THE PAWN AND THE KING

22

Alessia and Nico visited us in the evening, bringing a wave of warmth into the room. Little Rayna was with them, nestled comfortably in Nico's arms. Her tiny legs dangled just above his waist, feet swinging rhythmically as she clung to her father. I'd only met her once at the wedding, and tonight she looked even smaller, her eyes wide with curiosity, yet shy as she peeked at me from beneath long lashes.

Alessia smiled brightly as she approached, her familiar scent filling the room as she leaned in to give me a warm hug. "Rayna, say hi to Aunt Lila," she said gently, her voice soft as she brushed a strand of her daughter's hair back. I could feel the love radiating from her, and it instantly made me feel something I never dared to dream before— home.

Nico, always the calm presence, turned sideways to let Rayna see me better. "Come on, sweetheart," he encouraged in a low, soothing voice, adjusting her in his arms so she was closer to me. I couldn't help but smile as I reached out a hand toward her.

"Hi, Rayna," I cooed, my voice light and playful, hoping to coax her out of her shell. Rayna peeked at me from behind Nico's shoulder, her little fingers gripping his shirt tightly, her head still buried halfway against him. She blinked, eyes darting between me and her parents, and I could almost feel her mind racing as she took everything in.

Alessia chuckled softly, a knowing smile on her face as she watched Rayna's bashful reaction. "Oh, she'll warm up in no time. Trust me, once she starts, you won't be able to get her to stop talking."

Raeland, who had been sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, his gaze never far from me, leaned closer and whispered in my ear. "Don't let her fool you. Once she gets comfortable, she's a little terror—just like her mother."

His breath tickled my skin, and I laughed quietly, glancing at him with an amused smirk. Alessia's head whipped around, her eyes narrowing in mock outrage. "Excuse me?" she shot back, her hand flying to her hip in a dramatic gesture. "Did you just call me a terror?"

Raeland shrugged, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I said devil actually. But, same thing."

Nico grinned, pressing a kiss to the top of Rayna's head, which made her squirm a little in his arms. "He's not completely wrong though. She's inherited your sass, honey," he teased, bouncing Rayna gently to make her giggle.

Alessia rolled her eyes, though the soft smile tugging at her lips gave her away. "Well, someone's got to keep you in line," she shot back, flicking Nico's shoulder playfully. "And now, Rayna's here to help me."

I couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled up as I watched them, feeling the lightness of the moment spread through me. "You guys are like my personal sitcom," I said, grinning. "I could watch this all day."

Raeland snorted softly beside me, his hand reaching for mine instinctively. His thumb brushed gently over my knuckles, and I found myself leaning into the touch, comforted by the soft warmth of his skin. He grinned. "If you think this is good, you should see them try to pick a movie to watch. That's when things really get interesting."

Alessia scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest, though her smile only widened. "We don't fight, thank you very much. We discuss."

Nico chuckled, shaking his head, the sound deep and warm. "Right, discussions that somehow always end with us watching 'The Lion King' because it's the only thing Rayna will sit through without fussing."

At the sound of her name, Rayna perked up a little, her head lifting slightly from Nico's shoulder. She stared at me for a moment, eyes wide and inquisitive, before slowly, tentatively, she gave me the tiniest of smiles—a shy, adorable little curve of her lips.

"There we go," I whispered, my voice soft and full of affection as I reached out to gently touch her tiny hand. Her fingers, still clutching Nico's shirt, loosened slightly as she reached for me. Her hand was so small, so delicate in mine, and I could feel my heart swell at the sight.