[This post is from Marin’s point of view.]
My brother cleared his throat a few seconds before he reached the circle of the fire’s light, cleaning his hands on a rag with a faint smile on his face. I blinked at the sight of him and Thordin twisted to look, his brow furrowing.
“What’s going on?” he asked, a hint of worry creeping into his tone. “Is something wrong?”
Matt shook his head, glancing back over his shoulder. Hecate appeared from the shadows, cradling a swaddled bundle in her arms, beaming as she shuffled forward.
I shot to my feet. “Is Neve—”
“She’s fine,” Hecate said quickly. “Exhausted, but fine. Cameron is with her and their daughter. He said I should bring Tory out to meet his new family.”
“Tory,” Thordin echoed, his brows knitting. I smiled even as a chill washed over me.
“Short for Artorius,” I said softly. Hecate nodded, watching me.
“You knew that, though,” she said, her voice quieter than it had been a moment before. “You knew she would name him that.”
I glanced at the basket where Lin was sleeping—or had been sleeping. His eyes were open now, bright and focused. I took a deep breath and stood, gathering him up into my arms. Hecate met me partway as I approached her, my throat growing tighter by the second. “I saw things,” I said softly. “I saw things before we ever realized it was two, before we realized how close together they’d be born, before any of that—I saw things.”
Even as tiny and young as he was, I could see that Lin was looking at Tory, who rested quietly in Hecate’s arms, swaddled with wide eyes, but quiet. I knew that he’d been born first, perhaps even an hour or more ago, and his sister had followed.
I knew that Neve would name her for Cameron’s mother, Anne.
One little fist worked its way free of the swaddling. I watched my son as he reached for the tiny bundle in his aunt’s arms.
“Such adventures,” I whispered, staring at the two infants as my eyes began to sting. “So many adventures.”
I tried not to think about it much. It felt safer that way.
But I knew that there would be more than just adventures—more and much, much worse.
But in those few heartbeats, there was just the two babies and maybe, just maybe, a few scraps of hope coming back to us all.
