Lorna waddled around the kitchen while Bart, Skinner, and I examined every inch of the map my father had given us. He’d since backed away from any talks of ruling Black Harbor to enjoy living his life with my mother. They were inseparable these days. I watched Lorna with hopes of a similar future for us, but over the last year, I can only say my power has grown as a Black Sapphire and ultimately as the leader of the Heads of Clans. While I’m sure they didn’t want to admit it, Bart and Skinner were a bit afraid of what I’d unleash if pushed to that point. They thought Argos was a danger to Black Harbor; I nearly tore a man apart when he knocked my very pregnant wife down. It was a silent understanding amongst us, but we kept that to ourselves. Outside of these meetings, we acted as an equally powered unit.

“So Preston, we’ve been getting some rumors about the Anthros forming their groups, stations I think they’re calling them,” Bart sighed pointing out several areas on the map. “We can’t get inside them as Scalers, and only pets have heard the rumors of them. We should combat this more than Grady’s plan of coming back here to take over.”

“I think traveling has done both Grady and Celia a world of good. He doesn’t seem to be as stubborn as before. I think he may have already found a place he was looking for that already has what he wanted.”

“But Black Harbor has a funny way of calling people home,” Skinner said with a slight tug to the chain in his hand. The girl walked in and sat on the floor beside him.

Lorna rolled her eyes before talking to him, “Does she want or need anything to eat? Any treatment? Fleas or otherwise?”

“No,” Skinner grinned, “She’s clean.”

He took a finger and reached down between her legs. She moaned a deep moan of pleasure that Lorna looked almost jealous to see. Skinner pulled his finger out, sniffed it and then put it in front of his pet where she delicately licked her juices off of him. Her head movements mimicked the very same of something I haven’t had in quite a while. I too could feel the twinge of jealousy creeping inside of me.

“Enough,” I slammed the table as Bart too was lost in the display. Lorna laughed and left us to finish talking.

“Bart, get your Scarlet Wings together in an armed formation and take out the threat of any Anthro Uprising. We will not revert to those days of yesteryear. Skinner,” I hesitated trying my hardest to keep my eyes on him and not his horny pet, “I need you to do what you do with the pets. Get these Anthros under control and let them know their rebellions will not be tolerated. Anyone caught will be sent to you for the Skulls to deal with.”

“Oh, my dear brother, you have no idea how happy that makes me,” Skinner smiled. I swear dealing with him sometimes makes me feel like I’m shaking hands with the Devil himself.

“UM, PRESTON!” Lorna called from the other room. I didn’t like the high pitched squeal in her voice. “I think it’s time!”

“Time for what?” I responded.

Bart slapped himself on the forehead, “I think she’s about to have your kid, man.”

SHIT!

“Oooh, I’ve never seen that before,” Skinner gleamed, “May I stay and watch?”

“NO!” Both Lorna and I shouted at him.

“Well is there a way I can keep whatever comes out of there that isn’t the baby?” he asked me.

“Skinner, get away from me,” I ordered angrily. He backed away with his hands raised and rattled the chain to his pet.

She came out of the room with her hand clutching her belly, and the other was holding what looked to be a piece of the closet door. Lorna glanced at me apologetically, “I couldn’t help it.”

“Um, it’s okay,” I took a deep breath, “Hang on. I’m going to get you to Empyrean. Skinner, stop being such a creep and get on that Anthro message. Bart, can you get a hold of Aya and tell her to meet us up there?”

“Fine,” Bart growled. I knew how he felt about Aya. All emerald Sirens frightened him. He didn’t want to understand where their powers came from and he didn’t care to find out either. But, I let him fight that internal battle on his own as I ran to Lorna and helped her get in position to fly home.

We’d practiced this a few times but scaling with my pregnant wife didn’t give me the best feeling in the world. Once we made it into the sky-high city, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. As soon as we landed, Lorna was rushed to her mother’s chambers where they’d prepared it for this very moment.

My parents weren’t too far behind as Aya arrived with Bart in tow. Argos and Lavender were already pacing in front of the door, but I was calmer than I expected. I don’t think it hit me quite yet.

Aya walked into the room, and while I was right behind her, she stopped me, “You’re going to stress her out. You wait out here with everyone else.”

I did as I was instructed and waited. Over the next couple of hours, Bart began flying back and forth between Empyrean and Black Harbor giving me updates on our plan for the Anthros. I wasn’t pleased with what they were up to, but I barely cared with my mind focused on Lorna. Both my parents and hers were in a heated debate over the name. I refused to participate until my mother dragged me into the conversation. She pulled my arm so that I could face them all while they drilled me with questions.

Argos fired off the first one, “So have you made up your mind yet? I think you should heavily consider Ornopolis, or Argos the Bull, somewhere in there.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” my father countered, “The baby will be named after myself or Preston, and they will forever and always be a Cane! No one will change that!”

“Calm down, honey,” Lavender stroked Argos’s arm, “Besides neither of you knows whether it will be a boy or a girl. Preston, Lucas, and Argos are not the most feminine names.”

“I’m sure Lavender or Elaina will work just as well,” my mother chimed in. I shook my head.

“And what about where you’re staying?” Argos asked me.

“We’ve been doing some work to the top floors of the Towers. Lorna and I will make it work,” I assured them.

“No, I think it would be best if you guys stayed up here where’s there’s plenty of space and room to raise a young Scaler. Besides, if their power is in any comparison to its parents, you guys are going to need the room.”

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet,” I admitted to them. As much as I loved Black Harbor, it made more sense to raise a baby in the peace and space of Empyrean. But I was raised in Black Harbor, so I didn’t know what to do. “Let’s wait to see what Lorna wants. I move better when I know what she wants to do.”

“Because she’s always going to do whatever she wants,” Lavender said with a chuckle.

“Exactly, I can always move around my wife. She hasn’t gotten me into any trouble recently. I trust her. Whatever she wants to do is what we’ll do.”

And that was that.

I walked away from them in search of fresh air until it was time to see my child. My child, I couldn’t believe I was going to be a father. I couldn’t believe that I was going to parent another living being with Lorna. I just really hoped this kid didn’t have the same temper as her. Pregnancy rage was the scariest thing I’d ever seen in my life.

By the time our bundle of joy arrived, the moon had sat high in the night sky. I could hear the waterfalls at the back of the city. It was like the entire place was waiting to listen to the soft cries of my firstborn. Walking into the room, Lorna sat in a huge tub full of water and oils. Flower petals drifted on top while a multitude of candles around the room kept the space dimly lit.

Aya walked over to me with a bundle of white cloth in her hands and inside that bundle was the pinkest little face I’d ever seen. He opened his big blue eyes, and they looked just like mine. I let a few tears fall down my cheeks as I held my son for the very first time. My heart skipped a beat but immediately slowed its pace as I cradled him close to me. Instinct told me he didn’t need to hear how nervous I was.

I walked over to Lorna who looked beautiful but exhausted. I bent down to kiss her gently before telling her about the commotion outside, “They want to know the name or our son and if you want to spend some time up here to give him the peace and space to grow while we continue to get Black Harbor in order.”

“That sounds wonderful,” she replied sleepily with her hands wading through the water.

“And his name?” I asked her.

“Ashton,” she smiled. “He’s a combination of us both, and as much as we love each other, it seems our tempers and families only leave ash in our paths. So Ashton. He will be powerful. He will be strong. He will be all of us.”

“Excellent,” Aya said from behind me, “You two sit in here. Preston, you should undress and get into the tub with Lorna. You three will bond with your young one. It is most important to do this now.”

I listened to her and let her hold Ashton as I did as I was instructed. Once we were all in, Lorna leaned back against me with our son suckling on her for one of his first meals. I wasn’t ready to disrupt this serenity that engulfed us.

“Aya, please tell them the name and to give us a few hours before we allow people inside,” I told her.

“I will, and then I’m going on vacation,” Aya chuckled as she walked out of the room closing the door behind her.

I laughed a bit myself as I held my little family in my arms.

“Lorna…”

“Yes, my love?”

And like I did so long ago, I made the same promise again, “I swear to you that I will always love and fight for you two, for us, for our future.”

“I know you will, Preston. I know you will.”