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I grimace. “Yeah, about that. He’s in Vegas. Met a Fratvoyan woman at a casino last week and, well… let’s just say he’s ‘indisposed.’”

Terry’s brow furrows. “Fratvoyan? Is that, like, an Eastern European thing or what?”

I stifle a laugh. “Close enough.”

Sandy pipes up, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “So, Karc, how’s it feel knowing you’re gonna be a dad soon?”

The air between us freezes. I blink, my brain short-circuiting. “What?”

Raven’s eyes go wide, and she elbows her mom hard in the ribs. “Mom! I told you not to say anything yet!”

Sandy’s hands fly to her mouth, her face turning bright red. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry! It just slipped out!”

Terry’s eyes dart between us, his expression shifting from confusion to realization. “Wait. You mean…? You’re pregnant, Raven?”

Raven groans, burying her face in her hands. “Yes. But it was supposed to be asurprise.”

I stare at her, my mouth still hanging open. My brain finally catches up, and I grab her shoulders, turning her to face me. “You’re pregnant? Seriously?”

She peeks at me through her fingers, her cheeks flushed. “Yeah. I was going to tell you tonight, after the gallery. I didn’t expect my mom to blurt it out in the middle of a crowd.”

I feel like my heart’s about to beat out of my chest. I pull her into my arms, my voice dropping to a whisper. “This is… this is incredible. I mean, I thought I was already the luckiest man in the galaxy. But this? This is…”

She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine. “You’re not mad that I didn’t tell you right away?”

“Mad? I’m…” I trail off, shaking my head with a laugh. “I’m just… happy.Sohappy.”

Sandy is still apologizing profusely in the background, and Terry’s grinning like he just won the lottery, but I’m too focused on Raven to care about anything else. My jalshagar. My wife. And now, the mother of my child.

The gallery, the art, the crowd—it all fades into the background. All I see is her.

Terry’s hand lands on my shoulder with the kind of weight that suggests he’s about to drop a bombshell. I turn, raising an eyebrow at him. He’s grinning like he’s just won the lottery, his weathered face lit up with mischief.

“You know, Terrence is a great name,” he says, his voice dripping with fake seriousness.

I blink, my brain short-circuiting for a second. “What if it’s a girl?” I ask, playing along because, well, Terry’s Terry. You don’t argue with Terry unless you’re ready for a fight.

“Terrence is gender neutral,” he says, puffing his chest out like he’s just delivered the most profound wisdom of our age.

From beside me, Raven groans, pinching the bridge of her nose like she’s trying to ward off a headache. “Dad, shut up or I’ll name the baby after your least favorite second cousin.”

Terry’s grin falters, his face going pale. “You wouldn’t dare name him Seabus!”

Raven smirks, crossing her arms over her chest. “Don’t push your luck.”

I laugh, pulling Raven into my arms. She fits perfectly against me, her warmth radiating through the fabric of my shirt. I cup her face in my hands, my eyes meeting hers. They’re dark and endless, and right now, they’re filled with a mix ofexasperation and affection. I brush my thumb over her cheek, and she leans into the touch, her lips curving into a small smile.

“I haven’t told my folks yet,” she whispers, her breath warm against my ear. “But we’re having twins.”

My heart stutters in my chest, my brain scrambling to process the words. “T-wins?” I manage to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper.

Raven nods, her eyes searching mine for a reaction. Her hands slide up my chest, gripping the front of my shirt like she’s bracing herself. I can feel the tension in her body, the way she’s holding herself tight, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I pull her closer, my arms wrapping around her like I’m trying to shield her from the world. My mind races, images flashing through my head—two tiny figures with Raven’s dark eyes and my golden scales, laughing as they chase each other through the halls of our home. Two lives I’ll protect with everything I have, just like I’ll protect her.

“Twins,” I breathe, the word feeling strange and wonderful on my tongue. I press my forehead to hers, my voice soft but steady. “We’re having twins.”

Raven’s eyes glisten with unshed tears, and she nods again, her lips trembling into a smile. “Yeah,” she whispers. “We are.”

Terry clears his throat, breaking the moment. “Well, I guess that means you’ll need two Terrences.”

Raven groans, burying her face in my chest as I laugh, the sound reverberating through my chest. Sandy smacks Terry’s arm, her straw hat tilting precariously as she shakes her head.

“Leave them alone, you old fool,” she says, though there’s no real heat in her words.

I hold Raven tighter, my heart swelling with a joy I didn’t know was possible. Twins. Our children. Our family.