The Delacours

twenty-six.

                Val had come back in the middle of the day after having been with the Elders talking about the rest of her changes to the rules of the fae realm. She offered to take us all home once she took a shower and changed her clothes.

"Wait, are you not coming with us?" I asked.

"There are still a few things I have to take care of. I'll be home soon," she said.

"Well... I know the Magister wanted to talk with me about being the Sheriff, but I don't want to leave you here alone."

"It's okay if you do. I'm mostly going to be in boring meetings. I wouldn't be around a whole lot."

"How long would that take?" Chris asked.

"Uh... a few days at most."

"So you'd be gone for two months again," Chris said nonchalantly.

"Yeah. I guess so..."

"Why don't you take Ray and Aria home? Liz and I can stay here with you."

"What about the Magister?" she asked me.

"Fuck Anna... I'd rather be here with you anyway. She can wait."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to get into trouble."

"It'd be trouble staying away from you for two months. It's less trouble for me, for us, to be here with you."

"Fine. Just give me a few to get them home." I saw Val, Ray, and Aria disappear through a portal. She came back a few minutes later with a few bags.

"What's all that?" I said, grabbing them from her.

"Supplies." Chris and I opened the bags. Her 'supplies' were bottles of alcohol, a few packs of cigarettes, and some fresh clothes. I pulled out a cigarette and put it to my lips. As I grabbed the lighter, I looked at Val.

"Wait, can I smoke this in here?"

"You can do whatever you want. But if you'd prefer outside there's a balcony outside my room." She led me to the room, pulled back a set of curtains, and then opened a door that I didn't notice before. The view from the balcony was breathtaking. There were mountains far off in the distance. Below the balcony, I could see all the booths and the handmade shelters. I lit my cigarette and took a drag. I heard the lighter click again, Val had lit a cigarette for herself.

"Since when did you start smoking?"

"I'm still nervous. I need something to calm me down. If you two didn't stay here, I probably wouldn't have come back here."

"But... you're the Eminence."

"I know. I don't know what I'm gonna do... I can't live here all the time. But I have... certain things that need to be taken care of before I can leave."

"What do you mean?"

"I was talking to Elijah about it and there's not a whole lot I can do about it... My bloodline doesn't continue after me. Aria is a vampire and a Halfling, so she can't rule, and I have no other siblings."

"What are you saying?" Chris had come outside.

"...I need to have a baby." Chris and I didn't say anything, but we exchanged a look.