“Ideally, I want to have one clutch with five eggs.” I look down and away, feeling vulnerability creep in. “Mom had us spaced out over years. Lily is a year older than me—we’re close, but not as close as Orpheus and I are. Then there’s the last three that I feel more like a mom to than a sister.”

“Weren’t Allister and Thorne in your clutch too?” Hemlocke asks, looking up from where he’s been examining the egg with Finlay. His magenta eyes are curious.

“Yes, they were.” I continue staring at the ground, focusing on the stone floor’s familiar texture. “Orpheus and I were born though. Well, our eggs came out exactly the same, one right after the other with barely a breath between.”

“Balor believes you two are twins in every sense of the word, just given different forms,” Keir says softly, and I nod in agreement. The connection I have with Orpheus has always been different from my bond with my other siblings—deeper, more instinctive.

“May I hold on to this for a while?” Finlay asks, and I can practically hear the gears turning in his head as he studies theegg from every angle. He’s already plotting my nest, planning spaces and structures with the focused intensity of someone who’s found their life’s purpose.

“Of course,” I say, warmth flooding through me at his obvious dedication.

“Keir, can you take me to school? I need to pick up my books.” I move between my mates, kissing each one tenderly—tasting coffee on Corvus’s lips, feeling Hemlocke’s warmth, sensing Keir’s steady presence. I kiss Finlay on the cheek, not sure what’s proper according to him. Then Keir takes my hand, and reality folds around us as he blinks us directly onto the school grounds.

A lot has changed in the last week—my world has expanded to include a fifth mate, I’ve survived kidnapping and my yearly, and I’ve claimed my territory more fully than ever before. I need time to process everything, to let it all settle into this new normal.

But for now, I have books to collect and classes to catch up on. Life, as always, continues forward.