Page 48 of The Dark Elf's Secret Baby
“You were right,” I tell her. “He had orders to leave but he came here, begged me to leave with him. I told him that I couldn’t uproot Jasper. Pushed him away. Jasper absolutely fell apart. I hurt my son and I hurt Kerym by making him leave,” I say, a lump in my throat.
“He’s gone?” she asks.
“Yes. He left on the ship last night. I told him that we wouldn’t go and he was so hurt. I shouldn’t have done that. I messed everything up but I’m going to make it right,” I vow. “We’re going to Vhoig. To find him.”
“By the gods!” she yelps. “You’re really doing this? What are your plans?”
“I’m going to sell some stuff and buy passage on the next ship. Some of the people on the docks said I can find work in the city in one of the fishing towns. That way I can find Kerym and tell him that I made a mistake, that I want to be with him. And this way he can keep his job as Lieutenant.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Harper’s eyes are shining with tears. “You can’t let this chance pass you up. If you want him, you need to do this,” she encourages me. “You deserve to be happy.”
“Thank you,” I hug her tightly. “I just didn’t think that I should take Jasper from his home here, from the only life he’s ever known...but when it comes down to it, I think he will be happier wherever Kerym is.”
“You’re right about that,” she agrees, finishing her kaffo. “I’ll take them. Do you want me to help you pack when I’m done?”
“No, you should go tell the overseer I’m leaving.” I finish my cup as well. “Come on Jasper, Addie. It’s time for school.”
“Me and mama going onbigboat a’fer school to find Daddy,” Jasper tells his best friend.
“Big boat?” Addie’s eyes get wide. “I wanna go on a big boat!”
Harper smiles. “We don’t need to go on a big boat today. Maybe another day,” she says. As she’s ushering the kids out the door she hugs me once more. “I’m so glad you’re doing this. I just wish I could admit my mistakes to Adelaide’s father too.”
I don’t get the chance to ask Harper about that before she’s got the kids out the door and down the path.
I wave them off and then turn back to look at my house. Gods there’s so much to pack and so little room for it all. What am I going to do? How am I even going to start to pack our life away?
Knowing that I’m making the right decision helps. I start in the kitchen, examining everything with a critical eye. Most of this stuff I can leave behind. I don’t need to bring all our plates and cutlery or our kaffo mugs...there’s only a few things I want, including a pretty plate I bought when I first moved here and a single mug that Jasper painted in school.
It gets easier as I sweep through the rooms, figuring out what to take and what to leave behind. By the time I’m done, I have two suitcases for myself and a small satchel for Jasper to carry.
My entire life, reduced to this. It feels hard but it feels good. I’d trade everything I have for one more day with Kerym. I realize that everything is meaningless without him in my life.
29
Kerym
Ihead back down to the docks immediately, telling the crew to turn the boat around and sail right back to Zerva.
“We just arrived!” the captain says with a scowl.
“And you can just turn around and leave,” I argue back. “Do it or I’ll make your lives harder!”
The crew are understandably peeved about the sudden change of plans but it doesn’t take much to change their minds when they see exactly how little I wish to be crossed right now. I don’t have the patience to deal with sulky sailors. Not when there’s a woman and child waiting for me on the other side.
I can’t believe I was stupid enough to leave them. I can’t believe I didn’t fight harder to stay. I should have put my foot down with Layla and told her that she was coming with me whether she liked it or not.
“Hoist anchor!” the captain yells. We’re about to take off. I hope my father doesn’t try to stop me. No one better try to stop me or I’ll cut them down. I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way right now.
As I’m standing there on the ship, leaning on the railing, dread grows inside me. I’m not regretting standing up to my father because I’m glad I said something, I just worry that my outburst has put Layla and Jasper in danger. There are very real consequences to human-elf relations. Plenty out there are vocally opposed to the idea.
It’s not illegal but there are dark elves who might just lash out at Layla for her choice. My heart beats furiously as I try to calm myself, reckoning that I’m on my way back and everything will be fine.
But what if a hit-team gets to them before I can? What if father exposes everything that’s happened and I lose all of my power and standing before I can secure a place for us all?
Or worse still...what if father has them killed?
I wouldn’t put it past him. He can be scary when he wants to be. He was always incredibly strict and harsh with us growing up. He may never have beat me but he was certainly a tough disciplinarian.