Four Weeks Later
Tirah paced the living area as she waited for Saber to return home. He’d gone to see Cass and had assured her that he’d be back before she knew it, but she’d been waiting awhile now.
“That’s it. I can’t wait any longer.”
Emerging through the waterfall that never failed to amaze her, Tirah scanned the area. There was no sign of her mate flying toward her through the brilliant pink-and-orange sky. Drawing on her power, she shifted into her dragon. Another thing that will never cease to amaze me, she thought, basking in the warmth of Tartaria’s three suns on her scales.
She had offered to join Saber so she could talk with her mother, but he declined. He wanted to talk to Cass alone and hoped he would open up if they were alone. She snorted. Cass open up. Not likely, the grouchy old goat. Then she laughed at herself. Okay, so Cass definitely wasn’t a goat, and despite his years, didn’t look at all old.
Still, Cass’s golden good looks didn’t hold a candle to her sexy male. Then she sighed, wishing everyone could find happiness like she and Saber had.
Yet neither Tirah nor Saber could figure out what was going on with Cass. She finally understood what Maya had been talking about before she died. Poor Cass, he’d lived with so much suffering and only half a soul. Then she thought about it some more and frowned. He’d been living like that for ten years now, what changed?
There was definitely something more going on, and both she and Saber wanted to get to the bottom of it, though for different reasons. Saber wanted to make sure Cass didn’t harm anyone. Tirah wanted that as well, but she also needed to make sure Cass didn’t take his anger out on her mother.
For some odd reason, the very sight of Ashara angered him, and the poor woman had been through enough. In fact, she wanted to ask her mother to move in with them. At least until Cass settled down … Is that the only reason? a little voice in her head questioned.
Even in dragon form, her stomach felt queasy. Pushing the reason for her nervousness from her mind, Tirah took to the sky and concentrated on flying and not falling.
As Tirah neared Cass’s village and was about to land, she felt the presence of her mate elsewhere. Tirah quickly changed direction.
***
Saber was perched on an outcropping, which protruded from the side of the mountain overlooking the village, when he caught a whiff of honeysuckle. He lifted his head and warmth consumed him as the love of his life flew toward him like a glorious vision. His spirits rose at the welcomed sight since he hadn’t made any headway with Cass. His friend claimed to be fine, or as fine as could be.
Having recently been in a bad place himself, Saber suspected there was more going on and it had something to do with Ashara.
Then he remembered the conversation between Tirah and Mihel in the cabin. How Casin had locked their mother away, claiming she was a rebel working against the Ilyium. It sounded crazy, yet was it?
Saber shook his head. She couldn’t be. Not that he had a problem with it if she was.
As Tirah drew near, Saber shifted into his human-form and smiled, letting his love show through his eyes as his new mate landed. She shifted into her luscious body and then blushed at his hungry stare.
“I will never grow tired of looking at you,” he said, then frowned as he realized how long he’d been gone. “I’m sorry. I lost track of time.” When Tirah had offered to fly here with him, he’d been about to say yes, then noticed how tired she appeared. They’d had a lot of late nights, and hoping she’d get some rest while he was out, he declined. Now, he worried that she might be sick.
Tirah smiled at him. “You’re late and I missed you. Did you talk to Cass?”
Saber nodded and glanced down at the village. “Not that it did any good.” With a sigh, he rubbed his temple.
“Are you all right?” Tirah asked.
“I just wish I knew what was going on. If he’s turning rogue—” Saber pulled Tirah into his arms and then grew alarmed at how nervous—scared—she was. “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”
Tirah shook her head. “No, not sick. Though I do have some news.”
Saber waited, worry slithering through him. What if she said she was leaving again? As if reading his mind, Tirah cupped his cheek. “It’s all right. It’s actually good news. I hope.”
Saber raised an eyebrow, and Tirah inhaled a deep breath, and then let it out. “I’m pregnant.”
Saber blinked and his heart nearly stopped. “What?” Surely he heard wrong?
“I said, I’m pregnant,” Tirah repeated quietly, watching him closely.
Saber swallowed hard and his palms grew sweaty as he remembered that first time he’d made love to Tirah. He should have known. Actually, subconsciously, he probably did.
“You’re not happy,” Tirah said, pulling away.
“No. No, I am,” he said, not letting her go. Saber drew her close and held her, needing to feel her against him. “How did this happen?” he asked, talking to himself.
Tirah, arms wrapped around him, chuckled. “Really? Do you need me to explain it to you?”
Saber snorted. “No. It’s just, dragonkind don’t normally get pregnant so easily. Most couples are together many years before they manage to have any Young, if they’re even able to at all.”
Tirah looked up into his eyes. “You don’t sound happy.”
Saber masked his emotions. “You just took me by surprise. I’m happy,” he lied, then nuzzled his face against her fiery hair and inhaled her scent. Happy? Oh gods. No, I’m not happy. I’m terrified. All these years he’d dreamed of finding his mate and having his own Young.
He’d been stupid. A stupid idiot for dreaming of such a thing. A Young. Saber tried to calm his racing emotions and savored Tirah’s hands under his shirt. What if I drop it? Or … what if I fail to protect it and it dies, like Maya, like …
He thought about his lost siblings, mother, friends. Panic began to build as he mentally listed all the things that could go wrong, and he wanted to groan. With their enemies, it wasn’t a good idea to bring another innocent into this world.
“I wonder if it will be a boy or a girl?” Tirah asked, and Saber, about to claim her lips, stilled. His eyes grew wide. Tirah looked up at him sharply. “I can feel it, you aren’t happy.”
“I … I am. Just give me some time, please.”
“Time?” Tirah pulled away and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, how is this for time? You have exactly until this Young is born.”
Saber shook his head, feeling completely alone. “No, please. I don’t want to fight. I’ll be fine, I … this is … what if …”
“What if what?” Tirah snapped.
Saber thought of all the years he’d lived and all those he’d lost. He wouldn’t be able to bear it if he lost his mate, and how much worse would it be to lose a Young? “What if I’m not a good father?”
Tirah blinked and dropped her arms to her side. “What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t you be a good father?” Then she shook her head and closed the distance between them.
Saber shuddered as her arms wrapped him in her warmth. Her love.
“I’m scared too. But if there is one thing I know, you will be a wonderful father. In fact, I fear if we do have a girl, she may never be allowed out of your sight,” she said, then snickered.
Saber growled. “You’re correct. She’s going to have to find a helluva male if she ever plans to mate.” Then he thought about it. “Yeah, she’s never going to mate.”
Tirah chuckled, and Saber’s lips found hers. “I’ll be happy, I promise, just, let’s go home, please? I need you.”
Tirah went to move away to shift, but Saber tightened his hold on her. “No, let me carry you, please?”
As if sensing his need to be close to her, Tirah nodded. “Of course.” She closed her eyes and smiled as Saber’s power washed through her as he shifted into his dragon. She reached up, pulled his head close, and staring into his bright-blue eyes, kissed him. “I love you.”
“I love you as well. Thank you for mating me, and for making me a daddy. I’ll try not to drive you too crazy until this child is mated off.”
The End of the Beginning
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