Page 61 of The Dragon Queen

IimagineMalik,exhaustedbuthappyintherocker,Rafesplayedoutonthecouch.Jianyusittingcross-leggedbeforeoneoftheshelvesoftoys,andStormstandingoverthecrib,quietlysinging.

Iimaginemyself,holdingourbabyhere.

Wavesofwarmthwashovermymate-bondconnections,theexacttenoroffeelingdifferentineachman,butanoverwhelmingsenseofloveandhopepervadesthemall.

Butthere'sanalmostimperceptibleundercurrent,too.Asadness.

IglancebackatMalik,andheholdsmemoretightly,pressingasoftkisstomytemple.

"ThisiswheremybrothersandIwereraised."Thebittersweetnoteriseshighertothesurface,andofcourse.

Hisbrothers,whodiedintheGreatDragonWar.Hisfatherwhowashishero,andhismotherwho'sbetrayedbothhimandtheirKingdom.

"Wehadnannies,naturally,"Malikcontinues, "butmyparentsspentasmuchtimewithushereastheycould."

Iplacemyhandoverhis,empathywellingupinmeatthefainttendrilsofgriefinhisvoice.

"Itwasnotwell-publicized,butrightbeforethewarhititscrisispoint,myeldestbrotherwascourtingawoman.Theyweretobemarried,andhesawtoitthatthenurserywasupdated."Malikswallows,thesoundloudagainstmyear. "Ifheandhisbetrothedhadsurvived,theywouldhaveraisedthefuturekingorqueenoftheWaterKingdomhere.Mynepheworniece."

"I'msosorry..."

"We'llraiseourdaughterhere."Hesaysitwithsuchconviction.

ThevisionIhadamomentagocomesintoevensharperfocus,theimageofmeandmymateslovinglycaringforabeautifullittlegirlsoclose,Icanalmostreachoutandtouchit.

"There'saroomjustlikethisinthePalaceinShitou,"Jianyusaysquietly.

Rafenods. "AndintheCrimsonCity."

"We'llbuildahome,"Stormpromises. "RightoutsideofWynrathCrest."

Iswallowachuckle,reachingoutforhim,andhetakesmebythehand.Ofcoursehe'dknowIwouldn'twanttoliveinthemansionwhereZephyrandFuryruledtheAirKingdomwithanironfist.

Buttherearepartsofthatbeautiful,sun-drenched,highdesertlandscapeIlongtoshowourdaughter.

Myentirechildhood,myfamilyfloatedfromplacetoplace.Atthetime,Ithoughtweweretouringtheglobebecausewelovedexploring--andwedid.Ourlifewasamagical,infinitejourney.

Butinhindsight,wewereontherun.HidingfromtheShadowKingandhisforces,whosawmyfather'sdecisiontoleaveasabetrayal.

Whosawmyveryexistenceasathreat.

Iwantmychildtoseetheglobe,too--andshewill.Butshe'llrestinsoftbedsincozy,thoughtfullyplannednurseries.She'llbeacitizenofeachofthefourgreatDragonNations,andoftheShadowKingdomaswell.She'llhaveahomewherevershegoes.

Iglancefromonematetothenext,feelingthestrengthoftheirlove.They'reshowingme,righthereandnow,theircommitmenttothatkindoffutureforourfamily.

"Thankyou,"Iwhisper,turninginMalik'sarms.

Heshakeshisheadslightly,hiseyescarryingasofthintofagleam. "Thankyou."

Withonehand,hebrushesthesideofmyabdomen,andthenhefoldsmein.Ourlipsmeetsweetlybeforehereleasesmetokisseachofmyothermatesinturn.Theembracesremaingentle--evenRafedoesn'ttrytoturnitintoanythingpassionateordirty.

AsIpullback,thefarcorneroftheroomcatchesmyeye.

"Wow."Iwanderoveranddroptositontheplushcarpetinginfrontofatastefullybutgenerouslystockedbookshelf.Runningmyfingertipalongthecolorfulspinesofpristinechildren'sbooks,Ishakemyheadinwonder. "Whatbabymewouldhavegivenforareadingnooklikethis."

It'sperfectlylaidout,withtonsoftitlestochoosefrom,alittletableandchairs,aswellassoftfloorpillowsandbeanbagstylechairstoloungeon.Softsunpoursinfromanearbywindow,andthereareafewshadedlampssetup,too.

AsItakeitallin,mymatescometojoinme,buttheydon'tsit.Afteramomentofsilence,Ilookupfromthebookstofindthemallstaringatme.

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