When we find the next laboratory, it’s much the same. We get there in time to free the dragons but then they die in front of us. Over the next month, we find two more laboratories and each time it’s the same thing. We can’t get to the dragons fast enough. Even with Everett trying to get into their skulls, we just don’t have enough time. We’re all sitting outside the most recent laboratory. I’m holding my mate once again as she cries. Her stomach is now protruding to the point that it’s impossible to hide her pregnancy. Everett is consoling Kaylani. Thankfully she responds to him. I was worried the first time that she’d cried, concerned that she'd begin her dragon’s lament. Nothing is more heart-wrenching than a dragon’s cry, except when my mate cries. “We have to do something different.” Bajaro says, watching sadly as I console Mere. “What do you mean?” Shiv asks, coming to stand beside her and putting his arm around her. This entire process has brought all of us closer together. “

Watching the Chief finally die, hearing the gurgling of his breathing as his lungs filled with blood was a highlight of my life. This man caused nothing but pain for me, my mate and the entire supernatural community. He deserved to die. The sound of rustling clothing makes me focus a moment before I hear the scream. I can’t see in front of me because I have the Chief impaled on my talons, so I retract them and the moment he drops to the ground, I see him. I scream for Merethyl but it’s too late, he’s already swinging the board in his hand toward her head. She goes flying into Everett and Kaylani who are on the floor. I slam my fist into the man’s face before racing over to Merethyl. If anything happens to her, if she’s dead….. Everett is already touching the side of her head. “Fractured skull,” he says, not looking up at me. He continues to gently touch her scalp. "it feels like her brain is hemorrhaging,” he continues to talk to himself, just like he does when he’s making notes a

I don’t want Merethyl overdoing it with this little dragon, but almost instantly I can tell that where I struggled to stay gentle when healing Merethyl, peace and calm flows out of her as easily as if she’s breathing. It’s just part of who she is. When she’s done, we say our goodbyes to the group. They will continue hunting for more dragons, trying to save them, but I need to protect my mate and my child. I can’t do that when we’re constantly fighting. As much as I want to help them, Merethyl is my priority and always will be. ‘Would you like to stop and see Ancalagon and Zephyr one more time before we go back to the elf lands?’ I ask Mere. It’s been a while since I’ve seen my son and I’m sure he’s gotten bigger. Once we’re back on Yhendorn’s lands, we probably won’t be leaving until after the birth of our daughter. ‘Is that what has you so excited? I’d love to see them,' she says. ‘Yes and no. I want to see Ancalagon again, but I was thinking of our daughter and her upcoming birth

Kenna and I were on our way back to the elf lands when I heard a dragon’s roar. It was not a roar I recognized, and I raced to get back to Merethyl, worrying that the hunters had attacked with some of their strange creatures. I raced into the castle only to see that everyone was staring at Merethyl. I pulled her into my arms and that’s when I realized that something was very wrong. The anger pulsating off of her was intense. It is so different from my typical, gentle mate that I know something has happened. When she steps away and begins talking about me in the possessive way of a dragon, growling like a dragon, I become even more concerned. But when the fire comes out of her mouth, I know something is terribly wrong. My mate shouldn’t be able to handle that kind of heat. She shouldn’t be able to create fire and breathe it as if she’s a fire dragon. When I tell her she’s acting like a dragon, she doesn’t seem to understand that I mean she’s truly acting like a dragon. I’ve noticed

I love being in our cave of treasures. I can feel the metals singing to me, calling to me. I feel their differences, their density and weight making their song different. The gemstones also have their own feel to them. I’ve found a couple that I like, that seem to speak to me louder than the others. But mostly, I love having my mate here with me. I can’t get enough of him. There will never be enough of him. He is everything, the world is nothing without him, my mind, my body, my soul are incomplete, empty without his touch, his caress, his presence in my mind. I’m just starting to wake when I feel the first pain. I look down, my stomach large and swollen. As I watch, I see the muscles in my stomach contract, sending another shooting pain up my side. I look around. Avani isn’t here. Our child, I need to protect our child. I rub my stomach, cooing at our daughter. I can feel her mental presence in my body. She is agitated and irritable. She wants out. “Not yet, baby girl,” I coo at h