Page 228 of Lana Pecherczyk
They were too busy worrying about Cloud to see the miracle Blake had offered them.
“Go show her,” Blake insisted, breathless. “He needs to hear his baby.”
River felt only peace through their bond, peace where panic should have reigned. She was better. Had to be. Maybe it was the paste after all. Maybe it just needed time to wear off.
“You sure?”
“I’m fine.”
River pushed back his chair, stepped toward Ada, but then doubled back and kissed Blake. He murmured against her lips, “I love you.”
“That’s nice.” He felt her lips stretch. She gave him a weak shove and said, “Go.”
“Be right back.” His heart somersaulted in his chest as he crossed to the next bay, shaking his head but grinning at Blake’s answer.That’s nice?
“Here.” He handed the diagram to Ada. “Heal Aeron.”
He explained the mistake as Trix released an ear-splitting scream. His eyes caught sight of something between her legs that made his mind stutter. Blood drained from his face. He quickly looked back at Ada.
“This is it,” she gasped, reading the diagram. “Trix, I think she did it.”
“I’ll bloody well hold the baby in,” Trix panted, clutching her belly. “Do it.”
“You can’t?—”
“DO IT!” she bellowed.
Ada leaped up and placed her hands on Aeron’s ears. Mana flowed. River sensed it in the air.
“Oh shit!” Trix’s eyes widened. Clashed with River’s. She made a constipated sound that turned into a squeal and ended with the rushed words, “I can’t bloody well hold it!” She gasped. “The baby’s coming!”
“River!” Ada barked, still working on Aeron. “I need your hands?—”
He moved on instinct and caught the slippery form as it emerged from between Trix’s legs. One blink, and it was in his arms. Eyes closed like a wrinkled, furless monkey. Face blue.
“It’s…” His eyes widened. “Not breathing.”
Behind him, another feather hit the floor.
The umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck.
Silence.
Cut it.
River carefully cut the cord with a nearby scalpel and unwrapped it.
“Clean the airways,” Ada clipped, concentration fracturing slightly on Aeron. “Hook your finger in its mouth.”
River obeyed, but the baby remained quiet. Unmoving. A small, still weight in his palms.
“What’s happening?” Trix cried.
“I’m almost done,” Ada replied loudly. Sweat beaded on her upper lip. Aeron tried to look past her to see what was happening, but Ada blocked his view.
“Lift it upside down,” she added quietly to River. “Smack its bottom.”
A vague memory of his mother doing something similar guided him. He gripped tiny ankles in one fist, dangled the baby, head down. He smacked the bottom.
