Crimson shuddered and silently went back to cooking.
Viol snorted as he glanced at me. “Listen, if Crimsonismaking eggs, I’d settle for a fuckin’ microwave dinner right now, too.”
“Okay, out,” Crimson snapped, arcing his spatula in the air like a flail. “All of you complainers, get out of the kitchen! Go eat dirt outside for all I care.”
“Whoa, touchy. What crawled uphisass and died?” Aurum asked.
I put a hand over my mouth to hide my smile. Poor Crimson.
After poking the dragon and getting chased out of the kitchen, we relocated to the living room. The twins came along, along withtheirtwins.
“Dammit, I wanted a snack,” Viol complained as he sank into the couch. He crossed his arms comically over the giant egg strapped to his chest. “Stupid Crimson...” Then he shot a glare at his younger brothers.
“Is it weird that I kinda love this new Viol?” Aurum asked Saffron.
“No, dude. He’s totally awesome,” Saffron agreed. “He’s nicer, but also meaner in a fun way?”
Viol scowled at them, fond in a way that was obvious to those who knew him well.
“All thanks to Poppy,” Saffron stated, grinning at me.
Aurum nodded before flashing a thumbs-up.
I chuckled, then turned to my mate. “Are you still hungry, Viol?” I asked.
“Yeah. I’m craving popcorn now that Saffron mentioned it,” he grumbled.
Saffron cackled. “Craving? I thoughtPoppywas the pregnant one.”
“I’ll get you some popcorn,” I offered, patting Viol’s knee. He smiled at me instead of falling for Saffron’s bait.
I gave him one last affectionate pat before slipping back into the kitchen. Just as I was rummaging through the pantry for a bag of popcorn, I heard a series of shouts from the living room. I yelped, dropping the popcorn. Crimson shot me a panicked glance. Without a second thought, he abandoned his apparently-not-eggs and dashed into the living room alongside me.
I was hit by a flash of realization. Though my heart raced at the suspense, I didn’t feel any of the sharp tendrils of panic I was used to. After years of endless anxiety, this little moment of excitement was like a cold plunge—a refreshing shock. A novel tranquility settled into the dark pit where apprehension used to plague me. I wasn’t afraid anymore.
Swift but calm, I hurried to the living room. Viol sat wide-eyed on the couch while the twins stood with their mouths agape over him. When I saw what they were all gawking at, my heart stopped.
The egg was cracked.
I sucked in a breath, then broke out of my spell, rushing over. The egg was pipped right at the crest. A tiny, dark hole among the glittering purple.
The whole room went silent, not daring to take a breath. As the reality of it sank in, my heart began racing in excitement.
Our child was hatching.
I placed my hands on opposite sides of the egg’s shell, close enough to Viol’s hands that our thumbs brushed together. He met my gaze briefly, eyes flashing, then dropped his attention to the pipped egg. Time seemed to slow as the tiny hole remainedstill and quiet. Then, with a tiny thud, a crack spread across the top of the shell.
“Come on,” Viol mumbled, his voice tight with encouragement.
I leaned in closer to the egg. My heart thumped so fast it felt like it might burst from my chest. “Come on...”
As if in response to our voices, a third crack splintered across the front of the shell, a hairline fracture splitting it in two. I could barely breathe from the anticipation.
A tiny squeal erupted from inside the egg.
My heart skipped a beat.
The beautiful first sound of our baby’s voice.
