Page 2 of Dragon Heir

“Were you intending to keep us out in the cold?” a woman joined in. Her comment struck me as rather weird and I turned my head to look out the sunny window.

“My apologies,” Will replied as someone shut the door behind his guests. “I was preoccupied with other matters.”

“Matters more important than greeting the council?” the woman snapped.

“A moment.” The voice that spoke was different than the first two. It belonged to a gentleman and was as soft as the pillows beneath my head. “We have not come to invade you, Lord Thorn, but to give our greetings to your wife.”

“Is that all you wish to see me about, Lord Allard?” Will questioned him.

“What do you mean by that, hatchling?” the first gentleman piped up.

“Only that you have flown over a great distance to come here merely to see my bride when you could have met her at Mirum,” Will countered.

“You have not learned an ounce of manners since we last met,” the woman scolded him.

“Enough,” Lord Allard interrupted, and his stern voice silenced the bickering. “We did have other motives in coming here at this moment in time, Lord Thorn, but we do wish to see your wife.”

“My wife is currently taken ill,” Will replied. “Perhaps you may see her another time. Raines will show you to your rooms and I will join you in the parlor as soon as I am able.”

A huff came from the woman and a grumble from the other man, but they allowed Raines to lead them up the stairs. The set of heavy boots paused at the top of the steps. “Aren’t you coming, Lord Allard?”

“In a moment, Lord Ware,” the other lord promised.

The trio of footsteps continued and the hall fell silent. I strained my ears to hear anything more and I was rewarded when I detected a pair of light footsteps moving across the creaky boards. They came to the bedroom door and the entrance opened. Will stepped inside and behind him came a tall and slim gentleman. He was about seventy in appearance with gray whiskers and a smooth chin. His gray hair was combed back in a manner that suited his gaunt face. He wore a suit of fine linen and a gold watch hung on a chain attached to his breast pocket.

He smiled at me and I felt an immediate warmth flow over me. Will made sure to close the door before he led our guest over to the bed. I eased myself to a seated position as the two lords reached me.

Lord Allard looked me over for a moment before he nodded. “You are very lucky, Will. She is quite beautiful. All the more so for her condition.”

Both Will and I stared at him in confusion, and Will had a slight touch of worry over him as he caught his friend’s eyes. “Condition?”

Allard chuckled. “Have you not guessed? Your wife is pregnant.”

Chapter Two

My mouth dropped open. Will, too, was frozen in place with a shocked expression on his face. He cleared his throat and somewhat recovered. “Are. . .are you sure?”

Allard chuckled. “I have been doing this for quite a few centuries.”

“But dragons can’t really have kids, right?” I asked the two more knowledgeable than me.

“They are quite rare but it is not impossible,” Allard replied.

I set my hand over my stomach and gaped at my midsection. “A. . .a baby? I’m really going to have a baby?”

“When?” Will questioned the doctor.

Allard’s eyes twinkled. “I would say in a few months. If you like, I could make a special house call and attend to the lovely bride myself. Admittedly, though, I do not have any experience with delivering dragon babies.”

Will clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You are the best doctor I know and we would be very grateful for any help you can offer.”

“Then it is a date,” Allard replied as he grinned down at me. “I look forward to seeing the beautiful baby, for it can be nothing else with such handsome parents.” I blushed at his kind words.

“Where is Lord and Lady Thorn?” the sharp female voice spoke up from downstairs.

“I believe they are still in the bedroom,” the male voice replied.

Allard lowered his voice to a whisper as heavy footsteps walked down the hall toward the bedroom door. “I recommend we keep this a secret from the others, at least for the time being.”

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