Page 13 of Pregnant With Their Babes

“You said there was an Enchantress? She gave you legs?” Dagr reminded. “Why?”

“My father is trying to force me into marrying someone I refuse to wed. I had to get away. Dry land was my only choice.” Llyr brought his hand to his throat again and coughed. “The only place his monsters could never find me.”

Dagr frowned. “His monsters?”

“The army of the dead,” Llyr said. “Humans swallowed by the water of our realm soon come under his control. They fight for him for eternity—him or the ruler of the realm.”

“There must be thousands… hundreds of thousands of dead under all the seas,” Dagr said. “We’ve never seen an army that vast.”

“It is vast,” Llyr replied. “But my father only has domain over those who die in our realm. There are other kingdoms below. The other kings and queens rule over their own monsters.” Llyr shivered. “They rot away as time passes… their flesh decaying. Some are little more than skeletal—yet they still move as if they’re alive. They’re terrifying.”

“Enough,” Oz barked imperiously. “Llyr nearly drowned. He’s had an overwhelming afternoon. He needs rest.”

Dagr suddenly sensed Oz’s discomfort and understood why. He’d been so curious, he’d been inconsiderate of Oz’s pain. He searched Oz’s face—begging for forgiveness—but kept his mouth shut. Dagr refused to give Llyr too much ammunition.

Their wounds were nothing to share.

“Oh, but I don’t wish to rest,” Llyr argued. “I havesolittle time.”

“You nearly died!” Oz protested before pointing to the bed. “I insist. In bed. At least until we reach port and can figure out what we do with you next. A little over an hour.”

Llyr pouted before asking, “Where’s the bed?”

Oz stared at Dagr, and they exchanged a confounded glance. The bed practically dominated the room. Was the man blind? “Over there… with the sheets and pillows?”

Llyr followed to where Oz pointed and cautiously pressed a hand down on the mattress. And then he rooted around, checking it all over. “Oh… it’ssosoft.” He jumped on top and twirled with a grin. “This, I like.”

“Good,” Oz muttered, an odd expression on his face. “Get some rest. We’ll be back to get you once we arrive at port.”

After Oz pulled on a fresh shirt and they grabbed their jackets and gear, Oz urged Dagr to the door.

“You’re leaving me here?” Llyr asked, eyes wide. “Alone? Withthe fire?”

Dagr struggled not to walk over, slide into the bed, and cuddle the man close. He fought the urge with everything in him.

“We’ll return soon. I promise. Stay away from the lamps and you’ll be fine,” Oz stated before throwing open the door. He glared at Dagr. “Coming, Commander?”

Dagr nodded before exiting. A few steps out, he spun to face his friend.

“Perhaps he… hit his head?” Oz murmured under his breath. “The shorelineisrocky. Maybe he slipped, hit his head, and now he’s suffering delusions?”

“Feasibly,” Dagr said. “Or he’s hiding who he really is because he’s in trouble. Giving us some grandiose tale—one so outlandish it’ll throw us far off the scent.”

“But you saw him, right? He looked like a small child gazing at that fire. Either he’s an incredible actor or…”

“Or what?”

Oz chuckled as he buttoned his shirt. “Of coursehe’s not telling the truth. We’ve sailed every sea between here and Quí Quetrí. If merfolk were real, we’d have stumbled across one before now.”

Dagr stared at the cabin door a moment, unsure.

“But then… the mythhadto come from something, right?” Oz murmured, dragging on his vest. “Something,somewherehad to spark such a legend.”

Dagr chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t make justifications simply because he’s pretty. He’s either insane or too much bloody trouble to get involved with. Maybe both.” He paused a moment… remembering what Llyr had said of the monsters under the sea. “It’s too horrifying to think anything he said is true.Anything.It was all the fantasy of a deranged mind.”

Oz’s face went ashen a moment as remembered pain likely flashed through his mind. It was gone as fast as it had come. As usual, Oz was unwilling to discuss it. “Pretty, he definitely is.” Oz chuckled. “And I can’t stop thinking about getting him under me. It’s insanity.”

“Same,” Dagr mumbled lowly.

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