Page 117 of The Dragon Queen

Iopenthepageandstarttoread.Shefollowsalong,excitedwhenwegettoherfavoriteparts,butevenasshe'scheeringfortheheroicknight,she'salsocuddlingincloserandcloser.Sheputsherthumbinhermouth,andhereyelidsstarttodroop.

Bythetimethestoryisdone,sheonlyhastheenergyforahalf-heartedprotestaboutwantingtohearmore.Settingthebookaside,Ipullherintomyarmsandrisetomyfeetwithaquietgroan.She'sgettingheaviereveryday,whichismurderonmyback,butit'salsogood.She'shealthy.Strong.SmartandkindandeverythingIcouldeverhavehopedforinachild.

She'sthefutureofourpeople.

Butthat'sastoryforanotherday.

Hummingundermybreath,Ibringhertoherbrandnewbig-girlbed,whereItuckherinnexttoaherdoffluffystuffedanimals. "Goodnight,mylove."

IsingalittlesongtoherasIturnoutthelights,leavingonlythesoftglowfromaroundlittleorbsetonhernightstand.Ishakemyheadatmyselfbythedoor.AlinahasnoideashesleepsnexttoanancientShadowDragonartifact,butMariutzapromisedmethatthecrystalglobeheldapowerfulprotectionspell--andalsodoubledasanightlight.AndwhowasItosaynotothat?

"Singagain?"Alinaasks,yawningandsnugglingaplushpurpledragonclose.

"Justonemoretime."Isingthesongthroughagain,listeningtoherslow,steadybreathing.She'snotquiteoutbutnotquiteawake,whichisbasicallyperfect,accordingtooursleeptrainingplan. "Goodnight,"Iwhisper. "Iloveyou."

Iclosethedoorquietlybehindmyself,backingoutintothedarkenedhall.

Onlythegentletugonmymate-bondkeepsmefromshriekingwhenIhappentobackdirectlyintoahard,malebody.

Jianyu'sdeliciousscentsurroundsme,instantlyputtingmeatease.IsighasImeltintohisarms. "Youalmostscaredthehelloutofme,"Ichidehim.

"Littleoldme?"Hiswarmbreathwashesovermyear,andIshiverwithawareness,heatbloominglowinmyabdomen.

Istillmanagetomakealittlescoffingsound,tippingmyheadtothesidetogivehimbetteraccesstomythroat,whichhetakesfulladvantageof.Kissingdownthesideofmynecktomycollarbone,hestrokesthesideofmybreastwithhisthumb.

Apartofmewantstolethimkeepgoing.Mydesireformymatesneverabates--evenwhenIwashugewithAlina,Iwasstillinsatiable.Witheverythinggoingonthisweek,wehaven'tgottenenoughalonetimetogether,andhiswarmlipsonmypulsepointfeelssogood.

Butseriously.We'reintheroyalfamily'swingofthecastle,buttherearestillguardswanderingaround.We'realsoliterallystandinginfrontofourdaughters'bedroom.

Sighing,Ipullaway.Heletsmego,intertwiningourhands.HetipshisheadtowardAlina'sdoor. "Thinkshe'sdownforthecount?"

"Here'shoping."

Ourkidisn'tthebestsleeperintheworld,butshe'sbeenimprovingrecently.It'sbittersweet,notlyingdownnexttohereverynight,butlearningtofallasleeponherownisimportant.

Besides,ifsheneedsus,we'llberightdownthehall.

Handinhand,wemakeourwaytothesuitewesharewithmyothermates.UnlikewhenMalikgrewuphere,we'verearrangedthingsalittle,keepingourchild'sbedroomcloseby.Iwon'tpretendwedon'trelyonateamofdedicatednanniesandteacherstohelp,butwelikebeingcloseenoughtohearherwhensheneedsus.

Jianyupushesopenthedoortoourroomsandholdsitforme.Istepinsideandbreatheinthemingledscentsofmyfourmates,andsomethingwithinmeisinstantlysoothed.

Rafeisfixingasnack,buthelooksupwhenhehearsusenter.Hisentirefacelightsup,hiseyesburningwithsmolderingheat.Abandoningthebrickofcheesehe'dbeenslicing,hestridesoverandpicksmeupinhisarms.Theheatofhimsearsthroughme,takingthearousalJianyuhadstokedinmeearlierandfanningtheflames.

"Abouttime,"hegrowlsbeforecapturingmylipsinatoe-curlingkiss.

"Ifyouthinkyoucangetherdownfaster..."

Settingmedown,heliftshishandsinfrontofhimself. "Nope,nope,nope.Ididnotsaythat."

Laughing,Ileanuptokisshimagain.Rafeisanamazingfather,alwaysupforapiggybackrideoragoodtackle.Whatheisnot,however,isacalminginfluence.He'snotbannedfromdoingbedtime,buthe'salsobasicallylastonthelist.

"How'sthelittleprincess?"Stormemergesfromsomewhereintheapartment,freshfromtheshower,hishairstillwet,hischestenticinglybare.

"Dowereallyhavetocallherthat?"Mymockannoyancedoesn'tstopmefromlettinghimpullmein.Ibreatheinhisspicy,sexyscent,andmyeyesrollbackinmyheadjustalittlebitwithpleasure.

"Fine,how'sthelittlehellion?"Thesparkleinhiseyesprovesthathe'sjustkidding.

"She'sgood,"Ipromise.

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