“You do not know what powers this child could hold,” growled the Nitesh. “You could unleash something so dangerous onto our kind that it kills every being in this land.”
“Or saves it,” Draven interjected.
The wind stopped.
The Nitesh turned slowly, staring at him.
Draven swallowed hard and shifted his weight on his feet. “This child… it could be what brings our inner war to an end. It could be the one who brings our races together. Unites our world,” said Draven.
He deliberately stepped down the steps, his mind in a daze, heart beating wildly in his chest.
“Draven—”
He ran.
He knocked down three Belwarks on his way up to her room, jumping between and over the Dreamer servants walking the halls, until finally he reached her room.
And when he burst through the doors, his heart swelled at the sight of her sitting up in the chair in the moons light as her sister brushed her hair.
His Queen.
His best friend.
His partner.
His equal in this life.
Mother to his child.
Mother to the child of Sun and Darkness.
CHAPTER SEVENTY
AYDRA’S EYES WIDENED at the sight of Draven bursting through her door. The wild look on his face made her core drain.
“Draven, what—”
He was standing beside her at an instant, and he reached for her hands. She stood and faced him, unable to make out the flaring happiness in his dilated sage pupils. He kissed her knuckles and then whispered, “Oh, Aydra,” before cupping her face and kissing her lips.
She felt her feet lift from the floor, and she pulled back to look at his face as he spun her.
“Draven!” His happiness radiated into her muscles, and she couldn’t help the laughter that emitted from her lips. “Draven, what—what are you so happy about?”
He put her down then and shook his head above her, staring at her face as though it was his first time looking upon it.
“Have I told you how much I love you?” he whispered, his chest heaving.
“Draven, what is going on,” she demanded.
“Arbina has given us a gift,” he told her.
Her eyes narrowed, a full frown slipping onto her face. “That doesn’t sound right. Try again.”
He chuckled under his breath and brought her knuckles to his lips. “Come sit with me,” he said as he took a step back. Her gaze narrowed, but she followed him to sit on the bed nonetheless.
“Draven…”
“A child grows inside you,” he said quickly. “Our child.”
