Page 290 of The Wild Prince's Favorite
Lumie squirmed in Kassein’s arms, and as soon as she was down, ran toward her mother. She hugged Alezya’s legs and promptly left loud kisses on her baby bump.
“Hi, baby!” she cooed at the bump.
“Hello, baby,” Alezya smiled, brushing her daughter’s snow-white curls aside. “You found Auntie Kiera, I see.”
“What? I was checking the wine,” Kiera said defensively.
“For half an hour?” Lorey asked, eyebrows raised.
“It was a lot of wine.”
“Mama! Kein?” Lumie chirped.
“Kein’s outside the garden, my love. Go find him with Niiru.”
“Daddy Dragon!” she shrieked and took off, Niiru right behind her.
The adults laughed. Now that she knew how to walk, Lumie had only one speed: full sprint. If she wasn’t running around the grounds, she was trying to scale Kein like he was a playground. Whenever he saw the young girl running happily like that,Kassein always thought of that tiny, cramped space she’d grown in during the first months of her life. And every time, it made his chest swell with quiet relief.
Kiera dropped the crate at Alezya’s feet.
“Where do you want this,Commander?”
“Oh, are those the candles for the tables? Leave them by the greenhouse, we’ll set them up tomorrow.”
“Do weneedcandles?” Kiera asked, glancing up at all the lanterns strung around the garden.
“They’re sage-scented,” Alezya replied firmly, “and green, your mom’s favorite color. I ordered them especially from the new trading hub!”
Alezya was extremely passionate about the new, budding trading hub that had been recently established up north. It was a fresh enterprise between Kassein’s army and the clans descended from the mountains, and any excuse was good to go check on the growing trades or order products there. When Kassein had floated the idea of offering to host his mother’s birthday party after his parents had mentioned that Kairen’s mother might not be able to make the trip to the east where they’d originally planned it, she had been all for it, and had immediately tried to place as many orders as she could.
Kiera exchanged a look with her brother, but he shrugged, amused.
Then, he walked around to hug Alezya from behind, cupping her belly with his large hands.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, pressing a kiss on her cheek.
“Nervous,” she sighed. “We still have so much to prepare tomorrow, and once we have so many people and dragons around…”
“It will be fine,” Lorey smiled. “Everyone’s just happy to gather and they will all be willing to help.”
“And with my Dran and Krai around,” Naptunie added, beaming, “the kids will stay in line!”
“Damn right,” Darsan grinned, slinging an arm over his wife’s shoulder.
“But it’s your mother’s birthday, and this is your childhood home,” Alezya sighed. “I really want it to be–”
“Itwillbe perfect, my moonlight,” he whispered in her ear. “All Mom wants is for all of us to be together. The whole family, together.”
“There will definitely be mayhem,” Kiera scoffed. “It wouldn’t be a family gathering if half of us don’t end up drunk, lost, or passed out!”
“Oh, no,” Naptunie pouted. “The children better stay where I expect them this time!”
Alezya smiled. Ever since they had discovered that, by dragon flight, the Onyx Castle was close to their parents’ house, Kassein’s nieces and nephews had taken to sneaking off to visit. Lumie now enjoyed a rotating door of cousins coming to play in the gardens, and Naptunie and Alezya had inevitably become close. She was getting to know Kassein’s family while settling her own there, and while it came with some challenges, Alezya loved it.
“You should get some rest,” Lorey smiled at her gently. “You’ve been on your feet all day, Alezya. Don’t worry about the party, everyone will be happy to help tomorrow.”
“All that’s left is the final decorations and food,” Naptunie chimed in cheerfully. “That’ll be fun to finish together!”
