The Touch of Salvation

21: Loyalty

GOLIATH

Grace is wrenching into the toilet. She's three months along and carrying a pup has not been easy. Demise was called away to deal with another issue he would usually bring Grace to. Still, considering she's now carrying the most powerful child in all of Graceland, he vetoed her attendance.

I kneel beside her, my hand going to her back. She looks at me teary-eyed.

"Oh, Gracie," I whisper. I flush the toilet.

"I'm so happy to be pregnant, but Goliath, it's so hard. Every scent is making me so sick."

"Come here." She crawls into my lap and I cradle her on the bathroom floor. My back is leaning against the cabinets, her feet dangling off my thighs. Her head rests on my chest. The room floods with shadow. They reach for her, crowding her and blocking out any light, any sound, any scent. She mewls, gratefully.

She falls asleep. I have a feeling it's the only sleep she's gotten in a few days. I can feel Demise before he enters the bathroom. His dominance slices through the shadows as he comes in. He stops and I allow the shadows to retreat only fractionally so he can see us. He's not angry. He's not territorial over her. Not with me, at least.

He looks... appreciative. And tired. He sits in front of us, silently. His eyes go to his mate and for a moment, something profound crosses his face.

"Incredible, isn't it?" He starts.

"What is?"

"How one woman can fundamentally alter your entire existence without even trying." His eyes slither to mine. "You smile when you're with her. You laugh with Daario. You bicker with Lux. You haven't done that in years."

I hold his gaze.

"Do you trust her?"

"Adalind?"

He nods. "Do you trust her with the Keys? She has most of them, and she had been in love with Ophir."

"No, she wasn't."

"Yes," he says. He starts over. "Maybe she was not. Regardless, do we trust her with that much power?"

"She has done nothing but help us."

Demise goes silent. "My priority is Grace. Whoever has the keys has the most power. Nyx has offered a partnership. We work with him, he gives us the keys he has."

"For what in return?"

Demise looks at me. He almost looks guilty. "He's aware of Adalind's infatuation with you."

I am saying no before he even finishes.

"-you can get us the keys-"

"-you mean steal the keys. You want me to deceive her? No."

"She cannot be trusted. She murdered our people, your people," he says, emphasizing his words. "Nyx was cursed. He couldn't have betrayed us in the same way Adalind has. She helped him, Goliath." He's referring to Ophir.

"Out of distress."

"Perhaps." He nods. "I think she is a good woman. A woman that would do anything to protect her people. I will too. I must. You get the keys from her  and Nyx gets our alliance with him."

If someone asked me why I was arguing so forcibly against my king, I would have responded with 'I always fight for what I think is best,' but if I took the time to really understand, maybe that wouldn't be the reason why. "Do you understand how much danger you would put your mate in? To have all twelve keys? Be rational, Demise." Grace stirs in my lap and we both immediately go silent for a minute as she settles back to sleep. "And an alliance with House Nyght? We don't know him."