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It won’t happen to me.
Throughout history, many foolish women had believed that, but Madja considered her circumstance rather unique. After all, most women weren’t sharing their bed with a dragon. She had tried to reason that even though Sevrrn could take a human form, they couldn’t possibly make a child together.
Of course, like all of those women before her, she had been wrong, and she had spent the past several weeks trying to deny all of the signs that her stubborn body threw at her. The fatigue, the nausea, the mood swings, and her utter lack of a monthly cycle. More than once, she had been on the cusp of broaching the subject with Sevrrn, but cowardice and insecurity always got the best of her. It was as though she thought that by not speaking the words, the situation would remain abstract and not fully real. As her hand still clutched at the subtle, but undeniable swell of her belly, she inwardly laughed at how ridiculous that was.
“How did I get here?” Madja asked, deliberately changing the subject.
Irina passed her the cup, which contained a mildly fragrant tea. “Your companion brought you three nights ago. You were deathly ill.”
Madja sipped at the tea. It tasted like chamomile and honey. “You said you saw the illness before. What was it? Does it have a name?”
“Not really,” Irina said, shaking her head. “It’s easily treatable, only serious if you let it go unchecked for too long.”
That made sense, Madja thought. She had always taken modern medicine for granted, but then, she had grown up in a relatively wealthy home and had never had to go without it.
“I suspect it hit you particularly hard because of the baby. Your immunity isn’t quite up to par with normal standards.”
Madja nodded, but found she was eager to change the subject again. She was only just accepting her condition and words like ‘child’ and ‘baby’ made her stomach lurch.
“And my…companion… Did he leave?”
She tried to sound casual, but her voice hitched a little at the end.
“Oh no,” Irina said, patting Madja on the thigh. “He has hardly left since you arrived. He went to the marketplace with my father, to help him carry back the merchandise. He’s been such a comfort these past few days.”
Madja’s eyes widened in surprise. She found it hard to picture Sevrrn doing mundane tasks and chores.
“I only hope I can find a husband half so capable,” Irina said, appearing wistful. “Father just isn’t as capable these days.”
Madja nodded her understanding. Her own father had been older when she was born, but had always harbored a youthful exuberance that Madja herself couldn’t quite match. Had he not been executed eight years ago, she may very well have lived to see him crippled by age.
She listened to Irina talk while finishing her tea. When she was done, Madja set the cup aside and moved to climb out of bed, intent on relieving her bladder. Irina rushed to help her to her feet and Madja was glad that she did. After almost a week of convalescence, the muscles of her legs were nearly incapable of holding her up.
Irina helped her to the water closet and then took it upon herself to assist Madja in washing up. She was grateful for everything that Irina had done for her, but the coward in Madja wondered if it would have been easier to have just let the sickness take her. It was a horrible thought, made even more awful by the fact that her life was no longer her own, but she was afraid. No matter what happened next, one thing was certain. Her life was about to get a whole lot more complicated.
5
Chapter Five
Sevrrn was a master of stealth. His talent was born not of ever having to hide, but rather from wanting to spy. His true form was frightening to lesser beings and therefore if he wanted to observe them in their natural state, he would have to do it without their knowledge. Bending the light around himself was his primary means of cloaking, but that only fooled one of the senses. Over the years, he had learned to slow his heartbeat, to breathe silently, and above all, to move without making a sound. That was why it was so odd that Madja always sensed his presence.
His footsteps did not disturb the old wooden floorboards, nor did he make any noise to a
Her face was still pale, her cheeks still hollow, but there was a spark of life in her eyes that he had not seen in days. And her scent, it no longer smelled of death. In fact, she smelled clean and he realized that he didn’t like it. There was only the barest trace of his scent left on her. He wanted her to smell like him, the way she had smelled for the past few months.
Primitive impulse, the one that always seemed in control when it came to her, urged him to take her right there on the bed. He needed to feel her skin against his, needed to cover her in his perspiration, needed to thrust inside of her wet body. His hand clenched as he felt himself begin to harden with need.
She was still weak. Fatigue was evident on her face and in her sagging posture. Part of him did not care and wanted to take her anyway, but another part of him, a part that seemed both rational and illogical, was able to reign in the beast.
In long strides, he made his way to her bedside. There was an empty space beside her and he toyed with the idea of climbing in next to her and simply holding her body against his own. After a second of indecision, he decided that desire served no purpose.
“Hey, you,” she said, her mouth forming a tentative smile.
Her lips were cracked and dry, but in that moment they had never seemed quite so appealing. He reached out to run a finger over them, causing her to flinch with discomfort. Still feeling the need to touch her, his fingers moved to the curve of her jawline, then trailed down her neck.
As he touched her, something within him seemed to click into place. For the first time in days, he felt…whole. This should have been a relief, but instead, it was disturbing. When had that happened? When had he needed her to feel complete? Would it now be like this forever, or would she consume more and more of him until a day came when he did not just need her to feel whole, but would need her to live?
He withdrew his hand, clasping it in the other to mask a tremor of disquiet.
“It is good to see that you are well,” he said, the words sounding stiff even to his own ears. “I am ready to leave now.”
Madja tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t know if I’m quite ready yet. I’m having a little trouble walking. I’ll need a few days to get my strength back.”
“I will carry you,” he said. “I’d rather not spend another day in this disease-ridden cesspool.”
For lack of anything better to do, Sevrrn had spent the past few days assisting the i
After they brought the fish back to the i