Page 70 of The Lost Nation

“That’s it.That’s it.” Kieran fought to keep his eyes open, his wings flaring to cover the both of us. I thought of all the human women from the breeding manor, who never even got toholdtheir children before they were ripped away and shipped to the training houses.

This child would know a better world.

Sweat broke out down my back and across my forehead as I internally held that line of connection taut, not allowing it to take anything else from me. Kieran slumped over me, and I fell underneath his heavy weight.

“Oomph!”

Then the connection snapped, and we were both were lying on the ground. A myriad of thoughts raced across my mind as I groaned, pulling my body out from underneath Kieran’s.

Was it over then? Was Benedict alright? Had they stormed the fortress and destroyed the last echos of the Overlord? Oh gods, wasThadalright?

I rolled free, then lifted Kieran’s head to sit in my lap until he came around. The island was deathly quiet—there were no other drakens, and almost all the witches were gone. A few had stayed behind, but that was it. I gazed out along the horizon, wishing for my mates and my people to return to me.

???

I must have fallen asleep, because my shoulder was jostled and I startled awake. I blinked rapidly, immediately seeing Kieran’s face hanging over me. He grabbed my face and pulled me up for a kiss, then nuzzled into my neck and sniffed deeply.

“Is everything alright? Did I...did I do it right?” I asked nervously. I hadn’t realized how much I would warm to the idea of having a child until the possibility was nearly taken from me.

Kieran’s brow relaxed, and his arms wrapped around me. “Yes. You’re still pregnant.”

We sagged against each other, but a niggling thought wouldn’t leave me.“Can you tell whose child it is?”

He shot straight up, a look of consternation on his face.

“Not that it matters!” I blurted out. “I was just curious.”

Kieran grinned, and pulled me into his side. “We cannot tell. You will be the first to know as soon as the child is born. The scent will dissipate in the first few hours of birth. It will be your choice whether or not you tell us.”

I couldn’t help it—a wry smirk twisted across my mouth. Kieran snorted, then did a double-take on the horizon.

“They’re coming!”

I used his arms to brace myself as I stood, squinting to see the mass of witches and drakens flying together across the ocean.

“Benedict must have been too drained.” Kieran remarked, almost to himself. As if summoning my mates with his words, Ronan and Trego flew over us, Benedict suspended between them.

They landed roughly, Ronan taking the brunt of the fall as he kep his arms around Benedict to ensure he stayed upright. Once they landed Benedict pushed them off, and collapsed onto the ground. I went to fling myself in Benedict’s arms, but he flinched away from me.

My heart clenched.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. All around me drakens and witches flew overhead, joyous and shouting their victory. If we’d won, then why did Ronan and Benedict look so...defeated?

“We won. We...we won.” Ronan managed, not looking Kieran or I in the face.

“That’s...good?” Kieran questioned, knowing just as well as I that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

“There...was a price to victory." Ronan admitted. "Benedict had to pay. Well,allthe leaders had to pay. The leader of the lykos, unicorns, Astrid, and Kali and the other human leaders. I would havegladlypaid as well, but Benedict pushed me out of the way. He didn't... he wouldn't let me.”

Ronan looked so crushed I threw my arms around him and squeezed tightly. Ronan hugged me back, then loosened his hold on me. I tried to reach out to Benedict, but it was like we weren’t even there. He looked lost, trapped in some sort of personal hell.

“What was the price?” I asked.

Ronan’s eyes darted back and forth, and then he swallowed heavily. “Kali...she started bleeding.”

I blinked. “Bleeding?” I asked, glancing over at Benedict. He appeared uninjured to my eyes.

Ronan took another breath. “The price was payment for the innocent lives lost, so in turn it took innocent livesto achieve balance. Or the possibility of innocent lives.”

---