Page 279 of May: Bloom & Bane

I shift, my bump heavy and solid beneath an oversized sweater.

“Sage, you do realize I look like the world’s chunkiest Easter bunny in this thing,” I huff, the basket creaking softly beneath me. Droot, sprawled beside my hip in his own nest of blankets, gives one solemn little shake of his head in wholehearted agreement.

“You look like a goddess,” Sage purrs, the vines woven into the workshop walls rustling as if nodding along with him. “That nest needs more fluff. I am gathering candymoss from the riverbank tonight—don’t ask, it’s a Remavau experiment.”

A shadow tendril reaches out from Sage’s abdomen, sweeping around my belly. “If you’re the Easter bunny,” Ashán muses, “then Sage and I are more than happy to keep hiding our eggs inside of you. Though I do believe we usually leave them a lot deeper than a bush.”

My face erupts into a scorching blush. I grab a stray fleece pillow and hurl it across the workshop, aiming straight at his smug face. “Ashán! Damien is right there!”

Damien doesn’t even look up from the crib. He catches the pillow one-handed, sets it neatly beside him, and resumes sanding. “Trust me, Eden.” A grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. “That was remarkably tame.”

“Speaking of eggs,” Ashán interrupts. “Did you hear about the krakens Andrik found walking through the forest?”

I blink. “... Krakens… walking? Don’t they have tentacles?”

“I’ll tell you what I’d do with those tentacles—” Ashán snickers.

“Ashán,” Sage warns.

“What? She asked.”

Sage sighs. “They do, ílyen. But they’re half siren. They can shift into a mostly human form.”

“That somehow raises more questions.”

“Apparently there were three of them,” Ashán says. “Which makes me wonder if they’ll each have a mate… or share one.” He tilts his head. “That poor⁠—”

“Andrik said they were specifically tracking one scent,” Sage says.

I frown. “One scent?”

“One.” He confirms. “Imagine minding your business and suddenly being courted by three giant sea monsters.”

“Andrik said they seemed like trouble,” Sage murmurs.

“Andrik thinks everyone seems like trouble,” I giggle.

“I hope she enjoys seafood.”

“Ashán!”

Damien lets out a low chuckle, setting his sanding block down. “He’s not wrong, Eden. If those three are tracking a single scent all the way into the mountains, whatever female they’re hunting is as good as caught. Krakens don’t let go once they’ve wrapped around something they want.”

Ash’s shadows flare slightly, a possessive purr vibrating from his chest, telling me exactly how much he relates to that sentiment.

Before I can throw another pillow at him, a sudden pressure rolls across my lower abdomen. “Oh,” I moan, my hand flying to the underside of my belly.

The cloth slips from Ash’s clawed hand. “Ash’kaela, what is it? The baby? A contraction?”

“Ílyen?” Sage asks immediately after Ashán.

Droot bolts upright, ears perked so high they nearly disappear. He hops to the edge of the basket, peering anxiously at my stomach.

“No, no. I’m okay, I promise.” I smooth my palm over my belly. “She’s just turning… I think.” Another little nudge earns a smile. “Or practicing her martial arts.”

“Elena did say she’s quite plump,” Ashán murmurs. “But maybe we should make sure that’s all it is.”

Damien pauses, glancing up from the crib. “What if… she’s growing her wings?”