Fated Hope

by Sariah Skye

  As soon as I struggled out of the shirt did my wings come bursting out of my shoulders and down my sides. “Well then,” I said, looking back over each shoulder at each of them in turn.

  “Did you mean to do that?” Finnian asked from nearby.

  I shook my head. “No.”

  “What does that mean?” Maxxus demanded.

  “Well, they help protect you, don’t they?” Gabriel suggested. “Maybe it’s just like, an extra shield or armor, just in case to help you along while you’re pregnant?”

  “Makes sense, I think,” Finnian said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. He turned to his book one more time, whispering something to Link I couldn’t quite make out before they both nodded.

  “What?” I asked curtly. “If you’re talking about me, I wanna know about it.”

  Finnian smirked, snapping the book shut and handing it to Link. “Well from what I know about the spell, I think as long as you are able to cast the magic, you’re safe. The wings are surprising, but it could be just a subconscious effort to protect yourself. Dragon females—much like human females—do things they don’t even realize to keep their babies safe, even long before they’re born. Stands to reason that’s all that was.”

  “So you think I’m fine to start healing these bastard, ungrateful Court members?” I retorted bitterly. Bitter that it took this much effort to get them to agree…

  “I think so. But let’s try a simple healing, shall we? Maybe just a paper cut?” Finnian glanced around the group. “Does anyone have any injuries, or do we have to cause one?”

  I chuckled. “I don’t like the idea of you causing injury, Finn.”

  He quirked a brow. “And, I don’t like the idea of you coming after me after said injury.” He rubbed at his neck and cringed lightly.

  I grinned mischievously. “Sorry, not sorry.”

  “I’ll do it.” Maxxus patted at his hip, searching for a blade of some sort but it wasn’t habit for us to carry our weapons on us in Anarach. Perhaps it should be.

  Esmé produced one of the ritual athames from the circle and gave it to Maxxus. “It’s quite dull for obvious reasons but it should be able to puncture skin.”

  He nodded, and took the knife. He raised it and poked the end into his palm. He didn’t wince at all as he drew a drop of blood that pooled and one drop slowly trickled to the ground.

  He held his hand out to me, smiling warmly. “Be careful,” he said, concern in his blue eyes.

  I responded back with a smile of my own, and I took his hand in mine. Closing my eyes, I called for the warm energy that was located deep inside, and called it forward. I imagined Maxxus wound closing up, and the warmth that had been inside radiated out my fingertips and around my hands, including Maxxus’. After a moment, I opened my eyes to reveal a perfectly scar free, wound free palm.

  “See?” I said, patting his hand. “All better.” I dropped his hand and outstretched my arms. “And see, I’m totally fine!”

  As I said that, I felt my knees go weak and I tumbled to the ground.

  Chapter 17

  I cursed, as two pairs of arms wrapped around my upper body, lifting me up from the ground. I saw faint “stars” in my vision but other than that, I felt generally fine. Mostly. I fought to free myself from the grasp of an overly-possessive Maxxus and a guilty-feeling Gabriel.

  “I’m fine!” I said, pulling out of their grip and weakly trying to stand. “Whoa…” The stars in my eyes spun and I clutched my head in my hands.

  “You are not fine!” Maxxus insisted, scooping me up in his arms and carefully carrying me to a nearby bed where he set me down gently, as Gabriel propped up a fluffy pillow for me to rest against.

  I groaned, reluctantly agreeing with them. But I wasn’t that bad. A little dizzy, and weak in the knees but all I needed was a good nap.

  “Clearly, you shouldn’t be doing healing magic,” Maxxus said sternly.

  “Then how are we going to fix the kingdom? Get Castle Danger up and running again? There are so few of us, we cannot run this kingdom on our own!” I protested, crossing my arms over my chest and frowning.

  “Not to mention the Shadows,” Gabriel added. Maxxus shot him a severe look. “What?” Gabriel retorted innocently.

  “We’ll figure something out. I’m not sure what we’re missing, but—” Finnian began, but he was interrupted by the tent flap being opened and in strolled Evie in a huff.

  “Just what are you guys doing?” she demanded, her voice scolding as she glared everyone down, except me.

  “We’re trying to see if Leo can still heal with her—” Finnian started but Evie waved him off with a dismissive gesture.

  “Pregnancy, yes, I know. I can hear you from the other side of the camp,” she said, shaking her head with annoyance. “So, what exactly is going on? What have you tried?”

  “We’ve been performing some rituals and Finn and Link are doing research into the spell,” Esmé said, as Evie clicked her tongue.

  “Rituals? Research? Ugggh! I’m glad I got here in time!” Evie stared sternly at the sorcerer and earth dragon in turn with a look that clearly said, “Move!”

  Gabriel swallowed and stepped back but Maxxus crossed his arms in defiance over his broad chest. “I’m not moving.”

  “You’re not helping.” Evie shook her head and grumbled. “Leorah, when is the last time you had a full meal?”

  I looked at Maxxus in confusion. “Last night I had some pasta…”

  Evie shook her head rapidly. “No, like a real meal. And gotten at least eight hours of consecutive sleep?”

  “Umm…” I said, sheepishly. I turned to Maxxus who just shrugged, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

  “Seriously?” She gave him a dirty look.

  “Hey, he just found out a couple hours ago! Well, really we just found out…” I insisted.

  Evie sighed. “Okay, okay. Just stay quiet for a second.” Evie grabbed my wrist and sat motionless for a few moments.

  “What do you think, Evie?” Finnian questioned cautiously.

  Evie, after a couple moments more, dropped my wrist and sighed again. “Did you ever think that her problem with healing isn’t magical, it’s medical?”

  “Medical?” Maxxus repeated, perplexed.

  “Yes, medical. Now, healing is the most taxing of magic to my knowledge, and even perfectly healthy it can drain your energy pretty good. Now, being pregnant even though it’s the earlier stages, your body is already worn out from trying to form the perfect little dragon bundle inside,” she said, with a half smile to me. I couldn’t help but grin and blush at her words. “Now, if you aren’t getting a full night of sleep and eating enough—and I’m talking about a dragon diet, full of protein, meatiness and carbohydrates—chances are good that you just wore yourself out faster than you would have normally.”

  I looked at Maxxus expectantly, who grasped my shoulder. “Do you think that’s all it is?”

  “Probably. I’ll run a couple of tests to check your iron and ketones, but I’m almost positive the only treatment you require isn’t a witch’s circle, but a good steak dinner and a nice, long nap.” She shook a crooked finger at Maxxus warningly. “And it’s your job to make sure she gets it.”

  Maxxus set his lips in a thin line before bowing in mock appreciation. “Yes, your highness.”

  I smacked him in the ribs, a little too hard. He grunted slightly. “Hey, that’s my title.”

  He chuckled.

  “Now shoo.” She practically pushed everyone out of the tent. When Maxxus stood his ground, she bared her fangs and glared.

  He crossed the tent, but didn’t leave. Instead he stubbornly perched himself on an empty bed. “I’ll stay out of the way, but I’m not leaving,” he said stubbornly.

  “Okay, okay. But just you.”

  After another hour or so of pokes, prods, and peeing in a cup, Evie declared me dehydrated and slightly anemic. Her prescribed treatment was a full day off of Court dealings, and a full
night’s sleep. Also, a steak dinner with a jug of water at least three times a day. The water, not necessarily the steak.

  “I still have to meet with the delegates from Babua tonight, and we still have to have that teleconference with the monarchy from Zyanhei,” Maxxus said, as we landed outside the massive palace doors. He hunched down on all four legs in his dragon form as low as he could get, stretched out his wings strategically to allow me a way to climb down easily and I slid off his back. My wings were still present, sticking through slits that were cut into Maxxus’ green robes that I was currently borrowing (because I didn’t want to ruin the fancy pink ones I was wearing) and helped me to be a bit more graceful then I otherwise would be without them.

  “That should be relatively easy, I would think,” I said, feigning a yawn.

  Maxxus bumped my shoulder gently with his dragon nose. “It will be, because you’ll let Yarrem and I do most of the talking. You just stand there and look pretty,” he said, winking an eye.

  I ran my fingers through my hair and scrubbed my face with a groan. “Ugh, not sure about that one. That’s a tall order.”

  Maxxus took a step forward, bowing his long neck down so he was as face to face as he could get, with me being in human form and his being in dragon. He brushed his much larger nose against mine; a warm, earthy scent exuding through his nostrils in a light plume of green steam. I rubbed the tip of his nose with my cheek, scratching under his chin. I said no words, but hopefully my emotions were plain enough to read: happiness and satisfaction.

  I finally got what I always wanted…a family.

  Crazy ‘brothers’ Daniel and Gabriel, a sister in Kiarra and a wonderful mate in Maxxus and now a baby drake of our own.

  Thinking of Maxxus taking care of our baby, protecting it, and loving it made me swell inside with pride.

  “What are you thinking, darling?” Maxxus spoke in his gravelly dragon’s voice, as quietly as he could.

  “Oh, just good things. Really good things,” I said with a smile. Until the thought of the Shadows penetrated my mind, and my smile fell fast. “Maxx…are we doing the right thing? I mean…what if…”

  Maxxus shrunk down to his human form quickly, revealing his bare chest (as I was wearing his robes) and a pair of dark pants that hung low on his waist and the leather cuff he now wore on his left wrist. Without further words, he pulled me into his arms and squeezed tightly. “Leorah, don’t wonder about the what-ifs. We were given a gift, we should embrace it.”

  I sighed, feeling cozy and secure in the warmth of his arms, despite the chill in the air and the light snowflakes that were continuing to fall overhead. “I know but, I can’t help but feeling afraid. I don’t want to be weakened by this, not right now. There’s so much riding on us. Is it fair to—”

  “No, it’s not fair. Especially since we’ve done the bulk of it so far, and received very little credit,” Maxxus replied, his tenor somewhat acrimonious. “But you know what? We will figure it out. And if we aren’t the ones that have to save the day, well, they will figure something else out. Finnian will not put you at risk, I am sure of that now. He will not risk an innocent, which this baby is. One way or another, it will work out. The Shadows will be defeated, somehow. There has to be more than one way. You and Gabriel might be the easiest way, but it doesn’t have to be the only way.”

  I nodded into his chest. “I wish I could feel as confident about it as you.”

  Maxxus tipped up my chin with a finger and gazed into my eyes lovingly. “You will, soon. Right now you just need some rest and a good meal and you’ll feel better. Kiarra is already at work on organizing a feast fit for a dragon queen and by the time we have to do the teleconference you’ll be feeling much, much better. You’ll see.” He kissed my cheek tenderly and trailed a line of sensual kisses to my ear and down my neck, which made me sigh happily.

  “Don’t stop!” I protested, and he chuckled.

  “Later. Let’s get you to bed for now.” He grabbed my hand and led me into the castle.

  “Kiarra!” I exclaimed suddenly. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

  Maxxus blushed guiltily. “I’m sorry, she was quite worried about you and what was wrong. She wouldn’t stop until I told her the truth. She wouldn’t buy that you were just ill. But, I made her promise she wouldn’t tell your brother, or the rest of your family until you were ready. Or Kit.”

  I smacked my forehead. “Oh god she’s going to be crazy about this.”

  “Yeah she will.” He grinned widely, and we entered the palace before I stopped in my tracks once again.

  “What, Leo?” he prompted, slightly annoyed.

  “Connor! What are we going—”

  “—Braeden is already investigating, with Link and a couple other guards. We will get to the bottom of it. Gabriel will inspect it again and you’ll be allowed to see the cell in the morning when we make sure there’s no Shadow invasion.” I began to protest but he pushed a finger to my lips and effectively shushed me. “No. No being a hero right now. You must take care of yourself and the little one.” When he placed an adoring hand on my stomach and smiled, I relented.

  “Okay, okay.”

  “Good. Now Kiarra has a bath all set up for you while your beef roast is cooking, so you go relax and freshen up. Okay?” Maxxus ordered.

  I raised a brow. “Well, that does sound nice.” Maxxus held my hand and led me down the hallway, passed the silent guards and through the newly-scrubbed, Shadow free rooms until we reached our chambers. He helped me undress, keeping his hands uncharacteristically well-behaved and helped me into the deep, claw-footed tub, into hot water scented with relaxing lavender and rosemary. “You just relax. I’m going to meet the Babuans—they should be here any minute—but after that, I will be back to make sure you are taking care of yourself. Got it?”

  “Got it,” I said, sinking down into the warm water, the heat penetrating my muscles as I sighed. I stayed submerged in the water up to my neck until Maxxus absolutely had to go and meet quickly with the Babuans. He kissed me tenderly on the cheek and smoothed my hair out of my face.

  “I will be back. Stay put, and if you absolutely need help, call for Kiarra, or your mother. They’re both in the castle and can be here at a moment’s notice.” Maxxus set my cell phone down on a towel on a shelf next to the tub.

  “Okay,” I said quietly, clamping my eyes shut to drown out the world, the Court—all of it—and relax.

  I peeked one eye open to watch Maxxus saunter away, admiring his backside.

  “Relax!” he demanded, shaking a finger at me as he looked back at me over his shoulder.

  “Okay!” I sank down in the tub out of view as he chuckled and left the chambers, leaving me behind to relax. Sona, who hated water generally as cats normally do, had patted into the washroom and was perched nearby on the closed commode. I felt better having her there, even though I knew there was little she could do, and I closed my eyes and let my cares melt off my body and into the fragrant water.

  Since Zyanhei was hours behind us, in order to teleconference them on their time, we needed to be available and awake by about one o’clock in the morning. That gave me about five to six hours of solid resting and eating time after my luxurious bath.

  I had fallen asleep in the tub, dreaming peacefully of sitting in a dragon tavern—or perhaps it was one in Castle Danger—with Maxxus, looking frazzled as we guzzled coffee and dodged spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, being flung at us by our child. In my dream, she was a beautiful green dragon, just like Maxxus, with green eyes like myself and my father. She was the spitting image my mate in his dragon form, and it pleased me immensely. Just as I could spend hours being lost, staring into his ocean eyes, I could get lost in the smile that was our child’s.

  Sadly though, I woke up before I got to see what she looked like in human form; perhaps she would look just like me which would be right horrifying. I was coming to terms with my pinkness I still wasn’t terribly keen on having her be a pink dragon li
ke myself. Let a few years go by before more were born; let the kingdom and the rest of society get used to it first. She—or he—shouldn’t ever have to deal with what I dealt with.

  Maxxus had apparently taken me out of the tub and placed me in bed, wrapped in soft towels and covered in quilts because I woke up not recalling how I got there; with damp hair strewn about my pillow. My eyes strained to see around me in the candle light and I could tell that, I was alone even though I heard Maxxus’ muffled voice from the other side of the door.

  I sat up in bed and attempt to slide out of the covers, and that’s when I noticed I was still naked from the tub. Sighing, I reached around me for a set of robes, a shirt—anything—but there was nothing within arm’s reach. The wind howled outside of the pane glass window and I shuddered, feeling the chill in the air. I wasn’t going to be getting up any time soon.

  Feeling defeated, I lay back in bed, pulling the covers back up to my chin and snuggled back in. For once, I was grateful and allowed myself the indulgence. “A movie would be good, at least…” I reached for my phone on the nightstand and slid my finger over the screen, opening up the display.

  I was greeted with a message from Kiarra:

  “I am going to be an aunt! OMG I’m SO excited! Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone until you’re ready! I already started shopping for the little one! Look!”

  I grinned widely as I opened an image for a tiny little newborn onesie that said “Future Starfleet Cadet”.

  And that’s when it hit me.

  Holy shit, I’m pregnant.

  I took a deep breath as my eyes widened in shock. I looked down, and gingerly rested my hands on my stomach. I’m not sure what I was expecting. It was too early for movement; there wasn’t much even there but despite that, I felt a sense of calm and warmth spread throughout my body. I sat upright, ramrod straight with new determination. Somehow, it was as if the little life growing inside me was saying, “It is going to be okay.” I didn’t know why I even thought that; it was involuntary thought. Crap, is this little one going to be another pink dragon? With spirit powers like mine?