She hesitated, glancing at Liana.
“Oh, she’ll be fine. Olya’s raised seven babies.”
“All right. A tour would be nice.”
Valek laced his fingers in Yelena’s as they trailed his father. The equipment in the tannery remained the same as he’d remembered. The smells of the vats and the hides stretched over the drying racks brought many of his childhood memories bubbling to the surface of his mind. He and his brothers had devised many creative excuses to avoid working.
Kalen led them back outside. Three mounds of dirt marred the grass behind the tannery. The headstones of Valek’s older brothers marked each one—Vincent, Viliam, and Victor. Yelena’s grip tightened in his. Valek glanced at her in concern, but she shook her head. Later.
“I wanted to let you know we brought them with us,” Kalen said. “We couldn’t stand the thought of leaving them behind.”
“Thank you.” Valek swallowed the wedge of emotion in his throat. “I see you left Mooch behind.”
Kalen laughed. “Yeah. The twins were upset, but I wasn’t digging up that damn dog.”
They returned to the house and spent the rest of the afternoon making awkward conversation. Valek offered to hire a couple of trustworthy people to help his parents.
“The tannery is smaller than the one in Ixia,” his father said. “Zeb and I can handle it.”
Valek exchanged a glance with Zeb, but his brother pressed his lips together, signaling it wasn’t the right time to mention the glass apprenticeship. “They would be able to do more than work. They can advise you on the local customs, ensure you’re not being cheated or taken advantage of and tell you where to purchase certain goods, like a fabric that breathes in this hot weather. Those wool uniforms are far too warm for the Sitian climate.”
“We’ll think about—” his father started.
“That would be nice,” Olya said in a tone that warned her husband not to argue with her.
Wow. He hadn’t expected his mother to agree so easily. Valek kept his expression neutral. “I’ll make inquiries at Owl’s Hill before we return to the Citadel tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” She stood with a sleepy Liana in her arms. “The baby needs a nap, and I need to start dinner.”
“Would you like some company?” Yelena offered.
“Yes.” Olya transferred Liana to Valek’s arms. “You had those same long eyelashes when you were a baby. Everyone thought you were a girl, despite the fact that you wore your brothers’ hand-me-downs.” Then she went into the kitchen.
Yelena flashed him a grin before following his mother.
Do not tell Janco, he thought.
Sorry, I can’t hear you. Too busy cooking.
Zeb and his father left to check on the next batch of hides, but Valek was content to remain on the couch and hold Liana as she napped. He drank in her clean, powdery scent and gazed at her. She was so precious to him. The urge to protect her burned in his veins, and he wondered if he’d survive her childhood. Just the thought of her learning how to walk and run and climb the stairs and sleep in a big bed and ride a horse already made him anxious with worry. If only she could remain a baby forever. Then again, forever’s worth of dirty diapers was incentive enough to trust his daughter to reach those milestones without hurting herself too much.
* * *
After dinner that night, his mother escorted them to a guest room. “Zeb put your bags inside already and lit the lantern.” She stood outside the door. “Kalen assembled the crib, so you might want to test that it’s sturdy.”
“I heard that,” Kalen called from down the hall. “It wasn’t my fault the legs broke off. The twins were too big to be in a crib, anyway.”
A brief smile flashed. “Let us know if you need anything.”
“Thank you,” Yelena said.
Olya nodded and retreated to her bedroom.
When Yelena and Valek entered, he froze.
“What’s wrong?” Yelena asked.
“It’s...” He crossed to the armoire and opened the door. Scratches marked the inside, appearing random at first, but upon closer inspection, they were code words that Valek had etched into the wood when he’d spied on his older brothers. Shock rolled through him. Valek scanned the rest of the room. The sloppy boat paintings Vincent had done in school hung on the walls, and the wooden toys Valek had carved lined a shelf—he’d forgotten all about them.
Except for the larger bed, nothing had changed. “It’s my room. The one I shared with Vincent.” It made sense that they’d kept the furnishings and Vincent’s paintings, but he hadn’t expected them to save his toys or leave the marks he’d made on the armoire alone.
Yelena tested the crib with one hand and then laid Liana down on the mattress. The baby sighed in her sleep. His wife took Valek’s hands in her own. “They never stopped loving you.”
He shook his head. “I’m no longer that boy. And my mother is still terrified of me.”
“Despite her fear, her soul knows you.” Yelena released his hands. She pressed her palm over his heart. “Her soul knows who you are right now, and she loves you. Your reputation has colored her thoughts, but she just needs time to adjust to all the changes in her life. Then she’ll see what I see every day.”
He pulled her close. “What do you see?”
“I see a loving husband and father who will do anything to protect the people he loves. A man worthy of love in return.”