Page 88 of Group Studies

I stiffened. I knew angry Saffron, and horny Saffron, and creepy watching me across the cafeteria Saffron. But I didn’t know how to respond to this Saffron.

He lifted his head. “I’ve no right to even ask you that question after the way I’ve treated you. I could’ve been your shield, but instead, I gave you cookies….like that made up for how my peers treated you.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “How I treated you.” He opened his eyes and put a hand under my chin. “I put the Aptitudes above everything else. I ignored my feelings and my instincts and justified my actions as something you needed.…something I needed to do to protect Keith.”

He ran his hand down my neck, between my breasts, and placed it over mine on my stomach. My heart raced.

“It matters.” He laced our fingers together. “Because when I realized what was happening, I knew in my heart nothing would make me happier in this world than you being pregnant with my child. Not because it’s my duty to pass on my magic, but because we made it.” He squeezed my fingers. “I’ve spent four years here working toward one goal. In four weeks, you forced me to confront a piece of myself I’ve been ignoring for too long.” Saffron removed his hand and brought his face close to mine. “I can’t leave here and go back to my old life, and I can’t force myself to love Mercedes when it’s you and Keith who fill my dreams.”

My heart skipped a beat at the word love again, but this time it wasn’t directed only at me. For some reason that made it easier to hear.

His soft lips pressed against mine briefly before he pulled back and ran his splayed fingers through his hair. “My parents planned out my future the moment I was conceived. The fall out diluting my magic should’ve changed my path, but my brother died under the water.” Saffron swallowed and looked away from me. “I’m all my family has left. A literal fortune and an empire spanning seven continents waits for me to do the right thing. We employ hundreds of mages and thousands of humans. Lives depend on Gibson Supplies.”

I wanted to hug him, but Saffron’s emotions were running too fast.

He clenched his fists. “Fuck.” Anger filled his gaze when he looked at me again. “I need some air.”

Without another word, he found the split in the curtains and slipped out. They stayed open a second too long before closing. Beryl magically appeared in the space Saffron vacated, twisting a ring on his middle finger.

Before I could react, the dark mage swooped me into his arms.

I expected to cry, but instead, I felt nothing. It wasn’t fog or numbness. It was nothing. My heart went out to Saffron, but this was so far out of my depth I didn’t know how to respond.

I pressed my ear into Beryl’s chest. “I was pregnant.” I paused. “Am I broken because I don’t feel anything for the…” I trailed off, unsure what to call what I’d not known I had.

Beryl rocked me slightly. “You’re never broken. You didn’t know you had a parasite growing inside you. Give yourself a break.”

“A parasite?” I said skeptically.

Beryl grinned. “Leech, freeloader, nesting doll, sponger – I had to look that last one up for this conversation.”

I shook my head, unsure if I should laugh, or cry, or hit him.

Beryl hugged me again. “I would’ve loved our little asshole, mine or Boy Scout’s.”

My heart squeezed.

“Though, honestly, this would’ve been awful timing.” He released me. His sapphire gaze caught mine I clung to the practicality of his words. “You doing all right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I think they gave me a healing potion. There’s no pain other than the occasional cramp. I’m light-headed, but I’m mentally doing better than Saff, anyway.”

Beryl tilted his chin toward the split in the curtains. “He’s a Natural Mage. The next generation is everything to them.” He hugged me again. “I can’t stay. The MA’s been dragging me back to class every time I leave. I don’t want them to find me here and put another black mark on you. I needed to make sure my Goddess was hanging in there.”

“I thought it was my magic,” I said stupidly. “I had a person growing inside me?”

Beryl gave me another kiss. “Not a person, a mage. Probably an exceptionally powerful one with dark skin, just like his daddy.”

He winked.

I rubbed my stomach, trying to picture it, but I couldn’t. Damon hadn’t taught me anything about pregnancy or kids.

The curtains rustled and Ashe slid back through the closed entrance. He scowled at Beryl, who immediately gave me a flashy kiss. I basked in it, wishing he’d crawl into the bed and hold me.

“Hang in there, Dot,” Beryl said, releasing my lips. “Be true to your emotions. We can pop out lots of baby Beryls soon enough if you want.”

I frowned. Is that what I wanted? “Ah, k.” My mind started working again and I remembered my earlier worry. “Do you need help? If the MA…”

Beryl cut off my words with another kiss. “No worries, Dot. Officer Keres is giving me a run for my money, but I always win.”

I hugged him again, wishing I had his confidence. Beryl pulled away and twisted the ring on his finger, disappearing before my very eyes. A moment later, the sound of a hand smacking a clothing-covered butt made Ashe meep and jump forward. The curtains parted of their own will once more.

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