Chapter 68

Chapter 68
Emilia stirred in her bed, her arms curled protectively around the bundle beside her. The newborn had hardly made a sound since his arrival. He slept with a peace that belied the storm that had led to his birth.
Unlike his cousin, Calista's baby was always crying or fussing even when he was fed but this time, he was also asleep.

Calista lay in the bed next to her, her child cradled to her chest. A silent gratitude passed between them. Whatever had once stood between the two women was dissolving, piece by fragile piece.

The door creaked open, and in came Kith, dressed in pale gray. He carried two velvet boxes and a polished wooden rattle carved with wolves and roses. His smile was wide but gentle, eyes soft as he stepped in.

“I hope I’m not disturbing,” he said, voice like the hum of warm tea. “I heard the news. Two sons born on the same day. A blessing the likes of which this realm hasn’t seen in centuries.”

Calista pushed herself upright slightly. “You came.”

“I would not miss this for the world.” He walked over and handed her the rattle. “This belonged to a prince once, or so the craftsman claimed. Thought your son should have it.”

She blinked, touched by his generous act. “Thank you, Kith.”

Emilia smiled weakly. “And what’s in the boxes?”

He turned to her and opened them with a flourish. Inside were two tiny silver medallions, each etched with a crescent moon and a bat in flight. “A charm for protection. For them both and a reminder of their heritage.”

Emilia reached for the medallion, brushing it with her fingers before taking it. “This is... beautiful. Thank you.”

Kith bowed his head. “You’ve both been through so much. The world owes you peace now.”

He stayed a while, chatting with them softly, his tone always laced with warmth. He asked after their pain, if the midwives were treating them well, if the children had cried yet. He never rushed, never fidgeted. Just the perfect guest. Thoughtful, affectionate, familiar.

Eventually, Calista drifted off again. Her son curled into her shoulder, sleeping in sync. Emilia stayed awake longer, watching Kith leave.

He closed the door gently behind him. But the moment he turned the corridor, the softness in his face slipped away like a mask being tugged from behind.

He walked with a different air now, slow but calculated, his smile replaced by a shadow of thought. He reached a quiet corner of the Sanctuary gardens, where the old statues stood. The moment he was sure he was alone, his demeanor shifted. The fatherly calm was gone and its place was ssomething colder.

He paced slowly, his boots silent on the mossy stone. Then he spoke, not loudly, but with purpose.

“They see a man of wisdom. A guide. A friend.” His lip curled slightly, as though the words tasted sour. “But soon, they’ll see the truth when it’s far too late to stop it.”

His hand reached into his cloak and drew out a cracked, obsidian token, no bigger than a coin. It pulsed faintly in his palm.

“They don’t understand that it was never about those stupid rituals. Calista thought it was her magic that failed. Emilia still thinks her strength is hers alone.” He gave a quiet chuckle. “They forget who taught them everythingthey know.”

He tilted his head toward the distant tower where the Alpha’s banner still flew.

“For too long, power has been handed down like a family heirloom... worn, inherited, unearned.” His voice dropped, sharp as a blade’s whisper. “But a new order needs blood that is sage and strong. Blood that goes beyond flimsy rituals amd is bound to something deeper than legacy.”

The obsidian token flickered. He studied it, murmured to it like an old friend.

“They’ll call it destiny, when it happens.”

Then, with a flick of his fingers, the token vanished.

Back in the healing wing, Emilia finally settled the baby into a smaller crib by her side. She tucked him in gently, her fingers lingering on his tiny hand.

The moment she sat back, a flicker brushed her mind. A prick of something...off.

She stared at the medallion Kith had given. The bat engraving was fflawless.It reminder her of Jet but there was something about it.

Her instincts, dulled by exhaustion, now sharpened into something raw. Her power hummed faintly through her veins, pulsing in rhythm with her heart. She closed her eyes and held the medallion.

There was a whisper of energy—neither dark nor light. Just...unknown.

She opened her eyes. The baby shifted, restless. Her heart skipped. Then steadied.

She would not overreact. Not yet.

A soft sound pulled her from her thoughts. Calista stirred and sat up slowly. “He’s hungry again,” she murmured, adjusting her gown.

“Calista,” Emilia said quietly, “when Kith gave you that rattle...did it feel strange?”

Calista blinked at her. “Strange how?”

“I don’t know.” Emilia glanced down at her own medallion. “Maybe I’m just tired. It’s nothing.”

Calista didn’t press further. But as the wind brushed past the window Emilia looked toward the nursery door, that feeling was still there.

Something was suspicious.