“I’m here,” I soothe. “Just me. You won’t be alone.”
A contraction comes, making her shoulders tense and her breath catch. She closes her eyes and waits for it to pass, her fingers gripping the fur.
“Breathe,” I murmur. “That’s it. I’ve got you.”
I slide an arm around her shoulders as she leans into me. She’s warm. Alive. Powerful. The magic inside her flickersagainst my skin like a second heartbeat.
“It doesn’t hurt much,” she says after a moment, almost surprised. “Not like with Ahya. It’s… pressure.”
“That’s good,” I say, even though I have no idea if this is normal. None of us do.
Another wave passes. Then another.
And then she gasps softly.
“I think… Ronyn…”
I help her move, supporting her as she sits back against the cabinets. The first egg comes quickly, easier than I thought it would. It’s smooth and warm in my hands, about the size of an orange, maybe a bit bigger.
It’s dark, glossy and black.
Kelan’s.
I stare at it, shocked.
Aura exhales, a shaky laugh escaping her. “Oh my god…”
Before I can react, another contraction comes, softer this time. The second egg appears soon after, glowing faintly gold, warmth coming from its shell like sunlight.
Darial’s.
Then the third egg arrives. It’s the same deep scarlet of my scales. Its shell has delicate scalloped patterns that catch the light like armor.
Mine.
For a long moment, the kitchen is quiet except for Aura’s breathing and the soft pulse of the three small lives between us.
She gathers them from me into her arms, as if they might break. They glow in response to her touch, to the sound of her voice when she whispers to them. The light inside them pulses softly and rhythmically, as if they already know her.
“They’re real…” she says in wonder. “They’re alive.”
“Of course they are,” I reassure, though my throat is tight. I’ve fought wars and faced terrible pain, but I’ve never felt anything like this.
I reach out and touch the red shell. Heat seeps into my palm.
“How long…?” she asks quietly. “How long until they hatch?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “But we’ll keep them warm. That’s what matters.”
I rush to find a cloth which I soak with warm water. With gentle hands, I clean Aura and the eggs, then I take them from her, one by one, and hold them against my chest. Instinct takes over. My dragon awakens, heat rising as my breath warms the shells. I curl around them, protecting them with my body and wings.
Aura watches, her eyes exhausted but shining in the low light.
“You’re already such a good father,” she murmurs.
A good father? It isn’t something I ever imagined I’d be, but I want this deeply. I want to know our children and protect them as fiercely as I do Aura. I lean forward and rest my forehead against my mate’s.
“You did this,” I whisper roughly. “You brought them into the world.”
