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“Until I saw what I did between you and Warlow, I didn’t know you could entertain emotions.”

“Well, you’ve learned something new again. My point is, I don’t use my power in such a way. The closest I came was trying to force Ryker into the Covenant. I’d been misled by Draco’s corruption of my Foresight. I’d allowed the desperation of the situation to impact me. And, as you recall, it had a dangerous butterfly effect that ultimately led to us both losing Mia.”

As he struggled to absorb my words, I gestured at the cylinder again, urging him to reach out with his senses.

He took a step forward and focused on the golden energy flaming wildly.

It was then that I saw him notice other sparks of energy dancing around it, fused to it.

Blue and red.

Blue and red magic.

His gaze flicked to mine. “Is this—”

“Yours and Mia’s magic, yes.”

“I don’t… why… how could this be? She’s dead. Her magic can’t exist. The angel magic is obviously an exception, but not her original power.”

I nodded and swept my hand over it, dissolving a glamor that had been completely imperceptible, even to him.

“This is its true form.”

He choked as he took in the sight of a developing baby within the field of gold.

He eyed me incredulously.

“This is your child. Yours and Mia’s. A daughter, to be more precise.”

He staggered back, shaking his head vehemently. “No. This can’t be… it’s not possible. It’s a trick. Another glamor… layers and layers of them, maybe. This is manipulation, you’re trying to talk me down.”

“You know it’s the truth. Your senses will confirm as much.”

“Is this why you refused to allow Ryker to put her in suspended animation and then why you thwarted all his attempts to bring her back?”

“Yes. She would’ve not only come back wrong, but it would’ve likely impacted the child also.”

“You can do that? You’re saying there’s actually a way to bring her back to us?”

“Well, I wanted to wait until I’d already accomplished the task, but your actions today and the fact that you stole the other portion of the angel magic has forced my hand.”

“Why not tell me this sooner?”

“You were not of sound mind. Aside from the attacks themselves, there’s also the fact that you just threatened Ryker—somebody I unfortunately caused pain to from the brief loss of his magic before, somebody who is his magic more than any other magic-wielder in my employ—with taking his magic away forevermore through the orb. I understand that you also wounded him, both physically and mentally, one whom you have expressed love for. I couldn’t be certain, even with showing you this, that you wouldn’t disregard it in your cold and dark state.”

He sank against the wall, scrubbing his hand over his face.

“That shield you’ve erected around yourself is cracking, yes?”

“Yeah,” he murmured.

I stepped up to him and pressed a glowing silver hand over his heart.

“This will ease the pain as you allow it back in, enable you to also think clearly and continue to access the extensive knowledge you’ve acquired in your dark state. Do not turn away from it, though. Do not stop the process. To do what needs to be done now, you cannot possess a concentrated amount of darkness.”

He grasped my hand on his. “You saved my child.”

“My grandchild.”