Page 31 of Flight Risk

This little one we wrapped in a blanket that had belonged to Tav when he was a baby. Throughout the rest of the nest were gifts and trinkets from the rest of the clan. Each piece would get a chance to be next to the eggs as we shifted and moved them for the next couple of weeks. For now, they were snuggled happily in their special blankets. Each egg had a tie of Tav’s tucked next to it. Eryndor had gifted us three bejeweled baby rattles that weren’t practical for use, but he had been adamant that they needed to go in the nest. I agreed. The shiny gems paired nicely with the bright scales of the eggs.

“I love you so much, Tav. Look at them, our babies.”

Tav hugged me close. “Our babies. How are you feeling? I can get Hugo here soon to check you over if needed.”

I shook my head. “I’m fine. I’m sure I’ll need a checkup and a shower, but for now, I just want to hold them.”

“I need to shift,” he said. He looked around the room as if he might hurt something.

“You’re fine,” I said. “Shift.”

“I don’t want to hurt them.”

“You would never.”

Tav shifted to his dragon form. His tail curled so that it lay partially inside the nest, and his neck and head rested on the outer edge. His tail wound its way around so that it touched each of the eggs.

I pet his snout. “Thank you, my mate.”

Chapter 18

Tavian

We lay together for a long while, me in my dragon form, my mate curled up in his wolf form, his snout resting next to mine. It seemed as if the eggs enjoyed it as well. Their colors pulsed with happiness whenever we touched them, either with our tails or rubbing on them with our snouts. Our oldest egg with the burnt-orange scales switched between the deep orange and a lighter color that reminded me of a cantaloupe, while our middle daughter radiated a deep merlot color, and when she lightened, it looked more like a cherry.

I didn’t even notice when my father came in. He laid a new pillow into the nest for the two of us.

“You’ll be sleeping in there more often than you realize,” he said. He gave my mate a fond smile and then patted me on the head like he was ruffling the hair of a small boy. I guess I still was his son, and he would always view me as his little boy.

“I’m proud of you two,” he said, and he settled into the chair. “Your eggs are beautiful, my son.”

After a few more minutes, Kier and I shifted back. I shielded my mate while he pulled on his sleep pants and robe. Then I ran to our room to grab mine. When I came back, my father was putting a hand on each of the eggs. He caressed them gently by way of introduction. The eggs hummed with happiness at meeting their grandfather.

“You did well, Kier. They are beautiful.”

“Thank you,” he said. “The oldest is a boy, the next two girls.”

“I sense that as well. They are happy.”

Kier’s face lit up at that. “I’m glad.” He rolled his shoulders back and did a little dance like he was uncomfortable.

I came over to him and put my hands on his shoulders. “Is everything all right, mate?”

“Just the itchiness. It feels more intense than before.”

“Now that the eggs have been laid, the dragon side of you wants to come out. Have you been doing your exercises to strengthen your arms?” I asked. In order to prepare for flight, Kier needed his back to be able to sustain his wings.

Kier nodded. “Yes, I don’t feel ready, though.”

“You are, my love.”

Thorne came through the door to the sitting room. With all the excitement, we hadn’t even noticed that he’d arrived. It didn’t surprise me. Clan members tended to drop by to see the nest. As one of my closet friends, it made sense that Thorne would arrive first. “Hey, hope you don’t mind me barging in.”

“Not at all. Come meet the little ones.”

Many clan members would be trickling in in the next few days, the closest ones to us arriving first. Thorne put a hand on each of the eggs, then handed a gift of gourmet chocolate to my mate.

“Once your wings come in, you’re going to need all the calories you can get. Flying takes a lot out of you.” Thorne winked, and I almost growled at him. The incorrigible flirt.

---