AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A second knot, one of worry, settled on top of the first hardened knot in her belly. Struggling to keep up with her crew, she strained to fly faster to remain abreast and floundered halfway through the return revolution. Gritting her teeth, she completed the route.
They found nothing. And when they angled for approach to the platform, her wings wavered and she barely made the landing, her legs and knees hitting the stone hard, sending her tumbling over herself and slamming into the interior wall, losing consciousness.
Kymri’s head swam and pounded when tried to open her eyes or turn her head. Dragging an arm up off the bed to within view, she could see she was bandaged. She ached all over and her belly contained a dull weight.
“Wha-what happened?” her voice was weak.
A face loomed over her, peering into her eyes, “try not to move, you’ll be fine. Had a close call but all is well.” The face scrunched into a smile, “you just need to rest for a little while.”
Lifting her head, her vision wavered as she struggled to focus on her surroundings. The infirmary. The shaman that spoke to her wandered out of the room and a new figure took up space in front of her. Easing her head back, she waited for her mother’s face to come into focus.
Kolina stood, hands clasped behind her straight back, dressed in her usual Queen’s Guard formal-functional garb. Once her head and vision stilled, Kymri saw her mother’s usually staunchly thinned lips were quirked at the corner and her calculating eyes were sparkling.
She couldn’t recall the last time she’d seen Kolina look ‘happy’.
“Oh, dear dragon goddess, what have you done now?” Kymri groaned.
“It’s not what I’ve done, little one. It’s what you’ve done.”
Kymri’s mind went blank. Then the buzzing in her ears started. What had Kolina wanted of her?
No.
Shit.
Oh no.
“What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I get up?”
“Your body is recovering from the shock of shifting while impregnated. The shamans are very impressed with you. Most dragonesses can’t shift at all, let alone shift and then do a two-hour patrol. It seems the little youngling created a shell to protect itself from being crushed during your transformation.”
Kymri stared at her mother’s glee.
“Anyway,” she continued, “you over-exerted yourself and very nearly missed the landing platform. You made it, although a little banged up. You just need to rest, and you’ll be up and around.”
“I hate being confined,” she growled.
“I know.” Kolina patted her arm.
Kymri stared at her mother’s hand on her arm. She rarely touched her. Her eyes flicked back to Kolina’s face. She was practically glowing.
“This is a bad dream, or I’m hallucinating.”
“Not at all, the shamans said there was no need to drug you. And I strongly advise against trying to get up too soon,” she said when Kymri tried to push herself up onto her elbows but ended up dropping back onto her pillow with a groan.
“I have to—Marli hasn’t been found yet,” she panted from the small exertion.
“The others are out, widening the search net.” a frown finally settled over Kolina’s features. “You just stay comfortable.” The patting returned.
“This isn’t comfortable, Mother, it feels like I have a stone in my uterus.”
“Really!” Kolina breathed, “Oh this is better than expected. She will be strong!”
Who was this woman? Or had one of her rivals finally succeeded in slipping something into her food?
“Shaman? I think I’m hallucinating.” Kymri called out, while trying to lean away from her mother’s patting hand. She didn’t think she could handle anymore, and began trying to think of anything that would send her away.
She just woke to find herself impregnated, and her mother had lost her mind.
