Despite myself, I laughed with her, the sound of it lifting the darkened mood and the stifling grief.
Shea looked between us, his brows pulled together creating a small v on his flawless beauty as if he had never seen the sight of his soulmate and daughter laughing together.
And once upon a time, we always did–--those memories so far buried in pain and loss that they were difficult to recall.
Emon’s thumb swirled over my hand,“Fucking beautiful,”he purred,“goddess help me there is no symphony thatcould ever be composed that is more beautiful than the sound of your laugh Remnant Dark, and it cures the silence.”
Chapter 10
Willyoutellmea story?" Riella sighed softly as we tucked her into our bed. She had spent most of the evening chasing the camphor with my brother, and now she had declared the beasts were her new favorite but was quite disappointed she did not get to see any nuckelavee.
I couldn’t help but share her disappointment..
She fidgeted nervously, her hands twisting in her lap while her swirling green and gold eyes watched us both carefully, biting her lip waiting for our answer.
Glancing over at my shifter soulmate, I saw his eyes soften watching her, realizing, just as I did, that it was likely she had never had a tale told to her in the seven years she has graced this life.
"Of course," I said, tucking her in more, to hide my sadness, "I hear that your father is an excellent archiver of stories, perhaps he has a few storieshe'd share."
Emon pounced on the bed then, sending us both bouncing with squeals of laughter that echoed in the great open room. It was a beautiful sound, a sound to be cherished in these darker times.
"What kind of story does my little cub want to hear I wonder?" Emon purred, flourishing his hands dramatically, his brows raised, "Tales of her mother’s great battles or of her father's unparalleled strength?"
I snickered, "unparalleled?"
"Apologies soulmate, of course Riella is the most powerful one here." Emon flopped onto his back, placing his hands behind his head, and grinning when Riella covered her mouth snorting with laughter.
Laying down on her other side laughing, I tickled the beautiful creature that was the truest and purest form of the two of us. "Of course she is."
Giggling, she thrashed to escape the tickles, her small body flailing wildly only to smack Emon straight across the face.
My soul mated shifter, with hisunparalleled strength,howled, clutching his nose, groaning with watering eyes, "goddess."
Riella stilled, her lip trembling. "I'm sorry," she whimpered, shrinking into me.
Emon quickly stopped rubbing the bridge of his nose and blinked hard at our cowering daughter. "Do not cry my cub, I know it was an accident," he winked at her, "I think all I need is a kiss right here. Then my nose will finally be cured and straight again."
Riella's lip trembled more, her eyes full of alarm. "I broke it, I made it crooked," she gasped.
I snorted and hugged Riella into me, kissing the top of her head. "Your father's nose was already crooked, little chickadee, he is just acting like a baby nymph right now."
Emon shot me an innocent look, "heartless soulmate, I am practically wounded by our daughter's unparalleled strength and this is how you care? Comparing me to those terrorizing beasts," he gave her a grin, "our daughter has the power to fix me, what say you my cub? Will you heal me with a sweet kiss? Just here," he pointed at the slight wayward slant of his nose.
I rolled my eyes but our daughter nodded, a stern concentrated look on her face as she leaned in to place a sweet delicate kiss on the bridge of her fathers nose. I prayed I would never forget this moment.
Looking up at me, his chocolate brown hair fell in his mischievous golden eyes. "What do you think soulmate,” he angled his head for me, “am I handsome, has our daughter cured my un-fae like imperfection?"
Riella's face fell in dismay. "But father I did not fix you, it is still crooked."
Emon ruffled her head and leaned back with a sigh. "Worry not my cub, I am truly cursed to spend an eternity with this crooked nose!" He raised his hands up to the glass ceiling where stars showered above us. "Why has the goddess forsaken me so?"
I laughed and reached over to swat the dramatic shifter on his bare chest, the slap loud in the quiet twilight of the room. "Hush shifter. You are upsetting our daughter, she does not understand."
Emon chuckled and caught my swatting hand, kissing it softly, then glanced at our daughter questioningly, "Shall that be your story tonight? The tale of how, your father, the strongest shifter, with unparallelled strength, ended up with a permanent crooked nose?"
My brows rose and I looked down at Riella. "What do you think, is this the tale you would like to hear tonight?"
Our daughter bit at her lip worriedly. "It is not my fault then?"
