Page 78 of Triplets for the Barbarians

“And now, we’re having three at once,” Fadai exclaims.

“We’re catching up with the rest of these fools,” I giggle, nodding at my friends.

“You’re going to pull ahead,” Amber replies.

“I cannot express how much I love you, Jewel,” Yossul says. “How happy you’ve made me.”

“How happy you’ve made us,” Fadai says. “We didn’t think such wondrous things were on the table for us, to be honest. We figured we’d just fight our asses off and die taking one for the team.”

“I thought the same,” I reply.

“But no, we’re doing this,” Fadai assures me. “We’re in this together, and we will both take good care of you, my darling. You’ve been fighting solo for too long. Not anymore. You hear me?”

“I hear you.”

31

Jewel

Six months into my pregnancy, and I’m already bracing myself for the worst. I shouldn’t, but Cynthia’s observations bring out the overthinker in me—a side I didn’t even know I had until learning I was with child. Correction, children. Three of them.

My body may be resilient, yet even I have my limits. I’m constantly tired and sluggish, easily worn out, and always hungry. Yossul and Fadai take good care of me, so I dare not complain.

But when I’m left on my own, intrusive thoughts overwhelm me.

Tonight, I sit by the window, resting in a chair and watching the starry sky above Sapphire City. Our three moons rise slowly over the buildings to the east, three gorgeous pearls. I haven’t told the guys yet.

Cynthia only confirmed this morning after my last ultrasound. We’re expecting girls. Alicia named hers after Sunna’s suns. I’m going to name my babies after Sunna’s moons. They’ll be quite the handful if they take after me, but the fact that we’re having girls tells me the universe itself wants the Sunnaites to survive.

Someday, my daughters will have daughters of their own.

I only hope I survive the labor. The thought terrifies me. I told Cynthia to resort to a C-section in order to save my babies, just in case. She pulled one of her sour faces on me, but even she had to admit that there was a chance I wouldn’t be able to recover from a natural birth.

I’m dozing off, exhausted by my own fears, when Yossul and Fadai walk through the door. Rebuilding Sunna and its governing apparatus has kept them away for longer than I would have liked, yet I cannot fault them for giving this world so much of their time and energy.

After all we’ve been through, after the war and the suffering we endured, we have to see it through to the end so our children and our children’s children will grow up in a better and kinder society.

“Look at her,” Yossul chuckles softly as he comes into the room. “Sleeping beauty.”

“Hey,” I mumble, mirroring his warm expression. “I’d say I had a long day, but it’s been more of the same.”

“Momma, you’re in the process of making three hybrid babies,” Fadai quips. “Of course, you’re exhausted.”

“Fret not, however. The cavalry has arrived,” Yossul adds.

I watch as they take off their clothes, hungry eyes measuring me from head to toe. I’d say I wasn’t in the mood for some of their sweet loving, but the three of us would instantly know I’m lying. Hell, I’ve got heat bursting between my legs, my core already tightening at the sight of their taut muscles, red skin stretching smoothly and making my lips tingle.

I can’t wait to kiss every inch of my men, to lick and taste everything while they claim me late into the night.

Slowly, I get up from my seat, letting the pale blue silk dress fall from my shoulders and onto the floor. Fadai stills upon seeing me naked and pregnant. His cock twitches excitedly, a massive erection aching to dive deep inside me.

“Dammit, you look stunning,” he whispers.

Yossul steps forth, the crimson in his eyes darkening with ravenous desire. “The fruit of our labor grows inside you. I don’t think there’s a prettier sight in this world, Jewel.”

“At least you two still find me attractive because I feel like a whale,” I grumble.

“Are you kidding?” Yossul replies and comes closer, kissing my lips and pressing his monstrous cock into my hip while Fadai flanks me from the left side. “Your curves only make us want you more. You’re all we think about throughout the day. All we look forward to when we walk out of the Defense Ministry.”

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