For all the things that Miriella imagined or assumed of Vadim, only one was correct. He would go crashing through whatever territory she decided to hide in, adrenaline rushing in his veins and fire in his eyes, ready to clash with whomever stood between them. But the softness that still resided in Vadim; the gentle hearted, silly boy that would give anything to cuddle up to Miriella and share love filled words. To romp around with their daughter like an overgrown colt. To smile and laugh and simply be. Not this cruel creature that goaded her continuously and gave a crooked smile when the anger was evident in her tone. What would the roan mare think of him then, if she truly knew the Vadim that hid within him?


When Miriella asks if he would like to meet their daughter, Vadim feels his heart stutter in his chest. The emotions quickly erase from any part of his face, and his gaze hardens almost instantly. He wanted to say yes. To hear her name, to ruffle her little fuzzy mane as he had longed to do when he watched her from afar. To explore the lesser traveled parts of the Lagoon, so that he could say he showed his daughter places others rarely seen. “No.” Vadim said, the word sharp and cutting like a razor’s edge. He would not be the reason she was tainted in cruelty. He would not be the reason she saw the world in the darkness he now resided in. Vadim remembered the genuine smile he used to give, filled with warmth and innocence. The way he could rush through life without the worry that something bad might happen. Tyr had shielded him to the best of his ability, but his father was gone. It was by Vadim’s choice he had remained. But in doing so, he was losing himself. No, the stallion he had become didn’t even deserve to know her name.


Without saying anything else, the large stallion stalked away. Miriella had made her request and he had given his answer. As far as Vadim was concerned, they had nothing else to talk about. But in reality, the stallion was afraid if he was around her much longer, she would begin to see through the cracks forming in the mask.