Abaddon's Call

Twenty-Three

Theon watched Naena babble at Lukdon, making baby noises. She made faces and wiggled her fingers at the babe.

Seeing it made Theon blessedly happy.

Naena wasn't ignorant of the adorable and defenceless. She loved children of all sorts but despised animals because they got spooked around her. She also knew her position in the world. The moment she showed interest in children was the same moment she lost all autonomy. The Seven would want to keep her pregnant to see if she produced female mages.

Breeding was not how Naena wished to spend her life.

She might love children, but she knew their sort of work meant duty came first.

Theon was both pleased and terrified.

Luk loved children. The things they had done in the name of children. The secrets they harboured, the bodies Theon had helped Luk bury...

Naena was going to be a threat to mages everywhere.

But she refused to so much as look at Lukdon when someone else was around or when Graydon sat with them.

"He tried to command me last night," Naena said.

"If he tried, he succeeded," Theon responded. "Sloppily, but it'll be there. What did he command of you?"

"To find a husband."

"Are you fu—"

"Because if I'm already married, the Matriarchs can't marry me off," she said. "Can't give the ultimatum to someone who's married. As if that would slow me down. He claimed Trathor took my letter like I wouldn't have seen it on my desk from the doorway."

"They'll want children shortly after, of course," Theon muttered. She muttered an agreement in response. "Unfortunately, Lukdon will be moving to Blackwood Manor in just a few more days. The arrangements are nearly complete. I have Luk's word. Naena now is when we, perhaps, have an argument."

"If Graydon doesn't keep Luk's word to protect this little one, I'll kill him myself. Yes, I will. Aunt Naena will kill him herself. She will."

"Sister," Theon said without thought.

They met eyes.

"You really want your son living in my shadow?" she asked.

"It would be a blessing," Theon said. "No one could or would ever expect him to live up to you. Trapped Trathor with intent and purpose, they say. Set it all up, that bit with the Pan coven, the argument about locking the door was all for show, they say."

"But the arch mage room, that was nothing."

Theon sighed.

It was impossible to ignore what Trathor had done. Pan had swarmed quite angrily. Though it took much to bring them to anger, they were a boisterous bunch when roused. They'd rant at anyone who would listen. Lord Pan had held them back as long as he could, but they were frothing and slipped before Luk had secured the vote.

Since the vote came in, no harm was done, but it spoke of the family's rage.

All in an attempt to stop Graydon Pan from filing a formal complaint against the dean.

"When it comes to proofing, you'll find that's the way of things," he said gently. "Without Graydon's interference, recall you would not have found the room."

"Without my maelstrom and then my interference, they would have continued to search for centuries more," Naena muttered bitterly, one of her fingers gripped tightly in Lukdon's hand. "You'd think I'd get paid."