#callacanon

Of their kids, from eldest to youngest is Colette (Phee), Calla (Muirenn), Brynnlie (Ajax), and Christoper “Zia” (Phee). Calla and Brynn are only a couple months apart in age. 

The lines went around the cemetery, but they never crossed the fence. It was almost as if it had been built specifically with that in mind. 

“Where am I supposed to go in here?” she asked the lines, not expecting an actual answer. But the power beneath her feet swelled, a line of dead grass returning to life, directing her way to go. 

The grave was black marble, shiny and well kept. It stuck out a little from the older, worn down graves. Faint symbols glowed, traced but not carved. Sigils to keep whomever was buried here from ever being raised. 

Muirren Daniels with a date of birth and death listed, but no other information. The ley lines wouldn’t help her find her father, but they had brought her here. A sign that her journey to find where she was from needed to go a different route, she supposed. 

It was painful, in a way, to know that her mother was dead. She would never have answers, never know why she had been given up. There would never be a sense of closure for her. 

Sniffling, Calla turned, hands balled into fists as she made her way out of the graveyard, trying not to run. 

The actual labor hadn’t been bad. The demon had made sure she was comfortable during it, helping to take the pain away. It was strange, clinging to a woman she had never met before, but there was something almost soothing about her to Ren. 

Once the baby had been cleaned up and swaddled, Cord had placed her gently in Muirenn’s arms and left the room. She understood that the woman would need time to process it all, to make her peace.

The child was perfect, beautiful with a full head of light colored hair. It was enough to let Ren know her daughter would likely be ginger, it ran in the genes. Her one niece was a redhead too. Brynnlie would have loved to have a new friend and the thought had her choking up. Her little niece would never meet her baby cousin. The girl would grow up without the family she should have. All because she had been so careless and stupid. 

“I’m sorry I can’t be the mother you deserve,” she whispered, running a finger down the bridge of the baby’s nose. “But I promise you, I’m doing everything I can to keep you safe. He won’t ever find you, my sweet Calla.”

It was the only thing she could give. There was no way her mother or the council would let her transgressions go. The judgement would be the same as the one handed to her brother. She didn’t plan on sticking around too long after it went down. 

The only requests she had in giving up her daughter were that her first name remain the same and that she be given to people that would understand magic, that wouldn’t make her feel like a freak. Both of which the demon had promised could be done. She knew of a couple in New York, but Ren had to veto that. It was far too close to home and she needed the baby kept as far from Robert as possible.

The baby fussed, ending her train of thought as she set about to calm the child. It didn’t help that Ren was distressed, the reality of needing to say goodbye settling around her like a thick fog. It made it hard to breathe past the agony building in her heart.

“It’s for the best, my little one. I promise you, it’s for the best.” She knew it was true, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

How could she possibly walk away? How could she leave this piece of her own heart, the only remaining bit of good in her, and walk away as if she didn’t exist? Even if it was in the best interest of the child, how was she supposed to just pretend she was never born?

Tears spilled over, the first time since she had found out she was pregnant. The second time since Robert had gotten his claws under her skin and twisted her mind. Crying was a weakness and she was not weak. She couldn’t afford to be weak any more.

Lips pressed the baby’s forehead, a mother’s promise sealed with a kiss, tears, and sacrifice, before she was pressing the call button to summon Cord once more.