The Voice of Prophecy (Dual Magics Book 2) by Meredith Mansfield

style. And
it wouldn’t change anything when he sobered up. He blinked against a sudden
blurriness in his vision. Maybe he wouldn’t have to get drunk in order to cry.
He couldn’t stand them waiting and watching. He paused his pacing with his back
turned. “I . . . I want to be alone for a while. Please.”
    “Of course,” Father said. “We’ll wait for you. You shouldn’t
walk back to the Temple alone.”
    Cestus whirled around. He wasn’t nearly ready to face
Lancera. Not yet. Maybe not for a long time. “No! I can’t go back there. I
can’t . . . I don’t want to see her right now.”
    “You can stay here as long as you like,” Arcas said.
“There’s plenty of room.”
    Cestus shook his head, tempting as the offer was. “You’re
just home. You need time with your own family. And Vatar will be back soon,
too. Then you’ll have Quetza and Theklan here, as well.”
    Arcas shrugged that off. “I doubt Vatar will be back for at
least a month or so yet. There’s plenty of time. Anyway, we’re not short on
room.” He gazed across at the neighboring house. “And I have an idea about that
anyway. Especially if that farm right next to us is still for sale. Stay.
You’re more than welcome.”
    Cestus nodded dejectedly and paced off across the courtyard.
It was better than going home—or anywhere he’d be likely to see Lancera or
anyone they knew.
    ~
    It took Cestus two days to brace himself to go home. He
wouldn’t have gone at all if it weren’t for his children. But he’d missed them
over the last year and he wanted very much to see them again. That was what cut
deepest. His family had been the one thing in his life that was completely his
and wholly right. Lords of Creation knew his career was at a standstill—and
always would be unless he suddenly manifested a magical Talent he’d never shown
before. Now his family had been taken from him, too. But he had to try, at
least, to keep his children from suffering for it.
    His daughter was playing outside when he arrived. He watched
her quietly for a while before she noticed him.
    “Papa!”
    Cestus smiled in spite of his hurt. “Hello, Jana!”
    The little girl ran to him and he swept her up in a fierce
hug. “I’ve missed you,” he said, kissing her face.
    “I missed you, too, Papa.”
    Lancera came to the door. “Cestus, you’re home!” She started
toward him but froze at whatever she saw in his face.
    Cestus swallowed against his first retort. Not in front of
the children. He managed an icy, “Lancera.”
    She held out her hand. “Cestus, I . . .”
    Cestus walked past her into the house. “Not now, Lancera. I
only came to see the children.”
    Lancera paused with a hand on the door frame. “They told
you.”
    “Of course they told me, Lancera. Did you want me to just
come home and find you . . . like that?” He looked pointedly at the swell of
her belly.
    Lancera stiffened. “I hoped they’d let me see you first. Try
to explain.”
    Cestus clenched his jaw. “How could you explain that,
Lancera?”
    “I . . . I don’t know. I just . . .”
    Cestus walked past her to pick up his son. Arus had been
only two years old when he left. The little boy struggled to get down. But
Cestus spoke gently to him and he calmed down.
    “He remembers your voice,” Lancera said.
    Cestus ignored her. He sat down, still holding Arus and
brought Jana into his lap, too. For several minutes, he just held and talked to
his children, ignoring Lancera. Finally, he put them both down.
    “Take Arus back into your bedroom,” he told Jana. “Your
mother and I have to talk. I’ll see you again soon. I love both of you.”
    When they had gone, he turned to face Lancera. “How could
you do this, Lancera? I thought you loved me.”
    She held out her hands again, pleading. “I do love you.”
    Cestus snorted. “Forgive me if I find that a little hard to
believe right now.”
    She drew a deep breath. “Cestus, that was . . . just
something that happened.