She felt the impact when Razvan raised his head. The punch to his gut, hard and deep. He hadn't really paid attention to anything but protecting Ivory from Xavier's evil and trying to keep everyone calm. Now, there was no mistaking this child. Or the trauma she'd suffered. He swallowed hard, but his expression didn't change. Only Ivory felt the terrible blow.
«I am Dragonseeker then,» Skyler said, her chin up. «That is why I can sense the earth in the way Syndil does, although she is not Dragonseeker, but has the gift of bonding with earth as the Dragonseekers do. I am part Carpathian, although for some reason, unlike others who are half, I have not needed blood.»
Razvan took a breath, let it out. Ivory reached for his hand, clung. She didn't know which of them needed the support more.
«You are my daughter.» He made it a statement, although he had no recollection of her mother. He must have been buried deep, suppressed by Xavier when the mage had impregnated the woman. Skyler had been spared being kidnapped and taken because her blood had not called to Xavier, the Dragonseeker in her hiding deep, probably sensing a mortal enemy. It was her eyes that gave her away. Had Xavier looked closer, had he not been so greedy for the «right» blood, he would not have allowed Skyler and her mother to escape so easily.
What happened to her? Razvan asked his sister. When he sensed her hesitation, he snapped an impatient order. Tell me.
Ivory put her hand on his shoulder. It was the first time she'd seen him really shaken. She felt him tense beneath her hand, but he didn't pull away.
Natalya bit her lip and then capitulated. Her mother ran when she was a mere infant. For years Skyler believed the man her mother married was her birth father. He was a very bad man and sold her to other men. Francesca rescued her.
Razvan closed his eyes briefly. Only Ivory's touch steadied him. His children seemed destined to live with pain and suffering even when Xavier didn't get his hands on them. He opened his eyes to look directly at Francesca. «I am grateful to you.»
He had no idea what to say to this young girl. His daughter. A girl he knew nothing about, who had lived in hell and had far too much knowledge of monsters in the world. «I do not know what words I can give you, Skyler, other than to say I am sorry I have not been in your life to protect you from all the horrors of this world. Had I been able, I would have protected you.»
She shrugged her shoulders, far too mature for her age. «That was a little impossible, as you didn't even know I existed.»
«I do know now,» Razvan said, «and I hope you are willing to get to know me. I will never take the place of your parents, but I certainly want to be a part of your life, if you will have me. You are someone any parent can be proud of. You stood your ground against evil, and I hear you work with Syndil to heal the earth. That alone is a miracle.»
The tension seemed to leave her. «I'm glad we met.» She held on to Francesca's hand, seemingly unaware she did so even as she reached out to touch the scars webbing his arm. «You destroyed Xavier. Gregori told us what happened.»
«Without the others, Skyler, I would not have been able to do so. We worked together.»
«They are waiting for you inside,» Francesca said. «I wanted to look at you and Ivory again. I had hoped you would stay and allow us to heal you after the initial session.»
Razvan and Ivory exchanged a long look. There had been so much pain. The Carpathian people had gathered to help speed their healing, but neither could stay in such close proximity. They needed their own sacred ground and they had gone together to the cave where Mother Earth surrounded them with her richest soil. Both still bore the scars, but like Vikirnoff and Natalya, the scars were fading.
«Thank you, Francesca,» Razvan said, with a slight, formal bow. «We both appreciate your aid. You probably saved our lives.»
«I doubt that.» Francesca led the way through the cavern to the ceremonial chamber where everyone waited.
A hush fell over the crowd as they entered. Ivory moved closer to Razvan. She could smell sage and lavender. Candles adorned every conceivable crevice and ledge, the flickering lights casting soft shadows over the walls. Above their heads, crystals adorned the ceiling, and the dancing lights sent the gems sparkling on and off like a blanket of stars. Ivory slid her arm along Razvan's, shocked that such a crowd of people ringed the room-staring at them.
Mikhail glided from the center of the room, closing the distance between them. He clasped Razvan's arm in the formal manner of greeting between two experienced and respected hunters. «Pesasz jelabam ainaak-long may you stay in the light. Thank you for your great service to our people.»
Razvan didn't move. Didn't speak. He stared over Mikhail's shoulder even after Mikhail turned to Ivory and clasped her arms in the same formal manner.
«Sivad olen wakeva, han ku piwta-may your heart stay strong, hunter,» Mikhail greeted. «Your people thank you for your great service.» He stepped back and bowed, a long, low sweeping bow indicating great respect.
To Ivory's shock, the entire room bowed with him. Emotion choked her, constricting her throat, and she glanced to Razvan. He hadn't moved. Hadn't changed expression, as if he were frozen there, his face carved in stone. He hadn't seen the tremendous tribute. He hadn't taken his eyes from across the room. She turned her head to follow his gaze.
There was no mistaking who the woman was seated beside Nicolas De La Cruz-Lara. Ivory couldn't drink in her beloved Nicolas, not when Razvan's heart shattered into a million pieces. He just crumbled inside. Outside, he appeared aloof and apart from everything. Inside, he simply dissolved. His inner peace was gone-destroyed. He couldn't breathe; his heart accelerated to the point she feared it might explode.
Every memory, every horrendous detail of this child's life, crowded into his head. The scent of her blood. The feel of his teeth tearing into her flesh, unable to stop, unable to do anything other than warn her, try to get her to run. Yet there was nowhere for her to run. No place for her to go, and he was helpless to save her. The hopeless despair and weight of terrible guilt drove him to his knees. Tiny red beads tracked down his face. His hands were unsteady as he tried to push himself up.
Razvan just knelt there beside her, and for the first time, Ivory felt panic. He wasn't ready for this. She should never have allowed him to come to this place. She dropped to her knees beside him, her arms around him in spite of the fact that he didn't want her comfort. He didn't feel he deserved it. He had been unable to protect his child not only from Xavier, but from himself, from the monster Xavier had forced him to be. To Razvan, possession was no excuse. This child, his beloved Lara, had been born of him, but like Skyler, she had been in the midst of monsters.
He knew her. He loved her. Even when he couldn't feel the emotion, it had been there, far off, remembered. His sense of family, the Dragonseeker blood, calling to him, to her.
«Father?» The voice was a child's voice.
Razvan looked up and there she stood, right in front of him, tears sliding down her face. Lara wrapped her arms around him and held him to her with Ivory.
«It's all right. Really. I'm all right. Nicolas has taken great care of me, and now that you're here with us, and I know you really were trying to get me out of there, everything is all right.»
«I do not deserve you.»
Lara smiled. «Neither does Nicolas, but I love him all the same.» The smile faded and she looked serious. «I am proud to be your daughter.»
Nicolas helped Razvan to his feet. «And I, your son.» He grinned a little mischievously, something that shocked Ivory as he leaned over to brush a kiss on her cheek. «Hello, Mother.»