“You keep getting better and better at making pancakes,” I said.
Aurum’s eyes sparkled at the compliment. “I do it all for you, Mylo.”
I took a few more bites, savoring the sweet flavor, then was distracted by something sharp poking into my palm.
“Ow,” I said. “What is that?”
Glancing down, my jaw dropped. A tiny hard chip dug into my skin.
A piece of eggshell.
“What?” Aurum asked urgently when I didn’t respond.
Saffron leaned over to see what I was staring at, then gasped loudly. “The egg!” he cried.
Crimson frowned in confusion at the stove, glancing at the egg grasped between his fingers.
“Not that one!” Saffron said.
Understanding washed over Aurum’s face. He abandoned the pancakes and ran over to the other side of the bar where I sat. He sucked in a breath at the egg cradled in my hands.
“The baby,” Aurum whispered.
My heart pounded a mile a minute. It was finally happening. Our baby was hatching—here, during breakfast, surrounded by family.
Aurum ushered me off the bar stool and into an armchair near the dining table. Everyone gathered to watch. Every second felt like an eternity. My nerves were frayed from excitement and anxiety, and my hands trembled as I held the egg. Would our baby get out of the egg safely?
Aurum’s reassuring hands touched my shoulders. “It’s okay, Mylo. Everyone’s here to help,” he reminded me gently.
I released a breath. As always, it seemed like he could read my mind, and he always knew exactly what to say. His promise helped me calm down.
Soon, another pip cracked the shell. And another. The tiny breakthroughs cut open the shell piece by piece. But I still couldn’t see the shape inside. It was too dark compared to the shining, golden exterior.
Then, a dark paw-shaped limb thrust upward.
My heart soared.
Was the baby a black-footed ferret after all?
I didn’t have to wait long to find out. A head joined the paw a second later. It was wedge-shaped with round, low-set ears and an adorable pink nose.
I laughed brightly, overwhelmed with feeling. “Aurum, look!”
His grin took up his whole face, and his eyes were misty. I’d never seen him so emotional. “That’s our kid,” he whispered.
The kitchen came to life with congratulations and excitement. It felt like I was in a dream, or watching the beautiful, triumphant ending to a video game.
But the newborn ferret didn’t crawl out of the egg. My joy turned to confusion as the newborn started biting the other half of its shell.
“What are you doing?” I murmured. I wasn’t sure if I should be concerned or not.
Aurum frowned for a moment before his brows shot up and his eyes went wide. Beside him, Saffron had the same expression. They looked like mirror images.
I faced the rest of the family. “What’s going on?” I asked, panic seeping into my voice.
“Wait,” Jade said, serious but heartening.
I heard a low chuckle from Cobalt. “This looks familiar,” he remarked.
