by Juniper Hart
Then, he extended a hand to her for a handshake. She shook his hand, and he brought her closer to study her face, particularly her eyes.
“You are Elemental,” he said assured. “Reach out to me when you’re done with the elixir thing; let me know how it goes.”
“Yes sir,” she beamed.
“You’re very brave, aren’t you?” he questioned.
Daisy shrugged lightly. “After everything Nyle and I have been through to be together, I can’t imagine being anything else.”
Riveryn nodded, “That’s very admirable. If your transition is effective, you are always welcome in our land. Despite your rather unnatural marriage, we protect our own no matter what.”
Unless they are hybrids, Daisy thought to herself, but kept a pleasant smile on her face. “That’s very kind of you.”
Everyone else stood. Riveryn shook Nyle’s hand. “Perhaps things can be different than they were between your father and me.”
“Perhaps so,” Nyle nodded.
Riveryn studied Nyle for a moment before turning and walking toward his men.
“You may all leave now. I will contact you when I’m ready,” Riveryn demanded.
Daisy asked, “What will you do with Forrest?”
Riveryn responded, “You won’t have to worry about him again.”
Daisy wasn’t sure if that meant death or imprisonment, but didn’t press the subject.
The Royals then turned and walked out of the cabin. Eyes of the entire settlement were on them as they walked to their vehicle. Nyle and Daisy climbed into their seats and buckled in before they started moving.
“I can’t believe it,” Nyle murmured, genuinely sounding astonished. “You just single-handedly made more progress with the Elementals than our entire clan has since the divide all those years ago.”
Daisy wasn’t ready to celebrate quite yet. “Who knows if it actually worked? Honestly, they probably were only soft on me because of my genes. They seem to only trust their kind.”
“Definitely the case,” Nyle sighed. “That doesn’t take away from what you did, though. It’s as if you were meant to be queen,” he said, putting an arm around her shoulders.
Daisy smiled. “Thank you.”
Then, the SUV hit a pothole as they pulled out into the main road and Daisy’s stomach immediately jumped into her throat. She put a hand over her mouth as she tried to hold back the sudden nausea.
“Pull the car over!” Nyle demanded.
As soon as the car came to a stop, Daisy flung open her door and lost the contents of her stomach into the grass. Nyle rubbed her back in big circles, hoping to help soothe her.
“Daisy, you’ve been sick for a while. We need to get you to a doctor right away.”
“I’m fine,” she squeaked, but her throat burned.
Once she felt like she her nausea was under control, Daisy sat up straight. Nyle handed her some water to rinse and rehydrate.
“I swear if I didn’t know any better, I would think you were pregnant,” he teased.
Daisy rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to shoot down his theory, when she realized she might have missed her period. She thought back through the weeks, her jaw dropping. She couldn’t recall having a period during the last two months.
Her silence made Nyle grin widely.
“Is that really possible?” Daisy breathed.
“Of course it is! This is amazing. We’ll see the doctor as soon as we get home,” Nyle said excitedly.
The SUV pulled back onto the road, Daisy slumping in her seat in shock. She didn’t need the doctor to confirm what she already knew.
Just when things started to simmer down, Nyle and Daisy were headed down another unexpected path. At least this time, it would be a joyous one.
“Ready for another adventure?” Nyle asked, pulling her into his side, and placing his hand over her belly.
Daisy let herself take another moment to process. A steady moan escaped her, and she looked up to Nyle with a smile.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Epilogue
One Year Later
Daisy acted like she couldn’t hear Nyle, continuing to bounce her son on her knee while making funny faces at him. She was deeply biased, but Samson was the cutest little boy she had ever seen. He looked a lot like Nyle, with high cheekbones, a very straight nose, and the same golden hue to his skin. The most enchanting thing about the five-month-old was his eyes. He was born with light gray eyes with a honey-gold ring around the pupil. As Samson was getting older, they became even more gold and had slivers of silver. Daisy leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose. Samson let out a giggle that warmed Daisy’s heart every single time she heard it.
“Come on, Daisy. You said we would go this weekend. It has to be done,” Nyle stated, standing directly in front of her then with his arms crossed over his chest.
She still ignored him. Nyle sighed heavily and sat down on the bed next to her.
“I don’t want to leave Samson either, but it’ll just be for a few days,” he tried to comfort her while he reached to tickle his son’s chin.
“You don’t know how long it will take. Not even Evryn knew,” Daisy corrected him. “What if it takes weeks, or even a month? We can’t be away from him that long.”
“He’ll be fine,” Nyle urged her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “It’s you that we need to worry about. We’ve put your transition off for too long. I know you couldn’t take the elixir while you were pregnant, and you didn’t want to while he was a newborn. However, the longer you stay a hybrid, the longer you will be an easy target for the rebels.”
She frowned deeply, hugging Samson to her chest, running her fingers through his wispy, ash-blonde hair. Nyle was right. The last year had been difficult. After their offer to give Pennsylvania back to the Elementals, both clans faced divisions. The majority of both sides wanted peace between the two clans. However, rebels within both clans split from their kingdoms and formed militias with the goal to destroy the peace.
Daisy had been a focal point for attacks while she was pregnant. Samson had become a symbol of the unity of the clans, being the first Elemental-Royal hybrid in hundreds of years. The malicious legions seemed to think by killing Samson before he was born would be symbolic of how peace and unity would never exist. Dozens of attempts had been made, and even a handful of close calls. In addition to the full security detail, Nyle had become consumed with his duty of protecting her, never leaving her side.
Since Samson was born, things had settled down throughout the land. His birth had been a defeat for the rebels. Nyle feared they were concocting a new attack and wanted Daisy to transition to a dragon so she wouldn’t be defenseless in case she needed to protect herself or their son.
Still, it didn’t make the thought of leaving her baby any easier. Samson brought her so much joy, and the thought of missing even a day of his infancy made her want to cry. To leave him with an unknown return date felt torturous.
Nyle’s nose brushed against her cheek. “I promise, everything will be just fine. My mom and Erasina will be caring for Samson, and you know they are both amazing with him. There’s plenty of guards on duty. I even have a couple of guards whose only job until we return is transporting breast milk from us to the palace.”
She couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of guards having to do milk runs. It was a funny to imagine two big and muscular guards having to protect a cooler of breast milk. She was starting to feel a little better about leaving, knowing Nyle made sure every base was covered. Asalei and Erasina really were wonderful with Samson, so she knew she didn’t have to worry about him being neglected or in danger.
Daisy had cultivated a strong relationship with Nyle’s mother and sisters, except for Maylei, who had been banished. They later learned that she was bitter that a human hybrid would outrank her and didn’t think it was fair that Daisy would be the new queen. Nyle’s mother had reconciled with Maylei and guaranteed she would no longer
be a threat to Daisy. However, Nyle had guards watching Maylei’s every move to minimize the risk.
Daisy wanted to be a full dragon, so she could relate the people in her kingdom. After rumors spread about Daisy standing up for Nyle against her own father, most of the kingdom accepted her as their queen because she proved her loyalty.
The transformation truly had been put off for too long. Evryn had advised against doing it while she was pregnant, fearing it could inadvertently cause a miscarriage. Nyle had wanted Daisy to do it a week after Samson was born, but she pushed it off, saying he was too small to be away from his mother. Then Nyle had attempted to convince her to do it when he was three months old, and Daisy agreed to do it the week after their wedding anniversary. And there they were.
Reluctantly, Daisy nodded and stood from the bed with Samson in her arms. Nyle kissed the baby’s head, Samson smiling up at his dad with glimmering eyes and reaching to put a tiny hand on Nyle’s cheek. A grin stretched across Nyle’s face, as he took Samson’s hand and playfully bit down on it. Samson squealed happily, drawing back his hand. He continued an act of putting his hand on his dad and waiting for Nyle to lightly bite him, then repeating, as they made their way down the corridor. Daisy never quite understood why Samson found it so funny.
When they reached the corridor, Asalei and Cassie were waiting on them.
“There they are,” Cassie grinned when she spotted the family. She immediately held her arms open. “Let me get my cuddles before we head out.”
Daisy handed the baby over to her mother. Samson’s face was peppered with kisses as Cassie hugged him.
“You’re the cutest little man I’ve ever met! Yes, you are,” she cooed to Samson.
It warmed Daisy’s heart to see Cassie and Samson together. After Cassie had found out what Forrest had done, she begged Daisy and Nyle to forgive her. Of course they did. She had been a victim almost as much as they had.
Forrest exploited Cassie’s emotions just to manipulate her to turn against Nyle and Daisy. Following their reconciliation, Daisy shared the news that she was pregnant. Cassie was thrilled about the news. She was an excellent grandma, or “nana” as she preferred to be called. Nyle had a strong disdain for the nickname, having a great deal of pain in his face every time he was forced to say it.
Cassie then passed Samson to Nyle. He was an amazing father, being gentle, kind, and patient with Samson at all times. Even when Samson would cry for long periods of time for no reason in particular, Nyle never lost patience.
It was evident that Samson loved Nyle. Every time he saw his father, his face would brighten up, and he would start trying to talk to him. Of course, it all came out as vowel sounds.
“You behave for your grandmother and your Auntie Era,” Nyle spoke softly to Samson.
Nyle carefully placed his son in Asalei’s arms.
“My sweet Samson,” Asalei cooed to him, tickling his chest. “We will take good care of him,” she assured Daisy with a smile.
“I know you will,” Daisy nodded.
They then gave their final goodbyes to Samson and Asalei before turning to leave. Nyle put his arm around Daisy as they walked to his SUV with Cassie.
“We’ll be back in no time,” assured Nyle.
“I miss my Sammy already,” Daisy half-joked, pouting her lip at him.
Nyle chuckled and traced her bottom lip. “You’re an excellent mother, Daisy. You do need a break, though. What will you do when he starts going to the academy?”
“I don’t even want to think about that day,” she frowned. “And I don’t think I would consider making a painful transition a break. I would much rather be changing dirty diapers than growing a whole new skeletal system.”
“I know that,” Nyle said, opening her door for her. Before he closed it, he leaned against the frame to talk to her. “Think about this as your way of protecting Samson to the best of your abilities. What if the day comes where I can’t be near you and something happens? Or, what if the attack is too big, and I can’t handle it on my own? You’ll likely extend your lifespan by decades, if not by a century. That will just give you more time with Samson. Even if we are gone for a few weeks, it will be worth it to be able to protect him for years to come.”
Daisy smiled faintly. “You always know the right thing to say. And it’s not only about Samson. An increased lifespan means more time with you.”
Nyle kissed the top of her head, and then pressed a soft kiss to her lips before stepping back and shutting her door.
Cassie reached around Daisy’s seat and rubbed her shoulder. “It’ll all be fine, sweetie. I’ll be there to make sure of it.”
Daisy squeezed her mother’s hand. Cassie was going along to help in any way that she could. She was a nurse, so her medical training could be useful. She was so glad to have her mother with them for the journey.
The SUV came to a stop outside of a two-story brick house in the countryside. Originally, Nyle wanted to take Daisy to Virginia for the transition, knowing how much she loved it there. Samson had changed that. Neither of them were willing to be so far away from their son, so he purchased a big, but quaint, home just outside of the city. After the transition, they planned to use it as an escape to get away from the hustle and bustle of the castle from time to time.
Nyle grabbed the bags from the back of the car before following Daisy and Cassie inside. While the women took a look around, Nyle made his way upstairs to the master bedroom. He sat their bags at the foot of the bed, keeping only one in his hold. Moving over to the dresser, he placed the bag down and began taking its contents out. Incense, towels, dried herbs, a bottle of juice, painkillers, a framed picture of Samson, and finally, the gift box that contained the elixir.
Nyle carefully took the lid off the box, looking down at the evergreen liquid. He couldn’t imagine the discomfort and pain Daisy was about to go through. He wished he could bear it for her.
Nyle had tried to bring anything he could that would bring her comfort. If she weren't breastfeeding, he probably would have brought lots of alcohol. He hoped that the herbs Evryn had given him would bring her some sort of comfort.
He lined everything up to his liking, before moving over to the other bags. Taking Daisy’s favorite blanket out of a bag, he placed it neatly on the foot of the bed, along with a set of loose fitting clothes. Movement caught the corner of his eye, and Nyle turned to look at the door.
Daisy walked through the door, nervous eyes shuffling around to see everything he had set up. He could tell by the look on her face that she didn’t want to start it so soon, but waiting was unnecessary.
“The longer the wait, the longer we’ll be away from Samson.”
Daisy nodded and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge. Nyle hoped to be able to handle the transition himself, but Cassie was downstairs in case they needed help. She sat down on the side of the bed and looked up at him with her big doe eyes. Nyle brushed the hair from her face.
“I’ll be here with you every step of the way, okay? I won’t leave your side, even for a second.”
Tears formed in her stormy hues. It was obvious she was scared. Nyle dragged his thumbs against her bottom lids before the tears could spill over. He inhaled through his nose and exhaled through his mouth in a deliberate way, signaling for her to do the same. Daisy held eye contact with Nyle as she took a slow and steady breath. Nyle then strode over to the dresser and grabbed the vial. He went back to her, placing the elixir in her hand.
“Bottoms up,” he said with a wryly smile.
She raised the vial to her lips and closed her eyes tightly before tilting her head back and quickly draining it. Daisy instantly put her hand over her mouth, the bitter liquid threatening to come back up. Nyle grabbed the bottle of juice and handed it to her.
“This will help with the taste.”
Daisy took several gulps of the juice before putting it to the side. Her face was still scrunched into a disgusted expression.
“That was disgusting
. It tasted like tree bark and window cleaner or some other combination of earth and chemicals,” she grumbled, standing from the bed, and going to the bags to find her toothbrush.
Nyle followed her as she went to brush her teeth in the bathroom, his eyes scanning all over her. He had no idea how quickly the elixir worked.
“You may want to change as well,” Nyle suggested, wanting to make sure she was comfortable and in clothes that could expand.
She followed his suggestion, taking off her blouse and skirt, and dressed in a pair of cotton shorts and a large t-shirt. Just as she pulled the shirt over her head, Daisy’s knees wobbled and buckled out from underneath her. Nyle reached down and helped her to her feet.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his eyes searching her for any wounds.
“Yeah. I just felt a little weird for a second,” Daisy murmured, not yet looking at him but instead staring blankly around the room.
“What are you looking at?” Nyle asked.
“Everything is in threes,” she breathed. Her eyes fluttered rapidly and started to roll back. Within an instant, she was dead weight. Nyle thankfully caught her before she could collide with the ground. He brought her to the bed and draped a blanket over her. Lying down next to her, Nyle watched over her like a hawk. He hoped it wouldn’t be too painful for her and that it would be over quickly.
Twelve Hours Later
Daisy screamed at the top of her lungs as she woke in the middle of the night. Her entire body was in agonizing pain. It felt like her bones were trying to tear through her flesh. Sweat poured out from her body from the stress.
She didn’t realize that Nyle was holding her at first, she was so consumed with the pain.
“Make it stop,” Daisy sobbed, her forearms blocking her face as her body curled into a ball because of the agony.
Nyle kept her pressed to his chest, one hand running through her hair.