A Shade of Vampire 77 A Fate of Time - Bella Forrest Page 0,17

made arrangements," Fiona said. Glancing to her left, I saw Scarlett and Patrik joining us, both of them looking about as torn apart as I was, if not more so.

"Fi… No…" I murmured, tears stinging my eyes.

"I knew you wouldn't do it. You'd use Sophia to get me to come with you, and I love you so much for that. I love her more than words can ever express. But I belong with Zane in what's left of our future. You will all take care of our baby if the worst comes to happen here tomorrow night," Fiona said, in between gut-wrenching sobs. "I suppose I'm not a great mother for doing this, but I trust you will all make sure Sophia understands how much Zane and I loved her… and why we're staying here with… with our people."

More than once, I'd heard Fiona refer to the Nerakians as "her people." She'd married into the daemon kingship, but she'd quickly become devoted to the daemons and their world. In a way, Fiona was more Nerakian than she was Shadian. Her decision was difficult, to say the least, and I was certain she hadn't reached it quickly. No mother gave her child away with ease.

I couldn't even begin to imagine what this was like for her, but I had to find the strength to trust her and accept her choice, as tough as it was.

"Sophia has a better chance to survive in The Shade," Fiona continued, while Zane stared at his daughter. His aura burned red, like Fiona's, sprinkled with flashes of gold—his love for Fiona and little Sophia. "If the Hermessi succeed in destroying us here, our baby will have another shot in The Shade. I know you will all take good care of her."

Her voice faltered as she kissed her baby's forehead, then handed her over to Scarlett and Patrik. "I promise you, we'll do everything we can to keep her safe," Scarlett mumbled. Looking at me, she exhaled sharply. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you. I swear, I've spent the better part of today begging her not to do this."

"Once Fiona sets her mind to something…" Zane sighed and walked over to Scarlett, who was now holding Sophia. He brushed a finger along the side of the baby's face, the corner of his mouth twitching. He kissed the top of her head and moved away, swallowing back a deluge of emotion. He caught Fiona's hand in his and pulled her close, as she unraveled in his embrace. "Just go," he said. "All of you… Go. We'll be fine here."

"Will you, though?" Caspian replied. "This doesn't make sense!"

"One day, you'll have your own people to rule, I'm sure of it," Zane said. "You're a marvelous ruler. I know you'll exercise that skill at some point in what I hope is going to be a long life. Only then will you realize why I'm doing this. When you surround yourself with people who will give their lives for you, giving yours for them won't seem like that much trouble anymore."

Zane loved his kingdom too much to leave it behind, and Fiona loved Zane too much to abandon him. As wrong as that might've sounded to most of us, especially since they still had a child who needed her parents more than anything, I had to let go. I had to accept their decision and respect it.

If they wanted us to take Sophia to The Shade and do our damnedest to make sure she'd be safe, then that was what we would do. Regardless of the pain that it caused me, I needed to be a good friend till the very end.

Wiping the tears with the back of my sleeve, I hugged Fiona and Zane as tight as I could, then moved back and tried to focus on something else, while Sophia continued her slumber in Scarlett’s arms.

"What will you do now?" I asked them.

"We're going to use the daemon tunnels," Zane said. "Most of my people are already down there, and I've invited Pheng-Pheng's people and the Imen to join us."

"The tunnels are the fastest route to the other side of the planet," Patrik reminded us. "Straight passageways that are smooth and devoid of natural obstacles."

"Please, forgive me," Fiona said, her wet eyes fixed on mine. "This isn't how I wanted us to part ways."

I smiled, though it took a considerable amount of effort. "We've been through a lot, you and I. There is nothing to forgive. But, if by