Sanguine Tides - Book 3

Chapter 22

TW in the description
Thank you to rare.candykale for the art!

Luca POV

Misha didn't leave Ksenya's side for the remainder of the journey. Only a few hours after Luca found her looking healthy, she woke up. They offered her food that she took right away. Misha was surprisingly calm despite waking up in a world that she had never before seen surrounded by strangers. She didn't speak but occasionally made clicking sounds at them, indicating she wanted attention.

"How old do you think she is?" Eshe asked as Misha tugged on Ksenya's dress, asking to be picked up.

Ksenya leaned down with a smile and let Misha rest on her hip. Misha wrapped her black scaled arms around Ksenya's neck. The silver-eyed female had never looked so happy.

"I'd say around six. Maybe seven."

"They might not age the same way we do," Luca suggested.

"That's true," Eshe said, offering Misha a small square of salmon. The child ate it in a single bite.

Luca noticed she was different from most Sireni or Rusalki children. The first and most apparent difference was that she didn't change despite being out of the water. Ksenya expressed a concern that she might have difficulty breathing, but the child didn't show any signs of distress. She even picked up on walking surprisingly fast and soon ran up and down the halls with glee. Ksenya had fashioned her a sort of dress from an adult-sized t-shirt that said, "WTF - Where's The Fish."

On the evening of their arrival, Eshe and Luca watched as Ksenya chased Misha up and down the hall.

"I'm gonna catch ya!" Ksenya called as Misha giggled.

Luca turned his head to see Eshe with an unreadable expression.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked her.

She tilted her head as though deciding how to phrase her answer.

"I think that... well. I know that Ksenya's true wish is to be a mother."

Luca stayed silent at this. That was the inherent problem of same-sex relationships.

"Has she said that?" He asked.

Eshe shook her head.

"No. I just know."

"There is always adoption." Luca offered.

"It's a little more complicated than that," Eshe said with a sigh.

Luca didn't press further. This was a sensitive topic that he didn't want to engage in. It was too personal.

He thought about the idea as the sun began to set. They were only a couple of hours away from their coordinates.

Kids.

He never thought about it. But the idea of living his life without them felt incomplete. He wanted a family, but... right now, he didn't even have a mate.

Alberto.

Had Alberto ever thought about raising a family with him? Luca never asked. They never had the chance to talk about it. Looking back, there was a lot Luca wished he and Alberto spoke about. But now... it felt too late. And with the battle looming over them like black clouds - he wondered if he would ever get the chance.

They arrived at the edge of the storm late in the evening, the sun almost disappearing over the horizon. The waters were rough, causing the yacht to list from side to side violently. Ksenya offered to stay aboard with Misha on the ship while Eshe and Luca gathered... well. Gathered the army together.