Total pages in book: 362
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
He was quiet for a moment. “We’ll have to ask Kye.”
I’d finally agreed to have the Healer come in the morning. Ash had wanted to summon him while we ate, but it was night, and nothing was going to change between now and tomorrow.
I thought about the whole process of exchanging blood—eather. “I Ascended Penellaphe, and it didn’t cause any problems.”
“We don’t know that.” His thumb moved in a slow circle under my navel. “It may explain why the last of the bruises haven’t healed.”
My chest clenched. Damn. That could explain it. I looked down at my stomach. The contrast of his golden-bronze hand against my paler skin was stark. “You know, I had bruises almost everywhere after fighting Kolis.”
“I know,” he growled.
Placing my hand over his, I tipped my head back to look up at him. “But I didn’t have any on my stomach—on my lower stomach. It was almost like…”
“What?”
I lowered my gaze. “Like the essence was protecting that area—them.” I let out a low laugh. “That sounds kind of ridiculous.”
“I don’t think it does,” he said. “The essence is an extension of your will. Perhaps even on a subconscious level.”
I nodded, falling quiet. He continued tracing circles over my belly, and I realized I had so many questions and thoughts.
“Do you want anything else to eat?” he asked.
I laughed and turned my head to the side. “If you have me eat anything else tonight, I think I’ll burst.”
He grinned at me. “We don’t want that.”
“No, it would be gross.”
He chuckled, and for a little bit, a companionable silence descended between us as I watched his hand on my stomach. From the moment we’d lay down, his hand hadn’t strayed far from that area, and that was…that was sweet.
Gods, we were going to have a babe. Two of them. My breath caught like it had every time that nugget of realization formed. What would Ezra—?
My heart twisted. I couldn’t tell Ezra. Or my mother. Sorrow rose as I pressed my lips together. Ezra would’ve been happy—shocked but thrilled for me. My mother? I didn’t know how she would’ve responded, but I would’ve liked to have the chance to learn.
I had to think of something else because I didn’t think that kind of pain was good for the babes or me. Gods, a lot of things wouldn’t be good.
It was quiet, but Ash knew my mind wasn’t. “What are you thinking?”
I dragged my fangs over my lower lip. “Random stuff.”
His thumb swept back and forth, just below my navel. “Like?”
“I was just wondering if shifting into my nota will affect them,” I admitted. “I mean, I assume not since it hasn’t yet, and instinct tells me no.”
“But you’re still worried?”
“Me? Never.”
He laughed again, and gods, it was so rare to hear him laugh so deeply and freely. “Well, we’re adding that to the list of things to ask Kye.”
“It’s going to be a long list,” I murmured, thinking about tomorrow. I had no idea what would be involved when it came to that kind of checkup, and I wasn’t even going to think about it because it would probably stress me out.
But the visit with Kye wasn’t the only thing that had to happen tomorrow.
I’d told Veses I’d see her soon, and I would.
“Twins,” Ash murmured, and I glanced up at him again. The hollows of his cheeks pinkened. Another laugh greeted me. “For some reason, it just hit me that we will have twins. I know. I should’ve figured that out hours ago.”
I smiled. “Don’t feel bad. I actually hadn’t considered that either, to be honest. Twins do run in the family.”
“I suppose.” His finger trailed a circle around what I knew was a freckle. “My father and his brother were the first, but they weren’t identical.”
They had shockingly similar features, but they weren’t exactly the same like Kyn and Attes. Their hair color was different, and Kolis’s cheekbones were broader, but his mouth wasn’t as full as Eythos’s.
“I guess that means we could have something similar,” I said, running my fingers back and forth over his forearm.
“Or they could be identical.” He paused. “Or possibly a boy and a girl—fraternal twins.” His hand stopped moving suddenly. “The first and second daughter…”
“The prophecy.” I knew what he was thinking about. “I wondered the same thing myself, but I…don’t think we’re having daughters or even one of each.”
His brows knitted. “Has your vadentia told you something?”
“No.” I thought about the brief moment when I saw the two children who were the same but different in the smallest ways. Two mahogany-haired boys with rich, bronze skin. One with silver eyes and the other with golden-silver. “It’s just a feeling.”
He was quiet for a moment. “Either way, they will…they will want for nothing.”
My lips curved up. “You’re right.”
He returned my smile. “I was thinking that, other than telling Nektas, we should probably keep the news of this quiet. This isn’t information we want getting out.”