Page 43 of Mated in the Stars

“No sleep like Teddy,” Minter said, and I pushed myself upright.

“I’m not going to sleep like that, baby,” I said, rounding the kitchen to the coffee pot and ruffling Minter’s hair on the way. “And Teddy will wake up when he feels better.”

“You mummy not mummy.”

“Something like that,” I chuckled.

“DAD!?” Someone bellowed and for a second, I thought Teddy had woken up. Only the voice was higher-pitched, and I imagined the owner to have more flair than Teddy ever dreamt of.

“SHHH! SLEEPING PEOPLE IN HERE!” Minter yelled and Freddie barely hid his laugh because if the first shout didn’t wake Elio and the baby up, Minter’s sure did.

“Sequin?!” Freddie stood up and sprinted toward the back door.

“WHERE ARE YOU?! CLARENCE SAID IT WOULD BE EASIER TO FIND YOUR HOUSE!” Sequin called out again as Freddie opened the back door.

A second later, a dragon with a silver star on his chest damn near tackled Freddie with a hug. Freddie laughed and hugged him back as Minter tried to get the tray off his highchair.

“Hold on, buddy,” I said, sprinting back over to him.

“Now! Please!” he whined.

“I’m trying. It’s tricky,” I said and did my best not to curse under my breath as I wiggled it around until the damnthing finally came loose from the chair. It was supposed to be hatchling proof, but it felt very ‘me-proof’ at that moment.

Minter toddled across the kitchen nearly tripping over his own feet only to skid to a stop and stare up at the older brother he never met. Sequin bent down and scooped him up. Minter hugged his neck and went straight into babbling about what was going on with Teddy and how Teddy said he was sad too and please don’t go to sleep like Teddy did. My heart broke for all of them. Grief isn’t something separate from ourselves. It’s what love evolves into when it has nowhere left to go.

“I’m not here to nap, little man. I’m here to see what’s going on. You all were supposed to be there yesterday and our sister is driving me crazy.”

“Dal-Dal cray cray,” he nodded as if he knew all about it.

Both Sequin and Freddie laughed. Poor Daliah. I’m sure she wasn’t crazy, but it couldn’t be easy being the only woman around in a family of men now that her mum was gone.

“Except we’re back,”my dragon whispered into my thoughts so that he wasn’t overheard by the others.“And her mate is a woman too.”

“Come meet Sequin, Nelum,” Fred said, holding his hand out to me.

Sequin stared at me as if I were a ghost. He paled a little and for a second, I thought he might fall right over and go to sleep as his brother had. Then he swallowed hard and shook my hand.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. Something about raising wooly pigs and nearly getting eaten by a big boar.”

“F PIG!” Minter shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

“Buddy, what do you think that means?”

“Type of pig. Mean pig! Scary pig. Pig is F pig. Breathe fire and jump around. Have to lock out! GRRRR F PIG!”

Sequin laughed again and smoothed down his baby brother’s hair.

“It’s my fault we’re all running late, I’m afraid,” I admitted. “Just found out---” I stopped. Was it my place to tell him? Would it be better coming from Fred?

“Are you alright?” Sequin looked between me and his sire.

“He’s with egg,” Freddie said quickly before Sequin could jump to any other conclusion.

“Oh, good. Because one day it was the healers were here and then it was you were running late and…” Sequin let his words trail off.

“Nothing bad,” Freddie grinned.

“Congratulations,” he said and hugged Freddie again. “Daliah’s going to be over the moon. She loves kids. She’s going to have more than anyone who ever lived apparently. Not that she said that outright but I’m bad with kids. Don’t have the patience.”

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