Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“Would you come on?” I laughed and pulled him along.
Near the work sheds, though, he pushed me toward the first one. “Come on, let’s just check.”
As I’d expected, no one was at work yet. He’d have to be content with waiting until the others came in, and I was content to push it out of my mind for now. It was still early. It could mean absolutely nothing. There was no sense in getting worked up when the whole thing was one big unknown.
It was Hannon who walked in first, his hair a mess and his eyes a little puffy. He was going to see if he could impart his magic onto the Moonfire Lily today.
“Late night?” I asked him with a smirk.
“Who cares if it was a late night, man, where is your sister?” Vemar yelled at him. He then put up his hands. “That was a little overboard, I admit. I got a little too worked up with that question.”
“What’s going on?” Hannon studied Vemar for a moment and then looked at me.
“Nothing.” I shook my head, going back to my work. “Don’t mind him.”
“I do not understand the calm rationality of alpha wolves,” Vemar muttered. “I really do not.”
Hannon was still studying me when Finley walked in. Hope nearly choked me until I worried I actually wasn’t pregnant, maybe couldn’t be, and then the uncertainty rushed back in. This was why I hadn’t wanted to think about it or even tell Weston: I didn’t need more pressure to add to my already turbulent emotions.
“Something is going on,” Hannon told Finley.
“Yes, something is going on,” Vemar shouted, and then put up his hands again. “Overboard. That’s on me.”
“Um . . .” I cleared my throat, thankful to Vemar because I actually did want a woman’s opinion. “It’s just that I’m six days late and my boobs are sore. But I know it’s still early, so I haven’t said anything to anyone. Except Vemar just now. Who is making a big deal about it, obviously, so now you both know. But I just want to keep things quiet until I’m sure before I tell Weston.”
“I’m confused. Late for what?” Hannon asked.
Finley rolled her eyes at him, then asked me, “Did you even go into your heat?”
I shook my head. “No, not yet.”
“Fucking wolves,” Finley said with a cockeyed grin. “You sneeze at each other and you get pregnant.”
Dawning crossed Hannon’s face and he smiled. “Congratulations, Aurelia! That’s so great!”
Vemar put up his hand. “We are staying chill, brother. We have not confirmed. We’re waiting patiently for Finley to move her fucking ass to see if we should be fucking thrilled. Let’s all calm the fuck down!”
Finley laughed. “Dragons view children as precious miracles. They get very excited about pregnancies.” She moved around the room. “Let’s find out for certain, shall we? Then we can see about telling Daddy Wolf.”
“Yes.” Vemar inclined his head. “Yes we shall. Does anyone else want to be there when she tells the beta? I really do. That wolf is going to lose his shit.”
Uncertainty washed over me again.
“What’s the matter?” Hannon asked.
“Nothing.” I calmly tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Nothing, it’s just . . .” I let go a shaky breath. “If I am, and the child doesn’t have magic . . . What if the different bloodlines cancel out the magic, like in my mom?”
“Hey, whoa.” Finley turned from the pot she was working in front of. “Hey, don’t worry about that, okay? First, based on the things you’ve said, it sounds like your mom did have some sort of magic. She was probably an Emoter, like you. She was knocking on the wrong doors and asking the wrong questions about her magic. Second, it doesn’t matter if your child doesn’t have one drop of magic. They won’t be any less welcome here. They will not be treated like you were, Aurelia. They will have a lot of dragon aunties and uncles that will ensure that fact, regardless of what kingdom they go to. Okay? Don’t worry. We protect our own. You’re one of us now. We’ll protect your child, no matter what.”
Tears pooled in my eyes as my heart filled with gratitude. To know that my child would never suffer as I had suffered, no matter their magical status, cracked open my heart and warmed my whole body. That a queen would promise me my children would be safe when safety had always been so precious . . .
It was a gift unlike any I had ever received. One I would covet forever.
My tears overflowed. “Thank you,” I whispered with a tightened throat.
Arleth and Delaney came in as Finley was finishing the elixir.
“What are you—” Arleth cut herself off and turned, looking at me with wide, delighted eyes. “Is that for you?”