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“ I ’m going with you.” My father tapped his glass in thought. “You are king now, you do not need me to access the gateway, you also didn’t need me to tell you that it’s foolish to deny your soulmate bond.” He leaned forward. “As happy as I am that you have come, why are you here Daemon?”

Slowly, I licked at my fang. “I have a daughter.”

The whole manor suddenly became eerily quiet.

That fucking silence again.

My father blinked with his drink frozen halfway to his mouth. “I don’t understand.”

“During our travels, Remnant discovered a faeling hidden in The Under with powerful Sanguine wards upon her. Jarquinn was able to break them and the child transformed into her true nature.” I gave him a tentative smile despite the complexity of the news. “The girl is mine and…Remnant’s. ”

Shakily, he set the glass down without taking a drink. “How—how is this possible?”

I shook my head sadly. “The reason why Deirdre had been imprisoning fae in the first place. To find a way to procreate. It would seem that she was finally successful with her experiments using Remnant and I.”

“He will not remember the origin of the curse, the story of the goddess’s brothers, careful with your words, fairy boy. Remember your promise to the healer. ”

“You have a cub? A daughter? I have a granddaughter?” He choked. “Tell me…” I tracked the lone tear that escaped down his stunned features. “Please…tell me about her.”

I hesitated and cleared my throat. “You do not care? About how she was made?”

“Care?” He whispered and I closed my eyes, fearful of what I would see there.

“Of course I care. I care that so much has been taken from my son and his soulmate. I care that you have been robbed of everything beautiful and sacred that a soulmate bond can give you, including being able to bring life into this world. I care that you are still paying the price of past mistakes.”

I opened my eyes to see nothing but love and concern staring back at me. Tears still falling from my fathers eyes and wetting his beard.

“What I don’t care about are the circumstances in which your daughter came to be…we all have our origin stories. This will be hers.” He smiled wide and wiped his face with his large roughened hand. “I mean fuck, I stepped out of a goddess damn grove and just was.”

I chuckled, then sniffed, wiping at my eyes.

Clearing his throat he pushed his glass aside and leaned closer toward me. “Please tell me about my granddaughter, Daemon.”

I smiled proudly then. “She is no more than seven summers and so very small. She looks like Remnant with her petite features and long raven black hair with just the perfect shade of blue.” I said fondly, seeing our daughter so clearly in my mind.

“But her coloring is mine…just like mother’s.

She is in a healing sleep to help her with the new transformation.

She does not yet know that Remnant and I are her parents.

” I paused then. “Remnant also does not know this. ”

“Son.” My father growled in warning. “I saw the look on your soulmate’s face when she learned who I was. I heard her tell you that she wants truths to trust you. Do not fuck that up.”

I sent him a pleading look. “How the fuck do you tell someone that, father? Oh by the way, I’m your soulmate, we have a daughter together, and also I need you to save the world with me so she has one to live in.” I hissed.

My father picked back up his glass. “Sounds about right to me. I recommend a drink though.”

I scoffed. “You want to know why I came here…it’s because you didn’t prepare me for any of this! I don’t know how to be the king for my people, a soulmate to Remnant, and most importantly how to be a father to a little girl that has already had the first part of her life taken from her!”

Anguish reflected back at me. “I wish there was some sort of ancient fae advice I could give you Daemon…but the truth is that after two thousand years, I still haven’t figured out how to be the father you deserved, I failed at being a king, and I lost my soulmate.

There is no right answer. All you can hope for in the end of your days is that you have loved and been loved back.

And you are, fiercely. By your friends, your people, your mother and I… and also by that shadow fae outside.”

My voice dropped low. “What did you just say?”

My father’s gold eyes laughed at me. “Daemon, she is out there right now cursing and knocking Bane on his ass repeatedly because he threatened you. She is as much in love with you as you are in love with her.”

My mouth hung open.

He grinned wide, his canines sharp in the light. “Jar sent you, didn't he? He knew you could not see the truth unless it came from me.”

I grunted admittedly. “Yes.”

“Clever fae.” Asher chuckled and then leaned in. “Now tell me. What is my granddaughter’s name?”

“Her name is Riella.” I smiled wryly. “I am quite certain her eyes will be gold.”

My father beamed. “A true Strider shifter.”

I shook my head. “Jar says she will be both shifter and shadow fae. The first of her kind and infinitely more powerful.” I said proudly .

My fathers brows rose up into his hairline and his lips quirked. “The first shadow shifter?”

I chuckled. “Don’t tell Jar you came up with that name, he thinks himself clever and is claiming the ownership of naming a new species of fae.”

My father chuffed and then stared at me for a moment before leaning forward across the table to touch his forehead to mine.

A traditional shifter greeting. “I have missed you, Daemon. You must know, I love you my cub. And I am so fucking proud of what you have become. You will be a wonderful father. Better than the best, I should know—I can see the truth of it.”

I pressed back into him and breathed in his calming scent, our volatile bond finally calm. It was…peaceful? I had forgotten the feeling.

“I love you too, Father.”

He pulled away smiling. “Stay for dinner?”

I let out a strangled laugh. “Depends on what’s on the menu?” I winked.

He arched his brow. “I believe I still remember how to make your favorite dish.”

“Done!” I smacked my lips hungrily. “When do we eat?”

I grinned when his roaring laughter rattled the walls.