

It didn't scare her anymore. Geralt had promised he wouldn't ask her to leave until Yennefer's plot was finished, and he kept his promises.

Geralt stayed at Robin's back as Calanthe gave Pavetta what she wanted. Mousesack's eyes flicked back and forth between the queen and princess and Geralt and Robin.

Robin watched as Calanthe married Pavetta and Duny with a simple handfasting ceremony. She could actually taste the jealousy on her tongue. She was standing beside the only man she'd ever love, the only man she'd ever want to marry, and she had to live with knowing that they would never be together like that.

She stepped closer to Jaskier, who put his arm around her comfortingly. Geralt looked at her, his face concerned, but she gave nothing away.

When Duny's curse broke, he insisted on paying Geralt. Not knowing what else to ask for, Geralt invoked the Law of Surprise.

Right after, Pavetta vomited and revealed that she was pregnant.

"Fuck," the witcher intoned.

It was all he could think to say.

A new wave of jealousy surged through Robin. To have him supposedly forever connected to a baby and not her felt like salt in the wound. She turned on her heel and left the hall, encasing herself in her silent bubble so she could scream and beat the stones briefly before Geralt caught up to her.

When he did, Jaskier and Mousesack were with him. Mousesack declared that he would stay in Cintra to teach Pavetta, and that he wouldn't tell the Brotherhood about Geralt's mage. He'd quickly divined that he would have heard of her before now if she had been trained by one of the schools, since she was incredibly powerful.

He urged Geralt to stay too, but the witcher declined. "I'm getting out of here, Mousesack," he declared.

"You're bound to this now, Geralt," Mousesack explained. "Whether you like it or not."

"I'm not for changing," Geralt reminded him. "You know me better than that."

Robin felt her heart shrivel in her chest. Absorbing so much energy had made her more emotionally vulnerable than usual, and she hated it.

Jaskier, who was just listening for once, noticed immediately and went to her, folding her up in a hug. She accepted it gratefully as Geralt and Mousesack continued their conversation.

"Yes, I do," the mage countered, "but you can't outrun destiny just because you're terrified of it. It's coming, Geralt. Not believing won't change that."

"Bullshit," Geralt replied calmly.

"So you say," Mousesack observed. "But the bond that will come into being between you and this child, when it is born, will be extraordinary."

Robin sobbed into Jaskier's chest, unable to help herself. Geralt turned toward them, his brow furrowed with worry.

Jaskier shook his head. "Just a strange side effect, I think," he assured the witcher, who nodded and turned back to Mousesack.