Garden of Embers: Beneath Devouring Eyes #2

Chapter 9, Part A

"The Blightlands are a terror we have never before faced, and this terror requires innovative solutions and every hand on deck from the highest Lightholder to the lowest Pullatus. But if we are successful, we will never face this terror again. Therefore, by the power invested in me by the Princeps Worldholder, every capital city of every provincia is hereby ordered to immediately establish a Collegium Pullatorum as a place of shelter, education, and workforce training to aid the Princeps Worldholder in our common campaign against the Blightlands."

--Legate Merula Nocticola,
Legatus of Pullati Affairs

*~*~*~*

Unable to believe his ears, Domi laughed without humor at his brother. "I'm sorry. Did you just say you want me to marry the girl you just got pregnant?"

"Yes." Daedalus looked calm, like he had not just asked the most outrageous thing Domi had ever heard.

"Marry Edera."

"Yes."

Domi tugged at his hair, discovering for the first time that other people did it when they felt a headache forming. "Are you seriously so ready to just give her up to another man?" He doubted Dae and Edera loved each other but was his twin so indifferent to her that he was willing to just toss a girl around like a hot potato?

"I care about her," Dae said, easing some of his worries but replacing them with confusion. "Of course I do not want her to wed another. Nor do I wish to place this burden on your shoulders. But I believe it is the best option for all of us."

"The best option?" At the rate he was going, he was going to tug all his hair out at the roots. "How the hell is it the best option for me to wed your pregnant lover? Have you even asked Edera about this?"

He probably hadn't. If Dae had, Edera would probably have cut him even without ranking high enough to use promenia against him.

"Edera will obey a royal order."

For a moment Domi just stared, horrified. It took a couple of tries to get his sputtering voice to finally snap, "I'm not going to order her to marry me, Daedalus. Or to marry anyone!" He shook his head. "What's wrong with you?"

His twin didn't even look ashamed. Daedalus waved a hand like he had not just suggested something so messed up. "Fine, then we shall ask her. Explain to her. I am sure she will agree."

"Explain it to me," Domi scoffed. "Because I can't wrap my head around why I should agree to this absurd idea, let alone why Edera of all people would want to." She'd gut him again if she could.

Daedalus shrugged, managing to make the gesture look elegant as always. "You two would not have to be intimate. She is already with child. If you wed swiftly, the world will believe the babe is yours."

"Babe? You seem to be forgetting something." At his twin's steady look he hissed, "You have twins, Daedalus. Twins."

"We shall have to hide one." Now his brother sounded uneasy. "She can live here in Provincia Sicarii. With me."

Well, that was better than killing her or ditching her out on the street like their parents had done. But there was still a big problem. "Suppressed?" His stomach churned at the idea of some little kid, his niece, going through the same thing he had. He'd been sick from infancy. Nearly died several times. The little girl would be safer with Dae than living in poverty, but still. She'd have to be carefully watched, but at least she'd have lifeholders around to help her if she got hurt or sick.

He was surprised to find himself envying an unborn child. But it wasn't her fault the Eternal Radiance was giving her a better chance than Domi had been given. At least--