“So long as you allow Kitty to live her life without interference, I care not about your continued presence. Return her to me.”
Rhiannon rushed forward. “Wait, grandmother. I have a question.”
Chigaru didn’t relinquish his spot, forcing Kitty to speak around him. “Yes, granddaughter?”
“What about Joah? Is his soul a continued threat?”
Kitty closed her eyes for a few seconds and frowned in concentration. Her hair moved in a breeze targeting only her. She opened her eyes and said, “I sense no trace of him. He must have left this world as I did before.”
“May he stay gone,” Serenity said with vehemence.
“Serenity.” Rhiannon faced her daughter with a surprised expression that faded under Serenity’s blatant anger. She nodded with a sigh. “You are right, my daughter. If he has left this world, it is better he never return.”
“There is no spell to pull him back,” Kitty said. “You need not worry.”
“Thank you, grandmother.” Rhiannon glanced up at Chigaru and then away. “I hope we can speak again.”
“It pleases me that you wish to speak to me at all. However, such discourse must be with Kitty’s permission. I have lived my life, I must leave her to live hers.”
“Queen Damia,” Melchior said, stepping forward.
“Yes?”
“I will change our recorded history to reflect all revealed this day. The war is not solely your fault and everyone needs to know.”
“Thank you, King Melchior.” Kitty closed her eyes again and sank into a faint.
Chigaru caught her against his side. He didn’t get the chance to ask about her health before Silny rushed forward and laid her hands on Kitty’s face. Silny nodded up at him. “She’s sleeping. Damia has retreated but her magic took a toll on Kitty. She needs rest.”
Serenity whispered, “Go and be with her.” She patted his arm. “Go.”
He didn’t question it. Summoning his transportation magic, he moved himself and Kitty to their room. Let the others discuss what all they’d learned. Only his wife concerned him.
Chigaru laid her on the bed and stretched out beside her. When she woke, they had much to discuss.
Chapter Fourteen
Kitty remained relaxed, enjoying Chigaru’s nearness and warmth as she thought about the day before. Unlike the other times Damia had taken over, Kitty had been aware during Damia’s and Silny’s confessions. Kitty still couldn’t believe she was the reincarnation of the woman partly responsible for a world war.
This knowledge could never be forgotten or ignored. How did she interact with everyone with such a heavy history hanging over her? Kitty herself hadn’t done it and yet she felt guilty as hell because of it.
“It is not your transgression to feel guilty about, Kitty.”
Kitty recognized Damia’s voice inside her mind and was thankful it was at a normal decibel this time around.
“I’m sorry about last time. I have a temper.”
Kitty gave a silent laugh. “I noticed. And I’m thinking I get mine from you.”
“More than likely. Do not carry my burden. It is not yours.”
“But—”
“No buts, Kitty. You are not me though we are the same soul. You have your own life to live and it shouldn’t be spent repenting for my sins. Besides, your demon will get upset if you do.”
“Stop calling him that.”
“Old habit. Forgive me.”
“I can’t ignore you, Damia. I feel you floating around in my mind, now that I know what the feeling means.”
“And neither do I want to be ignored, now that I am awake once more.”
“So where does that leave us?”
“I’ve said already. You are living your life. I am merely an observer who might offer her opinion from time to time.”
Kitty snorted aloud, causing Chigaru to stir beneath her head. She held her breath, hoping she hadn’t awakened him. She wasn’t ready to talk to him yet. He said Damia’s past didn’t taint his view of Kitty but she was scared to see censure in his eyes.
Damia said, “He will not look at you with anything but love. Treasure that and stop questioning and doubting it. You have a love that is reciprocated. Know that to be a gift and treat it as such.”
“I’m sorry.”
“My stupidity is nothing for which anyone but me should apologize. And no amount of apologies can return the lives my poor judgment stole.”
“The past is past and you can’t change it, strongest mage of your era or not. A lot of good came out of what happened too. Serenity and Melchior and Nilam for instance.”
“Yes, there is that. Their union as true mates is nothing less than Destiny’s hand in righting my wrongs.”
“Your reincarnation becoming true mates to a bhresya must be Destiny’s work as well.”
“True. She even moved your mother to name you after me.”
“Huh?”
“Kri means top or peak in the old language. Damia is the name of the brightest star in the constellation that was at its zenith on the day of my birth. The oracle constellation.”
“Okay, now that’s taking coincidence a bit far.”
“Not coincidence. Destiny. My powers traveled with me in death. They are the reason you inherited so much of your family’s divination abilities to become an oracle candidate. My awakening strengthened you so you no longer need to vacate your body when truth inhabits it.”
“So I’m an oracle now without training?”
“I wouldn’t go that far. You remain susceptible to the spell of invocation. However, you might want to stop saying almost when you describe your ability.”
Kitty groaned. This time when Chigaru shifted beneath her head, he blinked open his eyes. She gave him a shaky smile. “Good morning.”
Chigaru tightened his arm around her, urging her up his body so he could kiss her lips. He started with a soft press of flesh that graduated to a searing kiss of possession and need. Kitty stopped thinking about past lives and guilt to focus on the passion making her hot.
“I thought you would deny me,” Chigaru said, breaking the kiss.
Kitty pulled back so she could show him her surprised expression. “Me? You’re the one who should be doing the denying.”
“Never. As Damia or Kitty, you will always be my true mate.”
“Kristar. It’s okay if you call me Kristar.”
“You’re sure? Your mother—”
“Gave me the perfect name. It describes me, especially now.”
“Meaning?”
Kitty smiled down at him and laid another kiss on his lips. “Don’t worry about it.”
In her head, Damia said, “Thank you, Kitty.”
The mood was right and the press of Chigaru’s hard arousal against her leg promised to turn the good morning into a great one. So of course, someone knocked at the bedroom door.
Chigaru and Kitty groaned in unison.
Kitty said, “It has to be Nilam. Only she would come knocking.” She climbed off Chigaru and the bed, wrapped herself in a robe, and went to the door. “Yes, princess?”
Melchior and Serenity greeted her instead of their daughter. Serenity said, “Not Nilam. She is out playing with Theyn’s boys. I told her to leave you alone this morning and yet find I cannot follow my own dictate.”
“May we enter?” Melchior asked.
“Yeah. Sure. Of course.” Kitty stepped back quickly and waved them in and then closed the door after them.
Behind her, Chigaru sat up. “Is something amiss?”
Melchior made a calming gesture. “No need for alarm. Serenity wishes to tell Kitty something and couldn’t wait.”
A shiver of apprehension raced up Kitty’s spine. She knew it. Melchior and Serenity wouldn’t want Kitty to stay in the palace, or Nexeu, knowing what they now knew about her.
Serenity clasped her hands before her and wrung them. Her unsure expression coupled with the shy version of her usual smile made no
sense to Kitty.
“I feel silly saying this and I hope you will understand,” Serenity said after a long silence.
Kitty nodded, preparing herself to accept her banishment with grace. She also prepared to accept the fact that Chigaru might not be coming with her. Because she loved him so much, she wouldn’t force him to choose between her and his duty.
Serenity said, “You share the soul of my ancestor. There is no blood between us but I cannot deny you are part of my family.”
“Huh?” Kitty didn’t know what else to say.
“I discussed this with my brother and my mother yesterday. They both agree and Alric has given his blessing as king of Cheslav.” Serenity met Kitty’s gaze. “We, the descendants of Queen Damia, first ruler of Cheslav, wish to claim you as a member of our family, Kristar.”
Kitty stared at Serenity in shocked silence.
Serenity smiled wide. “And though you are a few months younger than me, we decided the title of grandmother is the only one fitting to describe your relationship to us.”
“Grandmother?”
“Alric suggested elder, but I didn’t think you would enjoy that as an endearment.”
“Oh you’re right. I’m not too fond of grandmother when I’m not even a mother yet, but I definitely don’t like elder. And are you sure?”
Serenity clasped Kitty’s hands in hers. “Very.”
Kitty turned to Melchior for help. He couldn’t be happy with this situation and yet the man was smiling. No help was coming from there. She looked over her shoulder at Chigaru, who shrugged at her. No help there either.
Serenity said, “Should you accept, you will be treated as a member of the royal family. You and Chigaru both. In Cheslav as well as Nexeu.”
Chigaru joined them then, a sheet wrapped around his waist. “Should Kristar accept, I wish to retain my position as a Hell Hound.”
Melchior asked, “Even if you are a prince?”
“You could name me king and I wouldn’t want to relinquish my position as one of Serenity’s Hell Hounds.”
“That is your choice.” There was a grudging quality to Melchior’s voice but it was tinged with amusement.
Serenity squeezed Kitty’s hands.
Kitty tried to think of a reason she should say no. They knew she was Damia reincarnated and still offered a place in their family. Bringing it up wouldn’t change their minds. She shook her head with an amused sigh. “Sure. I always wanted to be a princess when I was younger.”
“And so you now are, Princess Kristar.”
“Just one thing. Can we keep this on a need-to-know basis? People are going to wonder why you would name me a royal and, if you tell them about Damia, things might get ugly. I don’t mind being part of the family and treated like a royal so long as it’s subtle.”
Serenity nodded. “Of course. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. You are free to continue as you have, if you wish. This is the whim of my brother, my mother, and myself. Melchior went along with it to make me happy.”
“I agreed because she is your family, Serenity. The lack of blood between you does not change that,” Melchior said. “Kristar is also further proof the war has truly ended.”
“You’re giving me too much credit,” Kitty said, blushing from her neck to her hairline. The morning hadn’t happened at all the way she’d predicted. It was a happy miscalculation, but disconcerting as well.
“We don’t give you enough,” Serenity said. “We have gained so much from your presence. The past is clearer and old burdens are lifted. The knowledge you have given us is priceless and shall be treated as such. Thank you, Kristar.” She stopped and frowned. “Strange but I thought you would become annoyed at my use of your real name. You always have before, but I thought you should grow used to it as part of your new station.”
“I’ve decided to accept my name. It means something different to me now so I have no issues claiming it. Use it all you like. I’ll answer to Kitty or Kristar.”
“Good.” Serenity released Kitty and stepped back. “We’ll take our leave.”
Chigaru said, “I will start—”
“Nothing.” Serenity held up her hand. “I have rearranged the schedule to give you this day, my confidant. Spend it with your wife.”
“Thank you, Serenity.”
She nodded before placing her hand on Melchior’s arm and leaving the room with him. Kitty stared at the closed door. This morning couldn’t get any weirder for her. Princess. She was a princess.
Chigaru hugged her from behind. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking life is going to get really weird when everyone learns I’m part of the royal family now. You too.”
“You’ll become accustomed to it. We both will.”
“I’m also thinking the fear in the pit of my stomach each time I think of getting pregnant isn’t there any longer. Neither is the memory of being impaled.” She turned and hugged his waist, pressing her hips against his. “How about we spend the day making a baby?”
“I could think of no better use for the day.”
“I thought you might say that.” She kissed his lips and felt perfection.
No more tension. No more jealousy. Okay, maybe a little jealousy. Chigaru remained Serenity’s Hell Hound and nothing would change that. As well, Kitty didn’t plan to end her new relationship with Melchior. But it was good-natured jealousy, if such a thing existed.
Kitty saw brightness on the horizon leading to the future. If Destiny was guiding her, Kitty decided to follow the path without complaint. It had led her to love, after all.
Epilogue
Silny rocked the tiny bundle she held, smiling down at the orange-haired baby girl. The baby cooed and waved her little arms.
Kitty said, “Don’t get attached, Silny. You can’t keep her. At least not yet. When she gets older and mouthy, I’ll send her to you along with the other two.”
The other two—the identical twin sister of the girl Silny held and their brother—were held by Chigaru and Trent. Both men wore similar pleased grins. Silny liked seeing a child in Trent’s arms. It might be time to let go of old hurts and finally give him one of his own. She would discuss that with him later.
She said to Kitty, “I’m sure your children will run to me whether you send them or not. They will be much like their other mother in that regard.”
“Damia refuses to apologize about transporting me here. She was sick of all the people making a fuss over me. I was too, for that matter. And it was all for nothing. None of them have wings.”
Silny had yet to correct the assumption that she found Kitty’s presence annoying. After the day of confession, Silny found quite a few things had stopped bothering her. She could say Damia’s name without malice. Thinking of the female brought up old hurts and bad memories, but the good memories came along with them.
She said, “No they most definitely do not have wings. It remains a mystery why Serenity’s new son has them.”
Kitty pouted a little. “I’m kind of disappointed though. They would have been cute with wings.”
“Bhresyas lost the ability to fly along with our wings long before we split and renamed the kingdom to hide our numbers. That a half-breed bhresya has regained them has to mean something important.” She cradled the baby closer. “I’m at a loss to think what.”
“I’ll let Serenity worry about that. I don’t mean to throw her under the bus, but the pressure is back on her. I had three and none of them have wings. So unless Alexa pops out one with wings, I should be in the clear.”
Trent asked, “Do you want to send a message to let them know?”
“We probably should,” Kitty said.
“Yes you should since there are several bhresyas at the edge of the forest, pacing the border like caged animals. I’m sure that’s not King Melchior’s doing, but King Ganon won’t hesitate to place the blame on him.” Trent gave Kitty a sly look. “And the last thing you need is another war to add to your résumé.”
Silny shook her head at her husband as she handed the little girl to her mother. “I shall inform them.”
“Don’t be long, my love. We have to help Kitty and Chigaru with baby names.”
“I never knew you were so silly about children.”
“You never asked.”
She laughed at the way Trent’s eyes twinkled. Yes, she should definitely give him a child of his own soon. Coming to that decision pleased her more than she thought it would. Silny looked forward to holding a child of her own. Before Kitty came into her life, Silny couldn’t have said that.
A transportation spell carried her to the border where she informed the waiting bhresyas of Kitty’s healthy birth to triplets and that none bore wings. Disappointment met the announcement. The crowd dispersed to return to their homes.
Silny reentered the forest, deciding to enjoy a comforting night walk after the excitement of delivering Kitty’s triplets.
“Perhaps mine will have wings. The right spell would guarantee it,” she said to herself and then grinned.
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
D. Reneé Bagby is an Air Force brat turned Air Force wife. The last born of three Capricorns and the only daughter, Renee was exposed to many countries and cultures as her family traveled around the world due to military relocations. She is used to being a fish-out-of-water and subjects her characters to the same with the worlds she creates as backdrops for her stories.
When not caught up in her fantasy worlds, Reneé can be found residing in Hawaii with her husband and two cats. She splits her non-writing time between reading comics and manga, watching anime, knitting chain maille and hanging out with family and friends.
For all titles by D. Reneé Bagby, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/d-renee-bagby
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Kristar (Bookstrand Publishing Romance) Page 26
