Chapter 12

Sulien

Tuesday: No Callie. Wednesday : No Callie, and Jack was back to hating me. Today: No Callie, no Jack.

All of that was terrible, but the silence was the worst part. Callie wasn’t answering my texts or calls. Each day without her felt longer than the last, a relentless cycle of training, meetings, and dodging the media like my life depended on it. A sharp, unyielding loneliness punctuated each of these activities. I tried not to feel slighted, but it was hard not to. After all, she disappeared right after I told her I loved her. But Callie wasn’t the type to vanish without a word.

Every time my phone vibrated, I hoped to see her name—and every time, I was disappointed. That was until Thursday after training.

I was in the locker room, still naked except for the towel hastily wrapped around my waist, when she finally called. I nearly tripped over myself to answer.

“S-Sulien?” Hearing her voice should have been a relief, and to an extent, it was. But there was a weakness in her tone that overshadowed any comfort.

“Callie? Where the hell have you been? I’ve been worried—” I stopped short, realizing I was yelling. “Are you okay?”

“Mhm… Just hot and tired,” she breathed. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you back. I’ve been... busy.”

I pinned the phone between my shoulder and ear, fumbling with my locker. “Busy with what?”

“Sleeping, mostly.” Her laugh was hollow. “I was... I was in the hospital on Monday night—”

Her confession hit me like a brick. My phone slipped from my grasp, clattering to the floor. She’d been in the hospital, and I wasn’t there. I wasn’t there to hold her hand, to make sure she was okay.

“Callie, why didn’t you tell me?” I grabbed my jeans with one hand and the phone with the other.

A pause. The silence on the other end was agonizing.

“It was just the fever,” she admitted softly. “You have a lot on your plate. I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Callie, I’m your boyfriend. It’s my job to worry about you.”

A sad whimper came through the line, breaking my heart just a little more.

“Where are you? Can I come over?” My words rushed out as I pulled on a shirt.

“I’m at home… and I’d really like it if you came over.” Her voice shook. “Just be prepared. My dad wants to meet you.”

My heart clenched at the thought. Meeting her father was terrifying enough, but knowing her father was WindWeaver—one of the most powerful heroes around and my father's biggest rival—was a whole different level of nightmare. But if it meant seeing Callie, it was worth it.

***

When I arrived at Callie’s house, I hoped for a moment to collect myself before heading in. But the second my tires hit her driveway, WindWeaver appeared in the entryway. The wind seemed to gather around him, causing his long silver hair to wave around him.

His stormy gaze settled on me as dark clouds gathered in the sky. It didn’t take a genius to know he was pissed off, and this was the last way I wanted to meet her father. But there was no turning back now.

I cut the engine and grabbed the plastic bag full of popsicles I’d picked up on the way over. Somehow, having an offering in hand felt like it’d help him like me more. Right now, Callie deserved more than popsicles, but this was all I could afford. Once I got my placement and started making real money, I’d provide for her better. I just hoped her dad could see that.

As I approached the front door, WindWeaver'eyes swept over me. “So, you must be Sulien,” he said calmly.

I extended a hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

He looked at my outstretched hand as if it were garbage. For a moment, I thought he’d swat it away, but after a tense second, he took it. His grip was crushing, a test of strength, seeing if I’d crumble under pressure.

“You look like your father,” he commented, his eyes narrowing in contempt. “Never in my life did I think I’d welcome the son of Necro into my house.”

I shifted under the weight of his gaze. “I’m not my father, sir.”

“That remains to be seen.” His lips quivered into a grimace. “Nonetheless, I invite you inside.”

He stepped aside, motioning for me to enter. If Callie hadn’t been waiting for me, I might have turned and left. But I needed to be there for her.

Once inside, WindWeaver led me to a den, far from where I knew Callie’s room to be.

“Take a seat,” WindWeaver ordered, pointing to the brown recliner.

I swallowed hard and sat, the leather creaking under my weight.

“Were you aware that Calista isn’t allowed to date?” he asked, settling into the chair across from me.

Her name’s Calista? I tried to keep the surprise off my face. “No, sir, I didn’t. ”

His gaze narrowed, and after a moment, he mumbled something about her being rebellious. That was something I could agree with, but he didn’t need to know his baby girl had been sleeping with villains.

“I need you to understand that under any other circumstances, I would rather kill you than bring you into my home.” His voice was smooth, but his words cut like a knife.

“Yes, sir,” I mumbled, not wanting to make this worse.

“That being said,” he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, “Calista is very... unwell right now.” Sadness colored his strong features. “And she said that you can make her feel a little better… Is that true?”

I never thought I’d see a hero like WindWeaver show vulnerability. But if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was scared.

“Yes, sir,” I said for what felt like the hundredth time. “I can’t make it all go away, but I can pull her fever out.”

WindWeaver studied me for a moment more, and I watched the internal conflict play out on his face. This man didn’t want to trust me, but he had no other choice.

“In addition to that... I would like to see you be able to provide for my daughter.”

His words caused me to jolt back. “...Provide for her?”

He nodded. “At the moment, you and Calista are on a path I do not approve of, but one I can’t stop… All I can do is support her, and to do that; I have to support you.” His nose wrinkled in disgust. “That being said, I am prepared to offer you a very tentative placement at my center.”

My eyes widened to the point that I feared they’d bug out of my head. The Aegis Center was a fast track to becoming a top-performing hero. But more than that, it was close, and Callie wouldn’t have to worry about me going away.

My pulse pounded in my ears as I barely listened to the terms and conditions WindWeaver laid out. The most important parts were that I had to perform well in the showcase and take care of Callie—both of which I could do in my sleep.

Once our conversation finished, I wasted no time racing to Callie’s room. When I finally reached her door, I paused just long enough to catch my breath. Everything WindWeaver said swirled in my mind like a vortex. I needed to step up and learn how to provide for Callie; I needed to prove myself if I wanted to show the world I deserved a spot at Aegis. But those were future problems. Right now, none of that mattered. What mattered was making her feel better.

I forced my mind to stop spinning long enough to open her door.

She lay in her bed, swallowed by a mountain of covers, a space heater going in the corner, and despite all that, she still shivered.

“That’s not how you get rid of a fever,” I joked, unplugging the heater on my way to her bed.

Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of my voice, a smile pulling at her lips. “You came.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” I laughed before tossing most of her blankets onto the floor and crawling into bed beside her. “I brought popsicles.”

I held up the bag, offering her a choice.

For a second, she seemed tempted, and I wondered which flavor she was going to ask for, but after a moment, she buried her face in her pillow.

“I don’t want a popsicle. I want whatever you did on Monday.” A shiver stole her words, and my heart lurched.

I didn’t prolong her suffering. Instead, I pressed a hand to her forehead, feeling the heat radiating from her skin. Today was worse than Monday, and that scared me. But I couldn’t show it. I needed to be strong for her.

“Take a deep breath for me, Sunshine,” I whispered, focusing on drawing out her fever.

She nodded, closing her eyes as I pulled the warmth from her body. As her fever began to ebb and she relaxed into her sheets, I gently straightened her hair, moving the sweaty strands from her face. She was too pretty to have her face obscured.

By the time I was done, I’d taken so much heat that I felt a little dizzy.

I let myself fall onto the pillow beside her. I didn’t want to ignite in her home—for some reason, that felt rude. So, instead of excusing myself outside, I’d just wait for my body to acclimate.

“Oh my God, you have no idea how much better that feels,” Callie groaned, melting into me.

And I savored the way she felt against my chest, but something was missing. Something I was rapidly growing very fond of.

My hand slipped across the thin material of her pajamas until I landed on her stomach. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t take a little satisfaction in the fact that the subtle curve was still there.

“This is okay, right?” I asked, running my thumb across the area.

Her breath hitched slightly, but she didn’t pull away. “It’s fine.”

I smirked. If you’re pregnant, just tell me.

“Even if I was pregnant, which I’m not.” She glared at me. “I’m only like five weeks. So, the baby is the size of a sesame seed.” She pulled the cover down, running a hand over her stomach. “This—” her frustration leaked into her words, “is my body being dumb.”

“Oh, so you’re five weeks?” I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it sounded like an admission of guilt to me.

Her lips parted as if she wanted to correct me, to tell me I was wrong, or maybe even make me feel a little dumb. But the way she hesitated told me more than she ever could.

“Jace said on Friday that your blood smelled weird, and I thought you were getting sick, so this is good news… assuming you are.” Plus, I was dying to have Callie Voltaris undeniably marked as mine .

“He told you… what?” Her nose wrinkled as she looked at me.

“He’s a hemomancer; he doesn’t really use it often,” because he doesn’t know how , “but blood is kind of his thing.”

“That’s disgusting,” she mumbled.

I couldn’t disagree with that. Instead, I slipped her tank top up just enough to expose her stomach. My fingers glided across the area, examining her. Her stomach wasn’t as big as it had been Monday after lunch. I was a little shocked no one had said anything to her that afternoon. My lips pressed into a thin line as I mulled the thought over.

“Plus, if you are pregnant, we’ve got a hell of a media strategy for Saturday.”

Well, we could have one, depending on what she was comfortable with.

“What do you mean?” She propped herself up to look at me better, but I really wished she hadn’t because this was about to be an awkward conversation.

“Does this hurt at all?” I asked, gently pressing on the area. If it caused her pain, we’d come up with something else.

She shook her head. “It’s just uncomfortable. After I ate dinner yesterday, I was so bloated it felt like I couldn’t breathe.”

I considered it for a minute, weighing the options we had. Clearly, Callie wasn’t going to be at her best, which meant I needed to do as much as I could to garner attention. Even if I had a possible offer from Aegis, I needed to gather more attention and a backup plan. Hero internships paid, just not well—definitely not enough to support a family of three—and I needed something to negotiate with .

“What would you say if we leaned into this a little on Saturday?” I suggested slowly, trying to gauge her reaction.

Her brows furrowed in confusion, and she motioned for me to keep talking.

“So, this”—I stopped, trying to think of a polite way to say it— “little bump sticks out a little more after you’ve eaten.” Or a lot more, by how she was making it sound. “So, for Saturday, before we go, we’ll make sure you have a good breakfast, dress you in something form-fitting, and give every news outlet a show.”

Callie’s eyes widened. “Sulien, that is so fucking embarrassing.”

“It’d only be embarrassing if you weren’t pregnant.” I shot her a smirk and shrugged. “Remember, Angel, I want the whole world to know that I’ve made you mine.”

Sure, I was convinced I’d have to wait a bit longer, but I’d be dumb not to play into the fantasy.

“It’s not a bump yet.” Her frazzled tone let another minor admission of guilt slip. God, if she was this easily embarrassed, these next few months were going to be fun.

“They don’t know that.” I teased, slipping my fingers below her waistband. “We don’t even need to say it specifically. But if we show up like that, and I spend the better part of the morning doting on you, we’re going to get a lot of attention.”

I leaned a little closer, letting my lips graze her ear as I continued.

“You’re the daughter of the most prolific hero of our time, and well, everyone knows who my dad is. Every single news outlet is going to want to talk to us. It’s like we’re a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.” I dropped my voice to a gruff whisper. “Plus, I want the whole world to know exactly what I’ve done to you. And the idea of the embarrassment making you squirm… that just makes it even better.”