Chapter Fourteen
Penny
With a dead body in the abandoned house, there wasn’t really anything for Penny to do but bring Warmund back to her family home. Entering the building made her shiver. All the memories she had of this place. It made her stomach cramp, remembering how she used to think the way her parents raised her was normal. But there wasn’t anything normal about it. She understood that now, and even the good memories were tainted by the knowledge that her life could have been so much happier.
Still, it was a safe space for them to talk. She got the babies settled while Warmund showered. When he was done, Lisa and Mark were happily drinking from their bottles, Alex was sleeping and Wildref was content just being held.
“I remember that old building burning down around this time,” she told him, not looking at him. “So, it won’t be that difficult to cover up our having been there. I remember the body being found, too…”
Warmund nodded, then settled in the chair opposite her. “But there was something you wanted to talk about.”
She sucked in a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. After everything they had been through together, she could tell him now. Before this, she wasn’t so sure about him. Didn’t know what sort of man he really was behind those hard walls. Didn’t know if he was the kind to be gentle or if those bad boy vibes she got from him were all he had. But these last few days had been… so amazing. It felt odd even thinking that, but it was true. He was so gentle and sweet. So good with the children. He was like a baby whisperer, able to get them to quiet from crying when Penny didn’t have any clue why they were so upset.
“You have to understand something,” she said slowly, looking at her twisted hands. “My childhood wasn’t that great. I had good times, of course, but when push came to shove, it wasn’t good. My parents were so strict, so constricting. My father saw things his way and refused to see from any other perspective.”
Warmund reached for her hand. “I’m sorry that you had to go through that.”
“Which is why I need you to listen to me.” She turned her hand to twine her fingers through his. “And I need you to be honest with me. Why are you so determined to change things? Wildref—Katrina grew up healthy and happy. She had parents who loved her, who helped her flourish. She loves her parents. She loved her childhood. I know that you love her, and I know she’d grow up loved by Indulf, but can you say she’d be happy? With the pressure of being the queen one day, knowing that there are people who want her dead?”
Warmund flinched. He looked away, breathing out a shaky breath. “It was my fault that she was taken in the first place. I failed to protect her.”
“But you did protect her.” Penny released his hand and gently passed the baby into his arms. “Look at her. Does this look like a baby that hasn’t been protected?”
Warmund stared down at his infant sister and didn’t speak.
“Look… I know it hurts that you weren’t able to see her grow up. You loved her and took care of her. If that happened with any of my babies…” Her throat closed up, and she had to take a moment to clear it. “But if I knew they were happy in that life, I wouldn’t change it. I wouldn’t take that away from them.”
Warmund closed his eyes and bowed his head. “… I betrayed my father.”
Penny reached out for him.
“I betrayed him. I was so determined to get Wildref back that I betrayed him. He was right to banish me… he should have had me executed. I committed treason. He could have died. Now… people keep telling me that he wants me to come home, but how can he?” He looked up at her, tears on his face. “How can he want a traitor son? I’m useless to him, he can never trust me. We can never be father and son again.”
“Yes, you can.” Penny squeezed his hand. “Listen. Indulf does want you to come home. People wouldn’t be telling you that if it wasn’t true. He loves you. He can forgive you because that’s what fathers do… and you’ll know that soon enough.”
Warmund blinked at his tears and gave her a confused look.
Penny sucked in a deep breath. Her hands were starting to shake, but she forced that aside. Whatever Warmund decided to do next, he needed to know all the facts. “You’re a father, too,” she murmured. “Alex is your son. Remember, we met at a bar and I had my car outside and we went out there and we got it on and then the cops came and—”
“Oh.” Warmund’s eyes widened. “Oh! I… I forgot about that… There were so many—”
He cut himself off and Penny flinched, but it didn’t surprise her. She chewed her lip as she stared worriedly at him. “He’s your son.”
“How… how long have you known?”
Penny shrugged uneasily. “Shortly after we arrived in Byrelmore.”
“And you didn’t tell me.”
“I didn’t know if you’d believe me,” Penny said in a rush. Warmund hadn’t taken his hand away and she clung to it, hoping that it meant he would forgive her for keeping such a huge secret from him. The warmth of his hand in hers gave her strength, and she continued. “I thought that if I told you, you’d think I was just trying to convince you to give up your mission. But I’m not. It’s true, Alex is your son.”
Warmund’s head turned, staring at the sleeping baby.
“If you change things, really change them, then what happens to him? You’ll have no reason to ever go to Earth, and he’ll never be born. Please. Please. I know it hurts you, but it’ll hurt so many more people if you insist on changing everything. We don’t know what will happen. So many happy couples will never meet. Their children will never be born.”
I’d never meet you. And I’m starting to think you’re the only person for me. She could have laughed at that. Starting? No. She was so far in over her head that she couldn’t breathe. If he left her now, it would wreck her. She’d never thought she needed a man… but she needed him.
“I didn’t tell you,” she continued, “because I didn’t know what sort of man you really were. I wanted to trust you and believe that you wouldn’t let anything happen to us. But everything you were doing—”
“Was putting your life, your future in jeopardy.” Warmund’s voice was pained. His expression twisted in internal conflict as he looked between Wildref and Alex. “I put all of your futures in jeopardy. It’s just like when I decided to rebel. I wasn’t thinking about the consequences of my actions. I was just feeling my own pain and doing what I thought I needed to do to ease that.”
Penny held her breath. Did that mean that she had finally gotten through to him?
His eyes closed briefly and when he opened them again, the depth of his pain took her breath away. “I had forgotten that there was genuine kindness in this world. I forgot that it wasn’t all about me. I’m sorry, Penny. I’m sorry for pulling you and the children into this. And I’m sorry…”
He wasn’t going to listen. He was going to go ahead with his plans, regardless of the outcome.
“I’m sorry I put your future in jeopardy.” He took a shuddering breath and held Wildref closer to his chest. “And I’m sorry I wasn’t able to save your mother. I’m sorry that I did all of this… and in the end, it’s not going to change anything. But I can’t… God, as much as I wish I could, I can’t. Not now. I can’t take away the future. I can’t…”
Relief washed over Penny, and she let out a choked sob. She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around him. She held him tight as his body trembled. She couldn’t imagine how difficult this choice must be for him.
“When we get back…” Warmund’s voice shook. “Will you come with me to face my father?”
“Yes,” Penny promised without hesitation. “Of course, I will. You’re not alone anymore.”
Warmund shifted Wildref so he could hold her with one arm and put his other arm around Penny’s waist. He pulled her in close as he gazed up at her face. “And you aren’t, either. From here on out, I’ll be with you. Every step of the way.”
The promise made a lump rise in her throat. Penny swallowed hard and nodded. She hugged him tight as she kissed him. Now, all there was to do was to find Katrina’s parents… they’d be waiting for her, whether they knew it yet or not.