Page 30 of Progeny of the Cursed Egg
I nod, a silent agreement, feeling a subtle flutter in my stomach. There’s a sense of dread gnawing at the edges of my thoughts—I’m not entirely sure what issues might come up.
“Okay, here we go.”
Leander shakes the pillowcase, and the soft rustle of paper feels more like a death knell than simple questions. I swallow hard as he opens the bag and extends it toward me. My fingertips brush against the rough cloth, and I close my eyes, plunging my hand in to grab a single folded piece. The edges of the paper are crisp against my skin as I pull it free and open it.
I clear my throat. “What do we do if it’s not our night and we need Mina?” I read aloud, my voice echoing slightly off the stone walls.
Leander manages a smile and answers first. “Go to the person whose night it is and ask if, before bedtime, they can share their allotted time—just for a little bit. But sharing time isn’t meant to be abused by one person.”
Helooks at me, brow furrowed, silently asking if I want to add anything. I give a slight shake of my head. The tension in the room lifts a fraction.
“For example…” Ziggy jumps to his feet, his movement sending a ripple through the charged air. “If Callan or Abraxis get called to the front again.”
I cringe at the thought, my heart thudding as I recall the last time they left for some urgent summons. Ziggy notices my discomfort and mouths“sorry”before continuing. “They can ask to switch or share the time they have left with whoever has that night, so they can be close to Mina before they leave.”
Chewing my bottom lip, I speak up. “Why don’t we just do an emergency switch if that happens again? Whatever time they have left can remain theirs, without sharing. The person who loses that slot will take either Callan’s or Abraxis’s night—whichever comes first.” I drop my gaze to my hands, tracing the faint scars there.
Leander’s voice cuts through the hush. “Is that a solution everyone can agree on?”
A chorus of assent fills the room, though it’s subdued. “Okay, passed,” he says, relief softening his tone. “Next concern.” He brings the pillowcase back to me, and I feel a twist in my gut as he holds it open.
This time, the paper I pull out seems thinner, almost delicate. My hands tremble as I unfold it. “It’s still not safe enough for Mina to lay eggs. What are we going to do for her next cycle?” I read, my voice hitching. I can’t help the tiny flinch that follows.
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot,” Callan says, moving to stand near Leander. His steps are quiet, but I still catch the faint scrape of his boots on the stone floor. “We wear protection and cycle in and out of Mina’s space. As long as she’s … occupied, she shouldn’t shift and become dangerous.”
His words spark a tense chuckle from me. “If two drakes and a basilisk can’t contain me, the world is in deep shit.” My attempt at levity is shaky; I’m trying not to add to Abraxis’s worries by mentioning his name or Klauth’s in that context.
Leander rattles the pillowcase once more, the noise somehow sharper this time, and holds it out. My heart thumps painfully against my ribs as I draw the next slip. I sense everyone watching me, the air thick with anticipation. Unfolding the paper, I pause. My throat feels suddenly tight.
“If you could do it all over again, what would you change?” I read, my voice cracking. A tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it. My breath hitches as I turn away. “This isn’t fair. The things I would change … they weren’t my choice.”
Silence floods the room. I lower my head, letting the tears fall in hot tracks down my cheeks. My chest aches, and I want nothing more than to disappear. Then Abraxis’s voice, soft as a breath of wind, breaks through.
“Mate?” he murmurs, contrition clear in every syllable. “Please look at me. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that question.”
I force my gaze to meet his, blinking through tears. “I wouldn’t have waited so long to complete the bond with you. I was scared I wasn’t enough.” My eyes flick over his shoulder to Balor. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have let you linger in the shadows for so long. You’re probably my most selfless mate.”
Drawing in a shaky breath, I turn to Callan. “I know what it’s like to feel you’re not enough. I grew up with that feeling every day of my life. I still feel it when my mate is so stressed he bites me continuously … then I do it because I’m stressed that he’s stressed.”
Ziggy hands me a tissue, and I blow my nose, trying to compose myself. “I wouldn’t change who’s in my life, just how they got here.” I meet Abraxis’s gaze again, searching his face. “It doesn’t matter ifyou’re the lead drake or the second one. You were my first mate, and no one can take that from you.”
I lean forward and press a gentle kiss to his forehead, then shift my attention to Klauth. My eyes narrow with intent as I stare at him. “Once you’re king again, you’ll take over command of the continent’s armies, right?”
He holds my gaze, the tension between us electric. “Yes. What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Klauth steps closer, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Abraxis stiffen, as if he already understands my plan.
I straighten, my spine tingling. “I know what I want instead of my father’s head on a pike as my mating present.”
“And what’s that, mate?” Klauth’s half-smirk suggests he already knows.
“Mated drakes are no longer forced to serve until their females lay a clutch. Once they have a mate, service becomes optional.” The command in my tone surprises even me, but it’s something I refuse to budge on.
“I never agreed with that rule anyway,” Klauth replies, giving a small shrug. “Yes, it will be changed once I’m crowned. Though I’ll need to amend it so the bond has to be verified by the Temple of Bahamut for legitimacy.” He glances between me and Abraxis, then nods.
“Thank you,” I whisper. I shift my focus to Leander, whose shoulders look a bit more relaxed now.
“I think we’ve had enough excitement for one night,” he says, setting the pillowcase aside. “Let’s pick a movie and hang out for the rest of the night as a nest.”
The idea is a relief. I can almost taste the tension in the air, as sharp as the ozone before a storm. But the questions in that bag can wait until tomorrow. As I stand, Ziggy offers me Thauglor’s egg, and Icradle it against my chest. Its warmth seeps into me, comforting in a way that nothing else can right now. I smile softly. At least I have one drake in my life who isn’t openly jealous of the others—or if he is, he hasn’t said so yet.
