Since Tuesday was Valentine’s Day and Monday is Family Day (at least here in Canada), I’ve decided to give you all a preview about family and love. Enjoy and love to all!
As Nikki ate breakfast with her mother, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. It seemed as though she was always nervous now. In the month that had passed since Jazabel’s funeral, Shade had become obsessed to the point of recklessness with having Brudas captured. He had the entire army stretched thin as they searched every crack in Braria to find Brudas. He’d also called in many favours – even promised some new ones – to all surrounding countries in an attempt to have them help out in the search.
No report had ever come back with any sign of him.
As Nikki thought of all these things, she noticed her mother was trying to talk to her. “Hello? Have you listened to a word I’ve said since we sat down?” she was asking while waving a hand in front of Nikki’s face.
“Wha-Sorry Mom; I was worrying about Shade.”
“That’s understandable. It doesn’t take a Soul’s Twin to realize that he’s stressed about finding Brudas; I think the birds have even noticed.” This made Nikki smile faintly, something that was becoming less frequent of late. “But what about you; how are you feeling, sweetheart?” her mother asked with concern etched in every wrinkle on her face.
“Worried; I’m worried about everything, but mostly Shade: he’s become closed off to everything that isn’t a scouting report, even me. He barely sleeps or eats; he’s shocked to find me at his side after I’ve been there for an hour. Me – you know, the woman who is supposed to be his world! He’s barely touched me since Jazabel’s funeral. The hunt for Brudas has become everything to him.” As Nikki explained her worries, tears started to fall from her eyes.
Seeing her cry, her mother moved seats so she was at Nikki’s side and put her arms around her daughter, stroking her back. After crying for a minute, Nikki realized that her mother was humming Shade’s lullaby to her. And at hearing the soothing rhythm of the melody, Nikki calmed down. Her mother couldn’t know that Shade still hummed that to himself every night before going to sleep. As she finished, Nikki joined her for the last verse as Shade had always done when he was young. “Feel better?” her mother asked with a smile at seeing Nikki’s serene face.
Nikki simply nodded. “Thanks Mom; I don’t know why, but that song always makes me feel better. I’ve heard it all my life, though I’ve never sung it to anyone, not even myself. I am grateful for you singing it to me when I’ve needed it most.”
“Of course, sweetheart. Its what mothers do. Now, eat something; Alix always says that worrying is made easier on a full stomach,” her mother said, indicating the eggs in front of Nikki and pulling her own plate to her new seat.
Giving a nod, Nikki took her fork and loaded it up with scrambled eggs before shoving it in her mouth. But when she put them in her mouth, she couldn’t stand the taste and spat them back out before her stomach forced more than just eggs out her mouth. She had to cover her mouth to prevent more from escaping.
Seeing her spit out the eggs, her mother got a puzzled look on her face, as did some of the cooks and stewards who were nearby. “Since when do you not like scrambled eggs?” she asked.
“I do like them, but something’s wrong with those. They taste awful; it was like I’d put a steel rod in my mouth, it tasted like metal,” Nikki explained.
Taking her own fork, her mother tasted the eggs. “They taste fine to me,” she said, looking down at Nikki with a quizzical look. “Try another forkful.”
Taking her mother’s fork, Nikki again filled it with a slightly smaller amount this time. Before she could put it in her mouth, Nikki smelled the eggs and nearly dropped the fork. Covering her nose and mouth, Nikki pushed herself away from the wooden table and ran to the area of the kitchen where the staff threw all the waste before emptying her stomach. Her mother came running over and held back her hair so it didn’t get anything on it. Now the entire kitchen staff seemed to be watching the movements of the former and current queen.
“Is my cooking really that bad and you’re only just telling me now?” her mother asked when Nikki had finished.
Shaking her head, Nikki said, “You’re a great cook, Mom. But those eggs smell worse than the lake did that summer when all the fish died when Shade and I were twelve.”
Her mother just laughed a tiny bit at the comparison. Then she looked at Nikki strangely, back to the table with the questionable eggs, and finally back to Nikki. As she looked at Nikki, a smile was slowly forming on her face. “Nikki,” she asked slowly, “when was your last time of the moon?”
Not understanding where her mother’s question was heading, Nikki simply answered, “It was supposed to be two days ago; but I’ve been a couple of days late before.” As she answered the two of them walked back over to the table they’d been eating at.
“But have you ever been sick like this on those occasions?” her mother asked with a look in her eyes that Nikki felt was meant to urge her to understand.
“No, I’ve nev-” Nikki started before realizing what her mother was hinting at. “Am I really?” Feeling the waves of happiness that were tentatively rolling off her mother, Nikki felt her own spirits start to rise.
Taking her hand, her mother smiled at Nikki. “There’s only one way to know for sure. Let’s find your father and find out.”
“Find out what?” her father asked with a puzzled look on his face as he entered the kitchen.
Running to her husband with an infectious smile, Nikki’s mother pulled her father back to where she was waiting. “We were just discussing how Nikki seems to have this glow about her, even though she’s constantly worrying about Shade. Can’t you see it, darling?” she asked with a nudge to her husband to look at their daughter.
Like Nikki herself, her father didn’t get what his wife was saying. “She looks the same to me: a little paler and more stressed, but basically the same as always.”
Heaving a sigh of exasperation, her mother took her husband’s hand and placed it on Nikki’s stomach. “Does she look different now?” she asked him while rolling her eyes at Nikki.
Giving a brief look to his hand on Nikki’s stomach and then to his wife, her father finally seemed to clue in. Turning back to Nikki, he looked serious as he concentrated on her stomach. Within thirty seconds, he was smiling and nodding his head. And as the affirmation registered in all their minds, Nikki could literally see the explosion of pure joy they released.
But before her father could say anything, his wife was pushing him out of the way as she pulled Nikki into a tight hug. “CONGRATULATIONS!” she shouted as she and Nikki jumped up and down. When they finally stopped jumping, both of them had tears in their eyes. “I can’t believe I’m going to be a grandmother!” her mother loudly whispered.
Smiling as big a smile as she’d ever seen on his face, her father gave Nikki the biggest hug he’d ever given her. “Congratulations, sweetheart! You and your brother needed this,” he whispered in her ear.
Releasing herself from the hug, Nikki smiled. “Not a word until I tell Shade, to anyone. And I mean anyone, Mother,” Nikki said, pointing a finger at both of them. Her mother seemed a little upset at this, but they both nodded with understanding. “I’m going to tell Shade, and then we can all talk.” Not waiting for their answer, Nikki headed for the door, unable to wait to tell her brother the good news.
Nikki found her brother in their chambers, looking over some reports at the desk. Nikki had always been used to the fact that when she entered a room, he would immediately look to her, but he seemed to be taking less and less notice of her lately. Even knowing that he was stressed didn’t make her feel any better about Shade not even looking at her.
But her good mood wasn’t dampened much. And seeing as Shade was in need of some stress release, she sneaked into her closet to change. Pulling the dress and jacket down that she’d worn to Jazabel’s wedding, Nikki paused for the slightest moment at the thought of Jazabel. But then she decided that she couldn’t be sad today; she’d only feel the joy of discovered parenthood.
Ten minutes later, she peaked out her closet doors to find Shade hadn’t moved; he still stood over the desk studying the scouting reports. Turning to the mirror that was at the far end of the closet, Nikki made sure that she looked just as she had the last time she wore this outfit, minus the extended hair. Smiling at the perfection in the mirror, Nikki turned back to the doors. Taking a deep breath as she drew the dark authority she felt this dress gave her, Nikki shoved the closet doors open so they banged against the outside walls.
Her entrance had the desired effect as Shade looked up at the loud noise with a startled expression. Nikki took the briefest of seconds to enjoy his shock before snapping her fingers and pointing to her side. “Come here, NOW, Shade Leo Kanta!” she playfully snarled at him. It was clear Shade didn’t think she was being playful; she could hear him gulp in fear across the room.
But it was also clear that his curiosity greatly outweighed his fear, for he was soon at her side. “Yes?” he asked with a sly smile on his lips.
“Wipe that smirk off your face,” Nikki whispered with menace. She continued as she started to slowly circle her husband. “You’re in big trouble.” And before he could do anything else, she started to drag him to their bed.
“Nikki? What are you doing?” he protested just before she threw him onto the bed, where he stayed.
“Nice to see you still know my name, or recognize me for that matter.” While Nikki didn’t really feel this way, these two statements weren’t an unfair assessment of late.
“What-What are you talking about? How could I ever forget a single thing about you? You’re my everything, Nikki.”
She could feel the fear that was pouring out of him; he didn’t think this was a game anymore, he really thought she was mad at him. And while she was, she didn’t want him to think that. And so, she allowed her face to show some of the pain she’d been feeling lately. “Then would you mind showing that? Did you even see me come in ten minutes ago?” At this question, Shade turned his head away in shame.
Sitting down at his side, she gave him a small smile. “I’m not mad; I just miss you. We haven’t spent any time together since Jazabel’s funeral. And I know you want to have Brudas found, as do I, but if you don’t even notice my presence I think you have a problem. Ok?”
Heaving a sigh, he nodded. “I’m sorry; I realize now how much I’ve neglected you. And I’m sorry you had to resort to such lengths to get me to realize that. Can you forgive me?”
“I already have; just make sure it doesn’t happen again,” she said as she opened her arms and he pulled her in tight. At having him so close, Nikki let out a sigh and was very tempted to show him just how bad she could be. But she had more to talk to him about; more happy things.
“I didn’t come here to yell at you. I don’t think even your depressing obsession could ruin the good mood I’m in,” she said with a smile as he released her from the hug.
“And what could have brought about such a strong good mood?” he asked as he looked deep into her eyes with all the love he hadn’t given her in a month.
Smiling at finally seeing this look on his face, Nikki kissed him. “I just finished talking with Mom and Dad. They seemed to think that I looked different, they said I had this glow about me that they couldn’t put words to. What do you think; am I glowing?” she asked as she stood and turned once for him to see.
Shade got a puzzled look on his face as he tried to pick up on what she was talking about. “You do seem different,” he agreed. “I can’t put my finger on what it is, though. Won’t you tell me so I can be as happy as you are?”
“Besides all this to be over and us to be victorious, what do you want most from your future?”
“To know that you’re happy, and that I’m the reason for that happiness. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, to be the source of your happiness.”
“Good, because that’s exactly what you’ve done. But it’s more than happiness I feel: I feel joy. And it’s all thanks to you, brother,” she said as she kissed him with all the love she felt for him. Before either of them could be consumed by the kiss, Nikki pushed herself away. “I’m pregnant, Shade.”
It took him a moment to comprehend this, but when he did, Shade had the biggest smile she’d seen on anyone. And then he was holding her, kissing her, showing his love for her like he never had before.
There you go; that’s the entirety of chapter 61 from the book. Let me know what you think.