Page 69 of The Lost Nation

“Everyone,go home. The danger is past. You are now free to live your lives.”

Erik climbed on the horse behind me, and to my astonishment and utter relief, the human armies followed.

Chapter 30

Wren

They’d been gone two days, and there was no word. I was a mess.

Kieran followed me relentlessly, and I didn’t have the heart to be angry at him. Or do much of anything else, really. Even if he was being much more overbearing than normal.

I thought I'd buried the weak little human I’d been, but I was consumed by fear. Two of my mates were out there, along with our allies. And I was stuck here, like an invalid.

“Wren? Are you alright?”

Kieran meant well, and I loved him. But how could you explain? Despite all of my battles, the suffering I’d gone through...had I just been a little girl playing queen this entire time?

I guess some wounds never fully healed.

I turned to smile at Kieran—to offer some false platitude to reassure him. Before I could, he tripped and fell to the ground.

“Kieran! Are you alright?”I rushed to his side, trying to pull him up.

He groaned as if in pain, but there was no injury to see. Then it hit me a moment later—a deep, unrelenting pull. Kieran’s arms wrapped around me, and he laid me down beside him on the grass.“Hang on. It’ll be over soon…” he panted, but the world was going dark around me. Was this how Benedict had felt when I’d pulled magick from him?

“Pullback.” Kieran ordered, his hands gripping me hard around my shoulders.

“What?” I could barely understand what he was saying through my own fog, the darkness calling out to me, lulling me into sleep.

“Pullback,or it might cost you the child.”

For one beat I did absolutely nothing, frozen with confusion.

CHILD?

Kieran gathered me to his chest, his fingers tangling in my hair. Together we rocked back and forth, and there was a small keening, whimpering sound. I couldn’t tell if it came from me or him.

"I meant to tell you. I smelled hints of it this morning...so faint the others couldn't tell unless they sniff you closely. I wanted to wait for them to return, and smell it themselves. A...surprise."

I was still shocked, and unable to respond.

Achild?I waspregnant?

Kieran fought through the haze, struggling to speak.“If...if you aren’t ready yet, then don’t do anything. What happens...happens.”

He was crying. I was crying. I felt helpless, but realized that wasn't true. I could think whatever I wanted, but everything that had happened to me had been a deliberate choice.

The decision to leave the breeding manor, to stay under the mountain with Benedict, to become the queen the drakens so desperately needed...it was all a choice.

This wasalsoa choice.Mychoice.

Was I ready for a child? No. I still felt like one myself on most days. And yet...I didn’t think I’deverbe ready. If that was the case, did the timing truly matter? Not to mention I had three adoring mates to help me. Few other women or females could boast the same.

The child would be loved by literally several races at once.

I could do this. I could do this.

I closed my eyes, and delved deep into myself. I found that golden, invisible line that tethered me to Benedict, Kieran, Ronan, and the rest of the drakens. I tugged back, even though it was hard. Even though the only thing I wanted to do was relax against Kieran’s chest and sleep. Even though ithurt.

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