My eyes widened. Ko stiffened. Zane pulled the neck of his “Stop petting my peeves” t-shirt up over his mouth to muffle his chuckle.
“You edited a four-hundred-year-old first edition text,” I deadpanned.
“Mm-hmm.” Seri tilted her head, utterly unrepentant.
“In permanent marker.” Zane’s voice dropped to a faux-horrified whisper.
“Serafina, please tell me you at least wrote in the margins and not over the actual spellwork—”
“Define ‘margins,’ Koko.”
Zane let out a little titter. Ko inhaled deeply, likely preparing to scold her with his usual depthless patience. I, on the other hand, was still grappling with the urge to snatch the book away and assess the damage.
“Oh, and I’m pregnant.”
The room went silent.
I stared at her. Ko froze. Zane choked so hard, he nearly died on the spot. Even Brumous paused mid-scratch.
“Wait. What?” Ko was the first to break.
“You’reWHAT?!” Zane looked wildly between us like she’d just announced she was ascending to godhood.
A strange ringing filled my ears.
Pregnant.
That meant she was…
“You’re carrying our child.” My voice didn’t sound like mine.
“Mm-hmm.” Seri, still infuriatingly calm, brushed a crumb off her chest.
My breath stuttered. My soul stuttered. The entire world stuttered.
“Bleeding night.” Zane collapsed into the nearest chair, burying his face in his hands. “Wejustagreed to start trying!”
“Guess we’re that damn good.” Ko’s fingertips lightly grazed her belly as if he expected to feel something already.
I could hardly comprehend their reactions, however. My mind was moving too fast. She was pregnant. Our beloved. With our child. In her.Right now.
I needed to—
I had to—
Plans.
I neededplans.
Security details. Defensive spells. A nursery covered floor to ceiling in wards. Evermere had to be reinforced. We would need obstetricians, diapers, extra—
My brain snapped back to the sight of the grimoire in her lap.
“You’re pregnant.” I ran a hand over my hair. “And inhaling permanent marker fumes?”
“What?” She blinked like an innocent little owl.
“Everyone knows they cause—” My mind went blank. Whatdidthey cause? I grasped for the first vaguely medical-sounding thing. “Adverse side effects!”
