Page 55 of The Dragon King's Pregnant Mate
The words echo off ancient stones as morning light spills through the broken ceiling, turning frost and flame to diamonds in the winter air.
Chapter 26 - Arvoren
The light falls differently in these chambers now.
I carry Calliope up the winding stair, her head tucked beneath my chin, her breath warm against my neck. My muscles ache from battle, but she weighs nothing to my dragon's strength. Never has. Steam rises where my boots touch stone—I can't quite keep my inner fire contained, not with her pressed so close, not after everything we've fought through to reach this moment.
"I can walk," she murmurs, though her fingers tighten in my cloak.
"Let me have this." I breathe in her scent—crisp sweetness beneath the lingering smoke of battle. "Let me bring you home properly."
Home. The word catches in my throat like smoke. This was once her prison, these halls witness to my desperate attempts to possess what could never truly be caged. Now she returns as Queen, as my equal, carrying our child beneath her heart. The changes in me feel as monumental as the changes in her.
When we reach our chambers—ourchambers, truly ours now—I shoulder open the heavy door. The room looks different too, though nothing has physically changed. Moonlight spills through tall windows, catching on frost patterns that spread across the glass at Calliope's presence. The massive bed still dominates the space, its curtains drawn back to reveal fresh linens. Someone—probably the servants who remained loyal—lit the fire and left food on the side table.
I lay her on the bed with infinite care. She sinks into the softness with a sigh that makes my heart clench. How long since she's slept somewhere truly safe? How many nights did she spend freezing in the wilderness while I searched, or trapped in my brother's cursed tower while he plotted to steal our child?
"You're brooding." Calliope's voice draws me back. Her hand comes up to touch my face, fingers tracing the new scars there. "I can feel it."
"I should have found you sooner." The words burn like acid. "Should have protected you better—"
"Shh." Calliope tugs me down beside her, and I go willingly, gathering her close. "We're here now. We're safe."
I feel it through our bond—that pulse of magic that grows stronger each day in impossible harmony with mine. My hand splays across her stomach, marveling at the miracle we've created together.
"I can't believe it sometimes," I murmur into her hair. “That you're truly carrying my child. That you chose to keep them, even after everything…"
"They'reours." Her voice holds certainty that steals my breath. "Not a bargaining chip or a weapon. Not a tool for power. Just ours to love."
Love. Such a simple word for something that burns like dragon-fire in my blood. I remember how it felt when she first fled—the desperate possession that drove me to hunt her across the continent. Now that same fierce need has transformed into something deeper, something that makes me want to be worthy of her trust. Of both of them.
A knock at the door makes me tense, scales rippling beneath my skin. But he speaks my name, and it's only Darian. My oldest friend survived Ulric's dungeons with his loyalty intact.
He doesn’t come in, just speaks through the door.
"The city is secure, my king." His voice carries the weight of his steadfast service. "The remaining supporters of…of your brother have surrendered or fled. The other Lords will surely send word of their renewed allegiance, upon your return.”
Of course they will. Vultures, circling back now that they see which way the wind blows. But those battles can wait. Right now, nothing matters except the woman in my arms, the child growing within her, the future we might build together.
"Thank you, old friend." I don't take my eyes off Calliope as she drifts toward sleep. "Post guards, but otherwise…let us rest."
Darian withdraws silently, and we're alone again. I should sleep, too—the battle has drained even my enhanced strength. But I can't stop watching her, can't quite believe she's really here. That she chose to return, chose to trust me with her heart, with our child's future.
The firelight paints her skin gold, catching on the silver threads in her dark hair. Even exhausted, she's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I trace the line of her jaw, the curve of her throat, memorizing her all over again. Her magic responds to my touch, frost patterns delicately spiraling across the sheets.
I used to fear that power in her. Used to think I needed to contain it, control it, keep it safely caged. Now I see how wrong I was. She's strongest when she's free—we both are. Together we toppled my brother's forces, united ancient enemies, reclaimed our throne. Together we might reshape this kingdom into something worthy of our child's inheritance.
The thought of fatherhood still terrifies me. What do I know of gentle things, of nurturing new life? My own parents died when I was young, leaving only lessons in power and control. But when I feel our child's magic pulse beneath my palm, when I imagine teaching them to fly, to love, to rule with wisdom rather than fear…I want to be better. For them. For her.
Calliope shifts in her sleep, pressing closer to my warmth. Through our bond, I feel her contentment, her bone-deep relief at finally being somewhere safe. The winter storm that has followed her for months gentles to soft snowfall outside our windows. Even in sleep, she trusts me to protect her, to keep them both secure while they rest.
I will not waste this second chance. Will not let my need to possess overcome my desire to love, to support, to protect while still allowing freedom. She is not a bird to be caged, but a queen to rule beside me, a mother to nurture our child, a partner to face whatever challenges still lie ahead.
"I will love you forever," I whisper into her hair, though she's too deeply asleep to hear. "Both of you. All my life, I swear it.”
The words feel inadequate, but they're all I have to offer besides my heart, my strength, my very breath. Tomorrow, we begin rebuilding—our relationship, our kingdom, our future. But for now, I hold everything that matters in my arms.
The fire burns low as night deepens. Outside, the city sleeps, snow falling gentle as a blessing. And here in our chambers, finally home where we belong, I keep watch over my wife and child until dawn streaks the sky with shades of silver and gold.