Page 42 of The Emerald Dragon Prince
I wasn’t the only one. Obi and Misha brought their eggs over to the nest as well. Theirs were newer and smaller than Tovey’s and Selle’s, even Leo’s, but placed together, all seven eggs looked and felt perfect.
“You just birthed your egg yesterday, right?” Selle asked with a puzzled look, adjusting his glasses.
“Yes,” I said, my cheeks flaring hot. Birthing an egg felt too personal to discuss in public, even with my brothers.
“It doesn’t look like a newborn egg to me,” Selle went on.
“You’re right,” Tovey said, tilting his head and studying my glittering, green egg next to his two ruby ones. “Yours is as big as the twins already.”
My brow flew up and I turned to look questioningly at Emmerich. “Is it the pausing spell?” I asked.
“It must be,” Emmerich said, a burst of excitement coming from him through our bond. “It seems as though our baby is eager to catch up to where it should be.”
“If that’s the case, it could hatch any day now,” I said, suddenly overwhelmed by the possibility.
“New life, new families, and a new kingdom,” Osric said, joining the rest of us in smiling down at the eggs. “If that isn’t a sign that Freslik and Nazeing and Saoirse and anyone who would try to crush and destroy has failed, I don’t know what is.”
“We’re truly blessed,” I said, smiling up at Emmerich.
For once, everything was just as it should be, and I felt in my heart that the future would be filled with light and joy.
Epilogue
Rumi
Life settled into a new routine with surprising speed. For what they considered too long, my and my brothers’ mates had given their time and effort to matters in my father’s world rather than focusing on their duties in the magical world. As soon as Osric returned to his kingdom, assuring us all that a new era of peace and prosperity had begun, Emmerich and the other dragons were able to return to their lives and occupations from before.
“We’re fortunate that the magical world doesn’t require half as much governance as Osric’s world,” Emmerich said as all twelve of us and our eggs enjoyed a balmy summer afternoon in one of the gardens of the dragon castle. “I’ve had several petitions to review and a few minor disagreements that needed resolving, but other than that, the people ofthis world have been supportive of our efforts in the other world.”
“Even the ogres have been quiet of late,” Gildur said with a fond smile for Selle, who sat cuddled against him as he watched our eggs.
The eggs had all been placed in the large, soft, nest-like cushion that I somehow knew they preferred to be in. They liked being out in the sun, and they definitely liked being together. The seven of them were beautiful when placed together that way. They all glittered and shone like the precious things they were.
My and Emmerich’s egg had been strangely quiet so far that morning. Their cousins had mostly been quiet, too, like they were resting and gathering their strength.
“It’s summertime,” Azurus said with a shrug, stroking Misha’s hair with one hand as my brother lay against him, a happy smile on his face. “Who would want to cause trouble when the world is so verdant and beautiful?”
Misha opened one eye and looked up at his mate before closing it again and breathing out a sigh. I’d never seen my timid brother look so contented or relaxed. Misha’s joy alone was enough to make me think that everything we’d been through had been worth it.
All of our struggles and strife had most definitely been worth it. As miserable as the six of us had been for so long, we were all happy beyond all previous imagining now.
“Has anyone heard anything from Osric since last week?” I asked, leaning against Emmerich while watching our egg, my heart feeling light.
“Only that his work to rebuild the kingdom continues,” Argus said. “He’s granted an unprecedented level of immunity to the noblemen who were once loyal to your father but who have switched their allegiance to him.”
“Cousin Osric is far more generous than I am,” Leo grumbled. “I would have every one of those lascivious alphas castrated and banished if it were up to me.”
I lost my smile for a moment as old, dark memories of my stolen heats tried to rise up in my mind. Every one of the alpha noblemen who had taken advantage of me and my brothers like that deserved what was coming to them.
I forced myself to take a deep breath. Those black deeds and that miserable life were very much behind me now. My father couldn’t hurt me now, and neither could any of the noblemen who had taken my heats. Not only was I no longer a part of that world, I had Emmerich with me now. My dragon would protect me from anything and everything that dared to even try to hurt me.
As if he could sense my thoughts, and I knew he could because of our bond, Emmerich slipped his arm around me and leaned in to kiss my forehead. I tilted my face up to him so I could kiss his lips.
“All will be well,” Emmerich said. “Osric will be a good king, exactly the sort of king your world needs.”
“My former world, you mean,” I said.
“I have no qualms at all about never going back,” Selle added, even though the conversation was mostly between me and Emmerich.
