Page 37 of Claimed By the Dragon
Not wanting to dwell on her past, Grace glanced at her boys in the pram and rearranged the little hats on their heads. “You’reboth getting so big already. At this rate, we’re going to have to get you some new clothes again in a week or two.”
Eli bashed the little stuffed dragon toy in his hand against the side of the pram, babbling like he always did. Eddie merely held his little toy and watched everyone with wide eyes.
She’d worried at first about Eddie being fussy yet quiet, but Trahern, Sid, and Gregor had all assured her the boys seemed to be fine and didn’t suffer any aftereffects from the drugs she’d been given. Some babies were just quieter and more reserved than others.
Trahern emerged with the little wagon full of supplies for their picnic, and Grace smiled at him. “We don’t need that much stuff. We’re only going out for a few hours.”
He readjusted his glasses. “I want to be prepared. The weather may turn cold or rainy at any moment.”
“Well, then let’s hurry to this secret spot of yours before the sun goes away.”
He nodded, stared at her lips, shook his head, and started pulling the wagon. “This way.”
Grace pushed the pram, and after a few seconds of companionable silence, she glanced at Trahern. As the sun reflected off his lenses, she asked, “Why do you wear glasses? I thought dragon-shifters didn’t need them.”
“Most don’t. I caught a rare disease as a child. It went untreated for too long, and my sight deteriorated in my left eye.”
“I’m so sorry.” She hesitated, but reminded herself to be blunt with Trahern. “Your father didn’t take you to a doctor as soon as you were ill?”
“No. I was sick for three days before he even noticed. I always wondered if he’d found a way to infect me deliberately, hoping I’d die.”
“Trahern, that’s horrible.”
“Yes. But it was far from his first attempt to kill me in a way that made it look natural. But I was clever and learned to watch out for him as I aged. I knew more about plants than he did, so he could never poison me, even though he tried.”
Unable to help herself, Grace took his empty hand in hers and squeezed. After stiffening a second, Trahern squeezed her back before threading their fingers together.
As much as she enjoyed kissing, happiness washed over her as she held Trahern’s hand. His solid presence was coming to mean so much to her already.
Eli started babbling again and nearly tossed his dragon out of the pram. Grace caught it, tucked it back beside her son, and softly told him not to throw his toys.
She half-listened as Trahern went into detail about trajectories and how one day, he’d teach Eli how to best utilize his height and strength to throw greater distances.
Grace studied Trahern as he talked. He’d gone through so much, and it couldn’t have been easy to share his past with her.
And what had she done to repay that trust? Not much—she’d barely revealed anything to him.
She knew it was unfair. And yet, she was afraid to open that box and see what happened.
However, more and more she yearned for a life as Trahern Lewis’s mate in truth. And unless she started telling him about some of her painful memories, there wouldn’t be any real future for them.
Before she could talk herself out of it, in the next lull she said softly, “I spent six months inside that prison.”
He glanced at her, but she kept her gaze on her sons. They kept her grounded and were the reason she’d pushed aside the difficult memories to carry on as normally as she could.
For them, she also needed to be brave about her time inside. She wouldn’t fully heal until she did.
And out of everyone, she trusted Trahern the most.
After taking a deep breath, she continued, “I don’t remember most of it, though. I was drugged and kept in a room with an attached toilet. I spent most of my time staring out the window, finding shapes in the clouds. Or, memorized who came and went, just in case I found a chance to escape.
“However, as my pregnancy progressed, and I grew bigger and bigger, I knew I’d never be able to run or climb or get away.” Reaching out an arm, she traced Eli’s cheek and then Eddie’s. “These two kicked a lot, helping to distract me. But as the months went by, I started to wonder if the prison staff would ever let me hold them. The drugs made my thoughts hazy, and yet I’d slowly pieced together how they intended to take my boys, raise them as loyal soldiers in their fight, and test out some new equipment on them. I never learned what type exactly, but even the little I overheard terrified me, to the point I started to think death might be our only way to escape.”
She lifted her gaze to the hills in the distance. She hadn’t meant to mention the last part, she really hadn’t. So much for keeping this lighter for their picnic.
Trahern squeezed her hand and stated, “But you’re here now, Grace. You and Eddie and Eli.”
She looked at her sons and smiled. “We are.” Her eyes moved to Trahern’s. “When I thought I was going to die in childbirth, all I wanted to do was live. To be with my sons and love them the way I’d always wanted to be loved as a child. And you made that happen with your magical serum, Trahern. Thank you.”