Timeline: a Wings of Fire fanfiction (COMPLETED)

27.

Darkstalker

The first two nights aren't a problem. They actually go relatively well. (At least Queen Vigilance gave us one week off to take care of Shadowhunter.)

But during the day, when we're trying to sleep, she cries.

She curls up between us on our bed, snuggling up against Clearsight like a little lemur or something. And then the second either one of us closes our eyes, she starts wailing, little bits of desperate smoke exploding out of her snout.

Neither of us know why.

I mean, I can see into her mind. I can feel the raw terror coarsing through her—that even the second we leave the room, she feels like she's going to die. That doesn't mean I understand where it's coming from. (To be fair, I don't think Shadowhunter does either.)

Clearsight rolls over, eyes opening vaguely. "Wha..."

"I'll deal with it." I scoop Shadowhunter up in my arms, ignoring the little squeak she makes in protest.

"Ssssh. You're okay." I feel stupid talking to her when she can't even understand me yet, but what else am I supposed to do?

The room still smells vaguely of the smoke left over from her tantrum.

"I'm here. I'll keep you safe. I'll keep you safe, always."

A high, keen, note of fear. Can Clearsight hear us, or is she back to sleep already?

"Ssshhhh. I love you. I'm not going to leave."

I don't know how long we stay there. How long I am holding this small, fragile life under my wings, listening to the pounding of her heart against mine, the frantic flutter of her breath, the wisps of smoke still unfurling from her snout. A long time, probably.

I don't know how there are tears stinging in my eyes, needles piercing into my throat, and she looks up at me with confusion, swiping a talon across my snout. I don't know why my breathing lurches to a halt, and my chest starts shaking.

I swipe the hot tears off my cheeks, clear my throat, take a deep breath, adjust my wings around my daughter. The sun is setting through the bedroom window, pink-purple light staining the glass.

"You're okay," I whisper.

***

"She's so beautiful," Mother whispers. I'm not sure if it's just the light or not, but her eyes look glassy. "She looks like you do. And... she has Arctic's eyes."

It's the first time we've talked about my father in a long time.

Shadowhunter lets out a little puff of smoke, and swats at her snout with one of her front talons.

Clearsight laughs. "You're going to be a wonderful grandmother. She's... really close to you. At least, in a lot of futures. I mean, don't get your hopes up. But it's likely. You have a lot in common."

Mother looks down at the ground, taking a deep breath. I take a step forward, preparing to wrap a wing around her and ask if she's okay, if she needs to go outside for a moment, or--

She looks up with a deep, lung-clearing breath, giving Clearsight a smile. "Thank you for telling me that. That means a lot."

She glances down at the new-hatched dragonet, smiling a little. "Hey Shadowhunter. I'm your Grandma."

"Gr...uggle..."