SWNOVELS The Dark Elf’s Surprise Baby: Chapter 23
When Harper said yes, that she wants to try again, I thought my heart would burst right out of my chest. I thought for a moment that maybe I had died and I was in Helias now. It was the only thing that made sense.
I almost rise from the table straight away but I refrain, managing somehow to finish my dinner and feeding our daughter. I can’t stop giving Addie kisses on the top of her head either. I hold her close, unwilling to be separated from the little girl who stole my heart.
I leave that night, eager to make preparations for Harper’s return, along with making space for our daughter.
My first order of business is to fire every single zagfer servant who had anything to do with this injustice. When I interrogate my staff, it comes out that my maid Bryrion was the one to tell Harper I was dead.
I confront her and she starts crying, telling me she’s sorry and that she was told of my death from Ivrir himself, and that by the time it turned out to be untrue, she was scared that I would sell her off for warning Harper. Ivrir admits that he can’t recall but thinks he might have been misinformed when receiving the letter. It’s been too long for him to remember clearly.
Bryrion maintains her innocence but does give me the names of everyone who tried to cover up the true reason for Harper’s disappearance, who told her to keep quiet for her own sake, lest they throw her under the wagon.
I fire all those she listed off. The staff is greatly reduced now but I know that only my most loyal servants remain. The chef, a few maids, my butler and two footmen are all that’s left.
When they arrive the next day, I have rooms set up for both of them. Harper is in a room down the hall from me and Addie has her own nursery next to Harper’s room.
I’m determined not to screw up this chance so I start by asking Harper for permission to court her, giving her a bouquet of morning glories as I ask. I’m nervous, my palms are sweaty but she accepts and my heart feels light as a feather.
“I accept,” she says, smiling at me with that same lovely, soft smile that made me melt the first time I saw her all those years ago. I bow, trying to hide my nerves and then I hug her tightly.
“Thank you,” I tell her when we break apart. “Thank you for giving me another chance. I know I don’t deserve it but thank you.”
“Don’t screw it up,” she says, rubbing my cheek with her thumb.
“I won’t,” I say, silently swearing to myself that I will be the best damned mate and father I could possibly be. I should have mated her the first time around but I was scared about the dangers of my job and the issues that society has for mixed couples.
But losing Harper put it all into perspective for me. Nothing matters but her now. Her and our precious, agelios.
“Now, sit here,” I tell her, ushering her into a chair in the dining room. “I’ve learned to cook while you were away and I want to show you what I can do!” I say as I rush towards the kitchen.
Our chef has been incredibly kind in teaching me how to cook and how to make many different dishes. It was something that helped occupy my time and take my mind away from how much I missed Harper. I start preparing the meal now, settling for something simple—skilletcakes.
I bring out a steaming pile of skilletcakes and present them to my lovely ladies with a flourish. “Madames,” I say with an exaggerated bow.
Adelaide claps excitedly and asks for two. I serve her up first and she digs in, proclaiming her Dad to be the best cook ever.
It melts my heart and makes it swell with pride all at the same time. Harper eats more slowly, her eyes lighting up as savors the skilletcakes. “You really have learned to cook,” she says with a laugh. It warms me up inside, making me feel as gooey as the butter I slather on my skilletcakes.
Once we’re finished, Harper gets up to go clean up Addie but I stop her. “It’s alright,” I tell her. “I’ve got this. You go ahead and enjoy some time to yourself.”
Harper smiles and glances at Addie. “Dad can help me!” Addie proclaims. She leaves and I help our daughter upstairs and get her cleaned up from breakfast and dressed in a pretty yellow dress I saw her wear before.
“Dad, can we go to the park today?” she asks, hopping around on one foot as I try to slide a stocking onto her leg.
“Whatever you want, agelios,” I tell her. She’s so precious, I’m completely gone for her. I would give her whatever she asked, even a hoqin. Harper would kill me but I want to spoil my little girl to make up for missing her first four years.
“Love you, Dad,” she says. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Anything, of course,” I tell her quickly. I want her to know she can trust me with anything she tells me.
“Mama doesn’t like me doing it but I can do magic, look!” She waves her hands and makes crystalline snowflakes appear out of thin air. I gasp.
“I’m sorry, don’t tell, Mama!” Addie looks frightened by my reaction so I reach out and smooth a hand over her hair.
“No, I was just amazed,” I tell her honestly. “You’re so powerful! You are allowed to do as much magic as you would like now that you live here. In fact, I will teach you more about magic. Your magic comes from me and that’s why your Mama was scared to let you do it. Some people don’t like that powerful little girls like you can do the same thing that they can.”
“Oh,” she nods solemnly. “But you’re okay with it?”
“More than okay, baby,” I tell her. “You do magic any time you like here. Mama will understand.”
“Yay!” she giggles and lets me put her stocking on finally. I’m so proud of my amazing daughter. I feel full to bursting with pride.
She really is just like me in so many ways. We finish getting her dressed and cleaned up and head down to find that Harper is waiting for us.
“I thought maybe we could all go to the park?” she suggests, her fingers twisting together.
“Of course!” I say quickly. “Addie wanted to go to the park anyway. Let’s all go and make a day of it. We can take a picnic.
We head out and spend the day at the park, the two of us watching Addie run around and chase all manner of animals and watch the other children race boats in the pond…I promise Addie to get her her own boat she can play with soon.
By the time we get back, Addie is so exhausted that I have to carry her inside. We take her up to her bed and I lay her down and tuck her in. She’s out like a light.
“She’s played too much,” Harper grins. “She probably won’t even wake up for dinner.”
“Well then we’ll just have to have dinner by ourselves then, right?” I ask, offering her my arm. Harper takes it with a soft smile. She seems to be warming up to me.
The cook has already prepared a meal for us and we enter the dining room, taking our seats opposite each other. Addie is still asleep and it’s just me and Harper for the first time.
“So, besides learning to cook, how have you been, Demethys?” she asks.
I stare into my glass of wine and swirl it around. “It’s been lonely,” I tell her honestly. “I almost quit my job but I took a promotion instead. I’m a Captain now.”
“I heard,” Harper nods and takes a drink of her own wine. “Congratulations.”
“It means I get to spend more time at home,” I tell her. “I’m no longer one of the men that they send out all the time into the field.”
“Oh,” Harper looks surprised by that. “How often do you go out?”
“Once a year, for a week,” I tell her. Something in her seems to perk up at that and she smiles into her goblet, but I can see it.
“I see,” she says. “And do you like being home?”
“I do,” I tell her. “I hated leaving, even before I met you.”
“So you’re home all the time then,” she states. I smile and nod.
“All the time. More time for doing important things…” I say suggestively.
The tension is mounting between us, I can feel it in the air.
“Important things…like what?”
“Like spending time with someone special. And showing them just how much they were missed. And showing them how sorry I am that I ever let them slip through my fingers…”
“Demethys,” Harper breathes out, staring deeply into my eyes, the two of us unable to tear our gazes from each other. “Take me upstairs.” The air crackles around us with the climax of our rising tension.
I’m eager to oblige, all but knocking my silverware to the floor in my haste to rise from my chair. I scoop Harper up in my arms and carry her up the stairs straight to my bedroom.
I want this. Harper wants this. There’s no going back now.