h4Chapter 184: 184 - like you/h4

184

~Damon’s POV

The hall was still loud withughter, women giggling around our uncle, and Kael had just excused himself with that sly grin of his. He said something about Belinda’s chambers and left us.

I pushed my chair back, the legs scraping across the stone floor.

"I’m going to see Lisa," I said simply.

Rowan groaned immediately, rolling his eyes as if I had just announced I was going to fetch water. "Again, Damon? You just left her a couple of hours ago. What is it with you?"

I shot him a look, sharp and warning. "She’s carrying my child."

He leaned back, smirking. "Our child, you mean."

I narrowed my eyes. "Don’t twist words, Rowan. You know what I mean."

He lifted his cupzily, swirling the wine around before taking a slow sip. "I know exactly what you mean. And I also know you’re not running there because of the baby. You’re running there because of her. Don’t spoil her, Damon. Don’t forget what she is."

My jaw clenched. "And what is she, Rowan? Say it."

"A human," he said tly. "One we didn’t choose. One we were bound to by fate, yes, but she is not..." he gestured vaguely with his cup, "...she is not our Luna. Don’t confuse the two. You want to care for the child? Fine. But stop looking at her like she’s something more."

I stepped closer, lowering my voice though the music andughter of the hall would’ve drowned us out anyway. "You think I don’t know that? You think I haven’t told myself that a thousand times? She’s human. She’s fragile. She’s... not what we ever wanted. But she is carrying my blood, Rowan. Our blood. And I won’t treat her carelessly just because she isn’t what you imagined."

Rowan tilted his head, studying me. For a moment I thought he might snap back, but instead, his lips curled into a slow smile.

"What’s that smile for?" I asked, suspicion tightening my chest.

He chuckled. "I was just thinking... what if the child looks like me?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"You heard me." His grin widened, mischief glinting in his eyes. "What if the child looks like me? Strong jaw. Dark eyes. A warrior’s stance. gods, it would be perfect."

I couldn’t help it, Iughed, shaking my head. "Rowan, you arrogant fool. The child will look like me. Everyone knows I’m the better-looking one."

He gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "Better-looking? You?"

"Yes, me," I said, pointing at my face. "This face. This is the one the child will inherit."

Rowan snorted, setting his cup down with a clink. "Please. If fate has any sense at all, the child will look like me. Imagine it, Damon, a smaller version of me running through these halls, alreadymanding respect. The resemnce alone will make people bow."

I rolled my eyes, though the corners of my mouth twitched. "More like people would bow out of pity. One of you is already too much. The world doesn’t need another."

Rowan leaned forward, grinning wide. "And what makes you think the world needs another Damon? Brooding, scowling, storming through halls like a thundercloud? No, brother. The child will look like me. Charming. Easy with words. Handsome, obviously."

I barked augh, shaking my head. "Easy? Handsome? Rowan.

Rowan sat back, pretending to sulk, though his eyes still danced with amusement. "Fine. Let’s say, by some cruel twist of fate, the child does end up looking like you. I’ll pray to the gods the poor thing doesn’t inherit your scowl. It’ll frighten the nurses before it can even walk."

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I raised a brow. "Better a scowl than your mouth. If the child learns to talk like you, he’ll never shut up."

Rowan chuckled, pointing at me across the table, his finger wagging like he had just caught me in some great crime. "You’re only saying that because you know I’m right. Admit it, Damon. Deep down, you’re terrified the child will look like me and not you. And when everyone starts calling him Rowan’s son, you’ll lose your mind."

I leaned forward, resting one hand on the table, my lips curving into a slow smirk. My chest warmed with both irritation and amusement. "Let them try. Let them whisper whatever they want. They’ll see soon enough. He’ll carry my eyes, my strength. He’ll be mine."

Rowan’sugh boomed through the hall, drawing the attention of a few servants clearing dishes nearby. He shook his head, his grin stretching wider. "You sound so certain. So sure the gods would favor you over me. Damon, have you looked in a mirrortely? That brooding scowl? Those stormy brows? No child deserves to be cursed with that face."

I raised a brow, feigning offense.

He pped the table, roaring withughter. " if he looks like me, he’ll never need to lift a sword, people will fall at his feet from charm alone."

"Charm?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "The only thing people fall at your feet for is when you’ve had too much wine and copse in the hall. Thank the moon goddess that no one saw you,"

Rowan nearly choked on his drink, coughing through hisughter. "That was once, Damon! Once! And the floor was uneven..."

"And the wine was strong," I cut in, smirking. "So strong, apparently, you mistook the floor for a bed."

He rolled his eyes, though the grin never left his face. "Fine, mock me all you want. But when that child is born with my smile, my perfect smile, you’ll eat those words."

I straightened, tugging my cloak tighter around my shoulders as I prepared to leave the hall. "If he dares inherit your smile, I’ll teach him to wipe it off before it gets him into trouble. A smile like yours invites nothing but chaos."

Rowan lifted his cup high, as though making a toast. "Then chaos it will be! Because mark my words, Damon, the world needs another Rowan."

I paused at the doorway, turning back to look at him onest time. The light from the fire danced in his eyes, his grin wide, unbothered, almost boyish in a way I hadn’t seen in years.

"There’s no world," I said firmly, though my lips tugged upward, "where he looks like you."

Rowan raised his cup in mock salute, that infuriating grin still stered on his face. "We’ll see, brother. We’ll see."