sacrifice, noble though it was, was unnecessary. Riley and the child were out of danger before you—”
“Before you took my daggers from their sheaths,” Alexios interrupted, his own smile fading. “I think we will need to come to terms over that, but that‟s for a later time. For now, get cleaned up and meet us in Conlan‟s chambers so we can meet our future prince. Maybe you can change some of his clouts.”
This time, even Denal smiled. Only a little, and it quickly vanished, but it had been a true smile. That was something. It was a start.
Alexios stood and bent to offer Denal his hand, but Denal shook his head, clenching his teeth, and slowly climbed to his feet. As Alexios knew from previous healings, the wounds may have been gone, but the pain from their infliction was very real and stayed around far longer than the healed wounds themselves if Alaric had been in the mood to teach a stubborn warrior a lesson.
The Alaric who had healed Denal would have had no care for pain. Denal would feel the effects for a while. And, judging from the expression on his face, not only the physical effects.
Keely put her hands on her hips and looked at the four Atlantean warriors surrounding her. “Can we go, already? I want to see that baby!”
Alexios nodded. “As do we all.”
As they headed back through the doorway he‟d entered only a short time—or was it a lifetime?—ago, Alexios offered yet another prayer to the sea god. This time a simpler one.
A prayer of thanks.
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Chapter 5
Atlantis, Prince Conlan and Lady Riley’s chambers
Marie held open the door and ushered them in. “Please enter, my lord Justice, Brennan, Alexios, Keely. Be welcome and rejoice, for we have a healthy baby to present to you.”
Alexios walked forward into the large, airy space filled with sunlight, laughter, and the fresh-garden scent of masses of flowers, clustered in vases all over the room.
Christophe leaned against one wall, grinning, and Ven was twirling Lady Erin around and whooping with joy. Erin looked tired, though. The first human they‟d ever known to possess the lost art of gem singing, she channeled a great deal of energy when she used her Gift for healing.
“Ven, put me down right now,” Erin said, laughing. “You‟re blocking their view.”
Ven caught her in his arms and moved to the side, his face nearly split in two with an enormous grin. “Hey, Uncle Justice. Come meet our new nephew.”
Justice‟s answering smile damn near lit up the room. “Nephew? It‟s a boy? It‟s a boy!”
He pulled Keely in close to him, pressing a kiss on the top of her flame-red hair. “How does Auntie Keely sound to you?”
“Well, technically speaking, since we‟re not married yet—”
From the bed, where Alexios could finally see her after Ven and Erin had moved out of the way, Riley laughed. “Oh, quit being such a logical scientist, Keely. Get over here, you two.”
Conlan was sitting next to her, his arm around her shoulder, and Alexios could just catch a glimpse of a pink face inside a bulky lump of blanket in Riley‟s arms. Then the Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
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baby yawned, forming a tiny, perfect O with his gaping mouth, and everybody started laughing.
Hesitantly, in that peculiarly awkward way of warriors with newborn babes, Justice knelt beside the bed and touched one tiny fist with his finger. Instantly, the baby opened his eyes and his little hand and clamped his fist around the finger. The look on Justice‟s face was priceless.
“Clearly our nephew has good taste,” Keely said, putting a hand on Justice‟s shoulder.
“He likes his uncle already.” She looked up at Riley. “He‟s absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you. He is, isn‟t he? It‟s such a miracle that this tiny person grew inside my body.”
Justice started to
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