Page 18 of Hoarded By the Dragon

“Yeah, forever ago.” I’d barely turned eighteen when he’d caught me kissing a guy. The next day, he’d thrown the charm at me gruffly saying I needed to protect myself.

Stella’s lips thin, and she places the necklace on the table. “And he didn’t tell you you’d need to get it charged?”

“What?”

She sighs. “Most witches get a permanent one when they come of age. One that charges itself from the witches’ magic. It’s more expensive up front, but most would agree that it’s a better option than the ones that need to be charged yearly by the maker.”

There’s a numbness in my fingers and face. “That’s one that has to be charged yearly? This whole time I’ve been wearing a useless amulet?”

I’m reeling. The protection I thought I had is a joke.Thank fuck for condoms.

Stella’s face is pained. “I should have said something as a charm maker, but it honestly didn’t occur to me. You haven’t been seeing anyone, and some witches have weird side effects, so it wasn’t odd to me that you didn’t have one. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” The numbness starts to recede, and I shake my head. If I’m going to blame anyone, it would be Nemo, but even he didn’t do this on purpose. It would be just like him to be so thoughtless to not mention anything. Or so self-centered he didn’t even know.

Really, this is just another casualty of my ignorance.

And now I’m… pregnant. My lungs empty on that thought. Stella places a hand on my shoulder. The warmth of her presence is a comfort I’ve lived without most of my life.

“If this is unwanted, there are options. Safe options. If it’s from last night, it’d be a simple thing,” Stella tentatively says.

My hand goes to my stomach again, protectively. I clock the instinct and I shake my head, trying to dispel the reaction.

I can’t be getting attached. It might be the best option.

“It’s from last night. If I had any other wild nights, I’d have told you,” I say.

Stella snorts. “I figured… it’s just surprising.”

Surprising is one word for it.

What kind of mother would I be, really? What life could I provide?

A pretty good one actually.

I am more than a product of my upbringing, a statistic of unwed and pregnant too young. A lot of people get pregnant in their twenties on purpose.

I have my own business that is doing okay. I’m making my amends where I can, other than last night. I’m healthy and smart, if a little reckless at times. I have a best friend and resources.

I could have this. I could have a child, a family of my own. Tears come to my eyes.

I want this. Oh, fuck, I really want this.

“Dragons are really rare,” Stella says, oblivious to my internal thoughts.

“Stella,” I croak.

When she takes in my tears and the hand still on my stomach, she leaves her seat and wraps me in her arms.

“Oh, honey, everything is going to be okay, no matter what you choose.”

I sniff. “I’m scared to want this, but…”

“But you’re attached?” Stella pulls away with her arms still around me, her smile is understanding.

I nod. “I want to keep it.”

“Then let’s do this!” Stella does a little dance. “You’re going to be a great mom. This is so exciting!”

---