The Raven's Source

Chapter 21 - Vanished

"What's bothering you, Yaya?" Cerno asked. The ride had been way too quiet since they left Sundres. The back of the SUV had two rows of seats facing one another with Cerno alone on one half and the expecting couple on the other. The two Guardians sat up front, the cabs closed off by a privacy divider.

"I just missed seeing everyone. Two weeks wasn't enough, I was sad to leave," she said softly. Sheja continued to look out the window, holding Leena's hand on her lap as the scenery passed by. She kept her body tucked into itself, her oversized sweater pulled over her knees as the air conditioning kept the cabin ice cold.

"If you like, I have a topic of conversation," Leena suggested.

Cerno smiled. "Go for it."

"How abouts Shej and I set you up on a blind date when we get home?"

Shej looked to her wife then to Cerno who was staring at Leena blankly.

"What? Your hunt for Sheja is over and you said yourself it was the only reason you didn't try find another fiancé. I've seen a beautiful woman around the city and I think you two could try hit it off."

"Why, Leena?" Cerno asked.

"Because I'm your sister-in-law and I want to?" She smiled. "You look so alone sometimes, and I think a lady-friend is what you could really use right now. And the one I have in mind? I promise you'll enjoy the gift of her company over a beautiful candlelight dinner."

"Fine, I concede. But answer me something that's been bugging me the last two weeks."

"Okay?" Leena asked.

"Tell me how you got Leena pregnant if the vial was still full," he said, turning it to Shej instead of Leena.

"That's not a question," Shej joked softly. "And I duplicated what was in the vial into something I could work with and manipulate. You know how the rest of conception happens." Shej turned an eye up at her brother, smirking.

Cerno didn't flinch at the answer. In fact, he seemed suddenly annoyed for some reason. Sheja wondered if he was angry that the sperm was modified at all and wasn't technically anything of his own.

"Question number two; the night you refused to come to the lake house, I didn't sense Leena move from Twyn's home at all. You didn't go out like you said you were."

"Again, not a question. But no, we didn't, but I didn't lie to you either. I didn't say we were going out and we did have personal plans."

"What didn't you want me to hear?"

Sheja frowned at Cerno, "What do you mean? And why does it matter what our plans were?"

"Because I care about your safety, Sheja!" he growled suddenly.

"Whoa, children!" Leena hollered, holding up both hands, her eyes wide in shock at the sudden explosion.

The black divider between the cabs rolled down and Rose poked her head in, "Everything okay, Sir?"

"Do you need to know what I do with my wife all the time?" Shej asked, ignoring Rose. She was having a hard time keeping the anger back. "I wanted you to come with us so you could meet the family I grew up with and explore Sundres, but you turned it into a babysitting mission."

"And what if I hadn't come? What of you with Twyn!"

"Leave my brother out of this, it's already been concluded that he's innocent!"

"Fates have their way, Cer. I would be the same today with or without you here."

"What aren't you telling me, Sheja?" Cerno repeated, his voice going flat again. Leena had seen this level of seriousness in Cerno's eyes reflect in Shej's before.