She giggled, unfazed by my attack. “I did what any good person would do when a criminal escapes jail. I notified the police, of course.”
With a snarl, I threw her off the roof. It was a short fall, but the hefty thud when she hit the ground, unable to slow her fall in time, was at least mildly satisfying.
“You’re a disgrace to dragonkind,” I snarled, spreading my wings wide.
“Where are you going?” Vicek shouted as I took to the air.
“To get my mate back.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Elanya
“I’m fine, Mom. I promise,” I half moaned, head hanging over the edge of the porcelain bowl.
It was a lie. We both knew it. But it was one of those little lies we told ourselves and those close to us to preserve dignity.
What little of it I had left at that point.
Another wave of nausea swept over me, and for a few moments, even the dark thoughts were swept aside. They always returned, though.
“Are you sure? I know you’re only two months along, but—”
“Mom,” I said just a bit sternly through the closed door to where she waited in the hall. “I’m fine. It’s morning sickness. It’ll pass.”
“If you’re sure, dear.”
“I am,” I said, grabbing the handle to flush. “Just as I was yesterday and the day before. All week, in fact. But thank you for your concern.”
Until the past week, I hadn’t realized it was possible to hear someone fret when they weren’t speaking. My mother had proven to me it was, indeed, possible. Very possible.
“I just worry about you. This is your first, and after everything the doctors said …”
I smiled. It was impossible not to. Because underneath the concern was the happiness. My mom had always said that being a mother was the most fulfilling thing she’d ever done in life. Although she’d been there to support me when the doctors said I wouldn’t be able to go down that path, I knew she’d mourned for me as much as she had for the lack of grandbabies she’d wanted so desperately.
Thankfully, my siblings had provided those in spades, at least.
“Mom, it’s fine. I’ll be out in a moment.”
There was some more hand-wringing concern, but eventually, her slippered footsteps faded down the hallway as she returned to her bedroom.
I sighed, looking inward to judge my condition before heaving myself to my feet. As I’d said, it passed, just as before.
There was only one true bedroom in the little house, but my dad had hung up some spare sheets across the dining room to create a little privacy for me. I ducked inside, pawing at my bag of belongings, looking for some fresh clothes.
A bright blue sheaf of fabric spilled out of the bag.
I eyed it for a moment before picking it up, letting the glani fall to the floor. It truly was a remarkable piece of clothing, with incredible stitchwork. All of them were made by hand, I’d learned, and it showed. It was beautiful.
Sighing, I started stuffing it back in the bag.
“That’s a hefty sigh.”
I pulled back the so-called door to see my dad standing in the hallway.
“Hi.”
He smiled. “Can I come in?”