The little one was kicking. Hard. She would come soon, thought Allie.
“You okay?” asked Corbin, embracing her in a gentle hug.
Allie wanted to scream and cry. She wanted to shout, ‘NO!’ and pound her fists into the walls. Her little unborn child would be a girl. She knew it, a deep knowing, an unmistakable knowing. It was good, and it was terrible, and Corbin had no idea. Tonight, she knew she had to tell him the whole truth: without a girl, their legacy would end.
The heir must be a girl, born to a female DiPotere. It was the only way to battle the evil that was cast upon their bloodline so long ago. Without an heir to continue the fight, Bella would be victorious, and one day, all Allie loved and fought for would be destroyed. But with a girl, oh – how had her mother done this? She would be grooming her precious baby to take over the family quest. The Family Curse.
The next morning, without fuss or fanfare, she arrived. Aeryn Bea DiPotere was born on a cool day in September, just as the sun began to peek over the horizon. She was healthy and strong, and fiesty too – as her mother had been before her. And she was born at home – as all DiPoteres were – to keep her safe from the watchful eye of Bella and her minions.
Corbin was still reeling from the shock, the weight of all Allie had shared the night before. He was an Adventure Writer, damn it all. He’d seen everything strange and mystical he thought there was to see. But these women, these DiPotere witches, were unlike any of it. He’d sensed the power that was there – knew it was there – but not to what extent. The power they held in their little finger was more than most he’d encountered, even in the deepest darkest jungles.
And now it was in his daughter.