Twenty-Five
Muzo
I yawnedas Cobalt paced around the bedroom, wringing his hands. He’d been nervous all morning, despite my best efforts at reassurance, but it was one of those situations that wouldn’t stop bugging him until he got it over with.
“Hey, Cobalt. Why don’t you come hug the egg?” I suggested. “Might calm you down.”
He stopped pacing and looked my way, his expression softening. “Yes. That’s a good idea.”
He walked over to the bed—which had all but disappeared under the pile of Taylor’s lovingly sewn quilts—and sat beside me. I was all comfy in my pyjamas, curled up with the egg in my lap.
“How is it?” he asked, stroking the egg’s round shell.
I yawned again. “Same as usual. Egging around.”
“No movement?”
“Not yet.”
Cobalt examined the surface. “And no pips.” He sighed. “It should’ve pipped by now...”
I grabbed my mate’s face. “C’mon, it’s okay. Chill out. This stuff takes time, right?”
“Right,” he murmured, although he was still pouting. The childish expression on his usually mature, stoic face was adorable.
“Besides, it’s not really the egg you’re worried about,” I pointed out. “You’re anxious about showing your brothers your hoard.”
He pouted harder. “Yes.”
I smiled. “It’s gonna be okay, ‘cause everythingalwaysworks out in the end.”
Cobalt met my gaze, then sighed and broke into a small smile. “If there’s anything I’ve learned being your mate, Muzo, it’s that your overly optimistic mantra is true.”
“Aww, I’m rubbing off on you—and not in a sexual way.”
Cobalt let out a snort of amusement seconds before a knock came at the door. He leapt out of bed.
“They’re here.”
“You can do it,” I reassured him. “I’d come with you, but I gotta watch the egg.”
The ginormous egg definitely inherited Cobalt’s genes. It was too big for me to carry for long periods of time, so I’d have to sit the hoard tour out. But that was all right. Since Cobalt’s hoard was literally in the next room, I still felt involved in the whole process.
Cobalt blew out a long breath and nodded. “Okay.”
He opened the door.
The twins were closest. Birthday hats were strapped to their heads and party horns stuck out of their mouths. They blew on them simultaneously, making a pair of comical sounds. The streamers from the party horns slapped Cobalt’s chest.
“Happy hoard reveal day!” the twins cried simultaneously.
Cobalt shot me a miserable glance over his shoulder. “I knew this was a bad idea...”
“Where is it?” Aurum demanded, pushing past Cobalt into the room.
Saffron bounded inside. “Yeah, we wanna see!”
Crimson, Thystle, and Jade followed, although with less over-the-top enthusiasm. I didn’t see Viol. Maybe he already knew about Cobalt’s hoard—or he just didn’t care.
