That was going to take some getting used to, but that was the truth of the matter. I wanted Bas to be my partner in life, in all ways, and that included raising Rasha. He loved her the way I did; he deserved to call her his.
In fact, he deserved to be an official member of this family.
“Daddy, look what Paelie gave me,” Rasha said, holding out her wrist.
My heart stuttered and flipped in my chest at the casual way she called him her father. “That’s beautiful,” I finally said after clearing my throat. I threw my arm over her shoulders and grabbed the back of Bas’s neck so he’d stay close. “Your Paelie is pretty great, huh?”
She nodded. “He is!” Then she proceeded to tell me everything Bas had said about the bracelet while I massaged Basil’s neck and sent him a soft smile.
Over the top of her head, I mouthed, I love you, witch.
He grinned, then said through our link, I love you, too, hunter.
“You sure you’re up for this?” I asked Basil and Rasha.
Rasha nodded, and Bas sent me a sad smile, saying, “Yeah, dimples, we’re ready.”
Taking a deep breath, we stepped through the portal. Nikolai and Talon had been to my homeland before, so once we were all in Faela, they pulled up a portal as close to our destination as possible. The others were stepping through with us—since the Three shouldn’t be realms apart and all that—but only Bas, Rasha, and I were movin’ on from there. We were all going out to eat afterwards, but… I had somewhere to take Basil and our daughter first.
I led the way, instantly recognizing the place when I stepped through. We were on a popular street in the country’s capital, but tucked back in an alleyway. Basil and Rasha came out behind me, so I grabbed my viramore’s hand with one of mine and Rasha’s with my other while the others came through.
I gave them a nod, then pulled my family out of the alleyway and down the road. It only took us ten minutes to get to the front gate, and when I stopped, Rasha pulled on my hand and asked, “You okay, Daddy?”
I smiled down at her, hoping to convey more bravery than I felt. “Yeah, peanut, I’m okay. Let’s go.”
Basil was my quiet strength on the winding walk inside the gates, and when we arrived about ten feet away, I stopped short.
He stepped up beside me, pushing his shoulder against my arm and quietly asked, “Is this her?”
I nodded.
Basil released my hand to rub my back, then gently pushed me forward.
It had been nearly four years since I’d visited my dead wife’s grave, and seeing it again made unwanted memories rush back. Her smile; her smirking expression when she was about to start trouble; the way she’d never take my shit; how happy she’d been when we found out she was pregnant. I missed her, more than I’d like to admit, and I was suddenly feeling overwhelmed.
But then I saw Rasha kneel down and run her fingers over her mother’s grave, and I released a breath. This wasn’t only about me; it was about Rasha and sharing this part of myself with my viramore.
Millayna Rasha Grimsby
Through the darkness, I am the light
With that light, love is born
Basil pulled me against his side and kissed my cheek, whispering, “That’s a beautiful saying, Hiro. That’s a hunter phrase, right?”
I nodded. “She always liked that poem, especially those two lines.” A small sob came out of my throat, and Basil pulled me into his arms.
Only a moment later, Rasha wrapped her arms around my waist and whispered, “Mommy’s safe and happy, Daddy. You don’t need to be sad for her.”
I closed my eyes, then leaned down to pick her up and pulled her into my and Basil’s hug.
She put her hands on my cheeks, squishing them together. “I had a dream about her last night. She told me that she’s happy you found Paelie and that she’s proud of me and happy and free now that I’m safe.”
More tears silently fell freely down my cheeks. “She did?” I had no idea if that was even possible, but it was a beautiful thought either way.
Rasha nodded. “She’s really pretty.”
That made me smile. “You look just like her.”
Her eyes widened. “I do?”
I nodded. “You’re gorgeous, just like Mommy.”
Basil said, “You’re the most beautiful girl in all the realms.”
Rasha smiled at him, then giggled. “I think you’re pretty, too.”
Basil’s eyebrows went up, and a burst of laughter came out of me. Kissing Rasha’s cheek, I said, “I think you’re right, Rash. Paelie is very pretty.”
Basil’s eyes looked like they were going to bug out of his head.
Rasha nodded solemnly.
After a moment, Basil chuckled, then scooped Rasha out of my arms, asking her, “Do you need to stay here for a little while longer?”
“No, I’m okay,” she said. “I think Daddy needs to stay.”
“I think you’re right, sweetpea. Why don’t you and I go take a peek at the bird’s nest in that tree over there so we can give Daddy a few minutes with Mommy?”
She nodded. “I want to see the nest.”
Basil sent me a sweet smile as he placed Rasha on her feet and took her hand, then he went up on his toes to peck my lips and asked telepathically, Do you need me to stay here with you or should I take her over there now?
Show her the nest, and… thank you, love.
He smiled sadly. Let me know if you need anything, dimples.
The use of that ridiculous nickname made me shoot him a smile before he led Rasha over to a batch of a few trees. With them focused over there, I knelt in front of my wife’s grave and ran my hand over her name.
“I miss you, Millie,” I said quietly. “These past few years haven’t been easy, but…” I glanced over at Basil. He had Rasha on his shoulder so she could peek at the bird’s nest, and I couldn’t help the small smile that quirked up on my lips. Turning back to the tombstone, I said, “You would like him. You two would’ve caused so much havoc.” I chuckled, then sighed. “No matter what happens, you know I’ll always love you, right? So will Rasha. But having Basil in our lives has been a gift.”
A tear ran down my cheek, so I wiped it away. “I hope you really are happy wherever you are, Millie.” Another tear fell. “I just wanted you to know that we’re going to be okay now. Basil… he helped us, he cured Rasha, and he’s brought us into this huge, crazy family. We’re okay… finally, we’re okay.”
A hand on my back startled me, but when Basil knelt beside me, I didn’t hesitate to pull him in for a hug. He wrapped his arms around me, ran his hands through my hair and down my back, and simply held me… always there for me when I needed him.
Over his shoulder, I saw Rasha blowing dandelions in the air with a smile, and everything in the world felt right.
Millie was a piece of me that I would always miss and love, but that Millie-sized hole in my heart was sewn up tight, no longer a bleeding wound. The scar would always be there, but I could truly move on from here knowing that my viramore would help carry my burden whenever that scar ached, and knowing that no matter what, I was allowed to be happy. All three of us were.