Chapter 495:
“It’s not something that will happen for me… for us anytime soon,” he said hoarsely, his eyes finally breaking away from hers. “Not for centuries to come.”
She ran a soothing hand over his chest, grounding herself in the steady rise and fall of his breathing, trying to keep her drug-addled mind focused.
“My late bondmate and I were together for four millennia and only two sons to show for it. Our youngest was born eight hundred years ago… we tried for a third for centuries.” His voice faltered, and he drew a shaky breath. “I would give anything to have another child…”
Oh, my beloved. Emeriel’s heart ached for him.
An old pain surfaced; she had no idea where it came from, but it was right there in her chest.
“Do you know what it means to try for a child for three hundred years, young one?” His deep voice rumbled through his chest.
Closing her eyes, she soaked in the soothing vibrations.
“It means each day feels endless. Every heat cycle that passes without conception is agony for both of you.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Don’t be.” His hand stroked her arm. “It’s a beautiful dream. I would give anything to have shared it with you, even if only in a dream.”
Her eyelids grew heavier, his sweet embrace lulling her into that drifting peace.
A memory stirred at the edge of her consciousness. Something painful yet precious, but she didn’t hold onto it. Here, pain had no place.
“It’s a lovely dream,” she conceded. “Stay with me, my Beloved. Just a little while longer.”
“I’m right here.” He held her possessively, but with a gentle protectiveness in his touch that stirred her very soul.
She liked that. She liked it a lot.
“I’m terrified of my heats… now even more than before,” she told him with one final effort. “But I wish… I wish to grow round with your fruit inside me. With everything in me.”
“I wish I could give you a child.” She was nearly lost to sleep when she heard his whisper.
“If you can, I will be the happiest male in the universe,” he murmured, his tone soft yet filled with hunger. “If you can, Riel, I will lay the entire world at your feet.”
PRINCESS EMERIEL
Opening her eyes, Emeriel felt… well, for the first time in days. More than well, actually.
The persistent headache was gone, the fever and chills had vanished, and the swelling had faded as if it had never been.
“How do you feel?” Aekeira’s voice reached her, her exhaustion giving way to relief in her eyes.
“Aekeira…” Emeriel’s voice came out as a rasp.
“You had everyone worried sick,” Aekeira said, her voice trembling slightly. “For a moment there, we were starting to fear the worst.”
“For a moment, I thought the worst.” Emeriel tried to push herself up with a grunt, but a sharp pain shot through her abdomen, and she winced.
Aekeira quickly leaned forward, helping her into a more comfortable position and adjusting the pillows behind her back. “How long has it been?”
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