Caress of Fire (Dawn of Dragons Book 2)
Page 29
Marielle closed her eyes and braced herself against the stone wall.
It wasn’t long before Fedryc forced her to sit on a long stone bench in the shade.
“You’re exhausted.” He looked her over, his eyes running over her like she was some kind of porcelain doll about to break. “I should call Dr. Ylco to check on you.”
He got to his feet faster than she could speak, ready to call on the poor doctor.
“Stop!” Marielle shook her head as Fedryc turned to her, a frown on his brow. “I’m perfectly fine. Your daughter is just getting ready to move out, that’s all. She’s a strong one.”
Marielle ran her hand lovingly over her distended stomach and another hard kick answered her gesture. Love washed over her as she felt the baby’s strong kicks, one after the other, taking her breath away as it struggled inside the now too-small space in her body.
“You know, it could be a son, too.” Fedryc went to his knees in front of Marielle. “But no matter what it is, our child will be a strong one.”
Fedryc bent and kissed her stomach, so large now that both his hands couldn’t cover it. She was at full term now, and every day that passed she could move a little less, and every moment that passed, her love grew stronger, until she thought she might burst at the seams with it.
“Do you have any news of Henron?” Marielle chuckled as another strong kick made her gasp for air.
“No,” Fedryc said as a cloud passed over his eyes. “He’s still out there with the brown feral.”
“Feyzal,” Marielle corrected him gently. “Theirs is an unusual bond. They need time to figure it out. He will come back to Aalstad castle in his own time, especially now that the babies are about to be born. I doubt Nyra will let him stay away for long.”
Fedryc’s face was still full of doubt and he sighed. “He’s been at my side for most of my life. He’s more like a brother to me.” Fedryc got to his feet as a young man entered the courtyard. “But I know he is happy now. I just don’t know how Feyzal can live in our world.”
“They will figure it out in time,” Marielle told Fedryc as she smiled at Devan, who walked slowly, Rela at his side. The girl hadn’t left his side, and Marielle knew she wouldn’t. “Feyzal protected us in the past. He made his choice, Fedryc. He deserves our trust.”
“So did Lord Aldric,” Fedryc said as Devan finally reached them. “Silva escaped and we heard rumors that she found shelter in some kingdom in the center of the continent. The Knat-Kanassis is not defeated, but their reach is greatly reduced.”
“We will find peace,” Marielle promised, her eyes going again from Fedryc to Devan. “We are together now, and with the alliance with Darragon, we are stronger.”
“We will need more.” Devan spoke with a haunted expression in his eyes. “There are disturbing reports from Faloud. My human informant network isn’t getting a clear image, but something is going on.”
Marielle looked at her brother, her heart squeezing just a little bit. He had recovered from his injuries long ago, but the fracture in his mind still lingered on his face, in his gaze as he smiled down at her. He was still pale and thin, but the cloud was lifting from his eyes day after day. He was not the boy she had known, had left his youth far below ground in that well under the butcher shop. He was a man now, a man who had stared evil in the eye and lived to fight another day.
He and Henron were working on an informant network that spanned multiple kingdoms, tracking the Knat-Kanassis day after day. It was a daunting task, but it made her feel better to know that Devan had recovered enough to focus on his work.
“How’s my niece doing?” The corner of Devan’s lips lifted in a half smile and Marielle’s heart lurched at the sight. Because the boy in him might be gone, but sometimes, just sometimes, she could still see its ghost, just waiting to come back. “I think she’ll have the same temper as her cranky old mother.”
“Thinking that I’m not too big to kick your butt if you call me old again.”
Devan chuckled and Rela and Fedryc joined in. They were a family now, all of them. And the new life she was bringing into the world would be surrounded by love and warmth.
Another kick from the baby had Marielle closing her eyes. No, she would never be alone again.
The End.
Mary Auclair
Mary Auclair is a lover of romance novels of all genres. She likes to write everything, from science fiction to fantasy, passing through paranormal and historical, but always with a dark, sexy twist. She spends too many hours to count daydreaming about adventures and hot, dominant, alpha male heroes. When she’s not writing, she’s busy being a full-time mom, as well as caring for her many pets.
Visit her website here: www.maryauclair.com
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