Page 53 of The Dragon at the End of This Pregnancy

"Why would we hurt them?" Chance asked. "They're our salvation."

"Your mate proves it," Paragon said. "We talked it through last night. We want to meet the beta population of your village, to see if Chance and Lux have mates here, as well."

"And if they don't?" I didn't try to keep the suspicious lilt from my voice. They didn't recognize the nuances of tone I'd picked up from Mac over the years.

"Then we will meet the betas at the next village, and the next, the way dragons of old used to search for their fated mates."

"You no longer think human hybrids are bad?" I asked.

"What choice do we have?" Lux asked. "They're the only kobolds left."

"I do not approve of you meeting them," I said, "not until after our eggs hatch and the curse is broken once and for all."

"You found your mate before the curse was broken," Paragon said. "Why should Chance and Lux wait?"

"To prove we are trustworthy." Chance's eyes glowed with determination. I knew they would understand. "We will keep our word, and then you will keep yours."

I nodded. "If you keep your word, we will hold a dragon reunion at the new pavilion." I stopped short of saying my friends built it for me. I didn't want them to burn it down out of spite.

"Don't be so angry with them," Mac said once we were safely outside their cave and out of hearing range. "They've changed their entire worldview in less than a day. It can't be easy."

"I don't trust them," I said. "If they don't find their mates here, I worry they will burn your village and leave you all for dead again."

"We'll warn Bale and the others." Mac climbed back into place on my back.

We returned to casual conversation mixed with the occasional landmark and animal sightings until we approached The Grid two hours later.

Bale greeted us with a roar as they circled over the field of bovinji below. They dove and caught one with their back claws, tearing into its hind quarters and rendering it immobile for a trip back to the village bonfire, where Olaf waited to clean and cook their meal. Instead of a temple, their priestesses kept the fire burning for their dragon and cooked them meat every few days. I'd been jealous until Mac started cooking for me.

Still, the thought of a well-cooked meal was too tempting to resist. It had been too long since I'd had my own bovinji grilled to perfection over a roaring bonfire.

I flattened Mac even closer to my shoulder blades to keep him safe while I circled, searching for the perfect creature. I found one hobbling toward the back of the herd, young but almost full grown. It would grow weaker with age, unable to keep up with the herd. Now, at least, its meat would be fresh and tender. I dove at my mark, my movements precise for a quick and efficient kill.

"Well met, young Galen," Bale said when I deposited the carcass next to theirs. "You honor us by thinning our herd."

I bowed my head low while Mac scampered down and stood at my side. "I wish to share a meal with you and your mate, and to talk."

Bale sniffed me and turned their attention to Mac. Smoke rolled over the delicate gold scales of their nose. "You are both with child. How fortuitous for you."

"We hoped you and Olaf would have some advice," Mac said.

"You're pregnant?" Olaf's voice was high and reedy with age, but he still had a twinkle in his eye when he embraced my mate. "Congratulations! Once we get this meat to cooking, I'll tell you all about our little ones." Olaf bowed his head to me and grinned. "Not such a young pup anymore, are you, Galen? Best wishes for your eggs."

Olaf said little ones. As far as I knew, they'd only had one dragon child, Sve.

Only dragons and their mates were permitted in the bonfire circle once the meat was dressed and hung on the spits to cook. We lounged around the bonfire while two priestesses prepared the two bovinji we'd killed. They also strung up a large meat roast for Olaf and Mac to feast upon.

Once the priestesses left us, Bale and I curled on our sides, keeping our bellies toasty warm while Olaf and Mac turned the meat every few minutes. It didn't take long for it to cook, and then Olaf carved off large hunks of meat for each of us.

Mac waited until we'd taken off the edge of hunger with our first servings to ask what we both wanted to know. "You had more than one child?"

"We were afraid to tell you," Olaf admitted.

"The curse," Bale said. "We didn't tell you about our disaster because we didn't know you yet. Your paragon was so ruthless, and we didn't want it to get back to them."

"Besides, it sounds crazy. Would you have believed me if I told you I had a baby girl?" Olaf asked.

"Probably not," Mac admitted.

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