Page 44 of Hers to Keep

“To spare you.Yes.And I would do it again a thousand times.”

Her heart broke all over again with his confirmation, though she’d felt his intention clear as day at the time.“You said I was enough for you to live for, but you lied.”

Hetskedgently.“I told you already, I will defend you with my life.Nothing about that has changed.”

She pulled away to look up at him.“What else?”

“What?”His expression was perplexed as he gazed down at her.

“You would defend me with your life, but there was something else you would protect too.”She’d been waiting for the right time to tell him, but after that close call, she realized that no time would ever be more right.She needed him to understand what they were all fighting for, and why none of them could give up.

He blinked.“Your offspring.”

She took his hand and rested it on her belly.“If you die, who will protect them?”

The probing touch of his magic warmed her abdomen.Closing his eyes, he pressed his forehead to hers.

Oh, bavi,he whispered into her mind.You should have told me.

“When?”He asked out loud.

“The first night you brought me here.”She touched his face.“I said I would choose when, and I did.When I claimed you as mine.I knew I had to give you what you wanted most because you’d given me so much.”

Dante scooted up next to them, pausing to see if Dohal was going to object along the way, but he didn’t.“We’re having dragon babies?”

Mari reached to pull him into a hug.“We are.Though I’m not a hundred percent on the logistics.There aren’t a lot of books on the subject.”

When it seemed like Dohal wasn’t going lash out, Rio moved closer too, settling on her other side.“Babies plural?No wonder you’ve been so tired.”

Dohal rumbled, but there was no anger in the sound, only contentment.“You’ll carry them for about six months, then birth the clutch.After that I will tend the eggs, another six months.Then they will hatch.”His hand moved over her belly in a circle as he listened for something.“Three.”

Mari’s eyes shot wide.“Three?”

“Not an army perhaps, but an auspicious number.”He placed his chin on her head and crooned to her.

If he was going to keep being this adorable, she was going to start crying.She snuggled into him, pulling Dante and Rio closer too.

“So, that means we need to settle this soon.”Cisco stood at the foot of the bed, his arms crossed, and his face resigned.“Because my kids aren’t coming into a world this fucking dangerous for them.No way.Ideas?”

“We need to close the circle,” Ashdei said from his post near the entry.

Cisco growled.“Somehow it’s always about you sticking your dick in her, isn’t it?”

“He’s right, Cisco,” Mari said as gently as she could.“I managed to surprise the Old One this time, but I could tell I wasn’t a match for him like this.If one of us was more powerful, it might be enough.”

The gargoyle’s wings flared.“I still think he’s trying to trick you into boosting his power.”

“I honestly don’t care at this point,” she said with a sigh.“If it makes him strong enough to take the Old One out, that’s fine with me.”

“It will make both of us stronger, as I’ve said.”Ashdei glared as though he couldn’t understand why they didn’t trust him.

He was certainly hiding something.She’d known that all along, but she didn’t think whatever it was posed a danger to her.He wanted her safe.That had come through loud and clear when she’d told them the secret she’d been keeping.He was as feral about protecting the dragons she carried as any of them.

“He feels as protective of me as you do right now, Cisco.He would tear this city apart to keep me safe.”

Ashdei bared his teeth.“I’m still considering bringing this entire realm crashing down around us after what happened earlier.”His anger seethed through the grove.

Cisco appraised the demon slowly, his lips turned down in a frown.“That does sound like we’re in agreement.”

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