Kysha smiled. “That’s a useful skill.”
Ryllae studied me quietly, as was her way, but Maiela frowned. A flicker of distrust ran through the Fortune Elf’s eyes, reminding me of the way she’d been… less than delighted by Xander’s dragon.
In all fairness, he had almost killed Kysha by accident.
“Is there anything else the two of you haven’t told us?” Maiela asked, a harsh edge to her tone. She raised a brow, her gaze dropping knowingly to my stomach. “You’re not pregnant, are you? Because that would make travel very difficult.”
My eyes widened, and my hand flew to my middle.
“Gods, no,” I exclaimed, even as I tried to remember the last time either Xander or I had taken a contraceptive. I was drawing a blank, but I was certain it had been fairly recently… Right?
Adding that issue to the ever-growing pile of things I fully intended to deal with when things were calmer—including the Accompaniment Law, breaking females free, marrying Xander—I shook my head. “Honestly, I think that’s it. You know about my Maturation, the mental connection, and Xander’s sister. That’s all there is.”
Silence stretched, and I shifted on my feet. My stomach grumbled, and it suddenly struck me that I was starving. Hoping to steer the conversation away from me and toward the food that I prayed was waiting for us inside that cottage, I suggested we moved our talk into the cabin.
“All right.” Kysha raised a brow, leaning in towards me as her lips twitched. “But just so you know, Aileana, a baby wouldn’t be the worst thing in the entire world. Despite what my wife said, Maiela and I have always wanted to be aunts. It doesn’t seem like Daegal is going to give us a chance anytime soon, but we think we’d be great at it.”
Maiela begrudgingly nodded. “It’s true.”
“Think about it.” Kysha took her wife’s arm, and the two of them walked ahead.
A baby. I was… stunned. Xander and I had talked about having children the other night, but in the far-off future. One where we weren’t traipsing around the wilds of Ithenmyr, hiking for days and sleeping in caves and under trees. One where we could provide for our children, give them a peaceful life filled with joy and love.
I wasn’t one for making quick decisions. It had taken me a long time just to get used to the idea of marrying Xander. I loved him and there was no doubt that we belonged together. But children were different from mates. They would depend on us for everything. That felt like… a lot.
Even as the thought entered my mind, something else swiftly followed. I wasn’t sure whether it was a dream or a vision of what was to come, but a perfectly clear image flashed before my eyes.
My big, burly dragon shifter stood in front of a window, the sun streaming on him as he cradled a small infant. The child had a tuft of red hair and was bundled tightly in a blanket. Xander’s hair was cut short, which was odd, but it was definitely him. His eyes were wide and filled with love as he focused on the tiny bundle, cooing as he murmured to the baby.
In the vision, he looked up at me and smiled. Love and joy were etched onto his face as he moved toward me.
My love.
My family.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad—in the future.
The dragon shifter in question stood outside the cabin, ushering the others inside. I was last in line, slipping halfway through the door, when Xander gently took hold of my arm.
His brows furrowed, and he looked me over. “This feeling through the bond,” he said, green flickering through his eyes as the dragon made an appearance. “It’s new.” He tilted his head quizzically. “What are you thinking about?”
For a moment, I thought about telling him about the dream. I wasn’t even sure how he would react. Would he be happy? Upset?
In the end, I decided it didn’t matter. I wasn’t pregnant. I couldn’t be pregnant. My courses had been a few weeks ago, and like Maiela said, we were on a quest. I would be hard-pressed to think about a worse time for something like this to happen.
Besides, I was ill-equipped to be a mother. I barely had any maternal instincts, and I was still learning about our world. Gods, I had barely tasted freedom. How could I be someone’s mother?
“Aileana?” Xander sounded truly concerned now. “What’s on your mind?”
Deciding to keep my thoughts to myself, I smiled softly.
“Just you,” I whispered. “I love you.”
Whatever the future held, we would always have each other. And as he led me into the cabin, I realized he was all I needed.
Prophecies and Halflings
DAEGAL