🐲 Dragon and Phoenix (Path of Light and Fire Book #2) (Completed) 🐲

NSP 6: Saita Lives

Kaita awoke from her nap, feeling like a thousand horses had trotted along her back. They'd fled from Sweoti as fast as riding double would allow. She was not sure if Takuya still pursued them, but they were not moving from this thicket for at least a few days, now that Kianna had given birth to the twins. You couldn't simply give birth and ride away on horseback right after.

The noon sunlight shined in Kaita's eyes, producing three versions of Kianna's brown face in her vision.

"I should apologize to you," Kianna said. Her eyes were downcast and her cheeks flushed.

"For what?" Kaita asked.

"I took something that belongs to you."

Kaita touched Kianna on the shoulder. Sabin had mentioned that the woman's memories might come back, but she did not expect an apology from her. Kianna didn't owe her anything, yet it was kind of the woman to do so.

Kaita smiled and sighed. "You didn't take it; it never belonged to me."

Kianna raised her eyebrow. "Are we talking about your hunting knife?"

Kaita's heart caught in her throat.

Oh, Schewa, I just forgave this woman for nothing.

"I used it to do a more precise cut of the babies' umbilical cords while you slept," Kianna continued. She thrust the blade to Kaita, hilt first. "I cleaned it, of course."

Kaita slid her knife back into her sheath, heat climbing up her cheeks. "Well, it's fine is all I was trying to say. What's a knife between friends?"

"We are more than friends," Kianna said. "After what you've done for me, I should call you sister. How does Sister Kaita sound?"

Kaita laughed. "Only if I can call you Sister Kianna."

She stared at the two babies wrapped in the remains of her brown cloak, snuggled next to the hero horse that saved them from Takuya. It wasn't the most sanitary, but it was the only place they would sleep for extended periods. The horse took such care with the babies, she was partly convinced it thought of them as its own.

Kianna eased next to Kaita, placing her hand on Kaita's lap. "You name the boy," she said.

Kaita turned towards the Feral witch. "This is a great honor, but I couldn't impose."

Kianna tapped her on the leg. "Nonsense, Sister Kaita. Where I'm from, women don't raise boys. I have several names I can think to name the girl, but I'm at a loss when it comes to the boy. If you don't want-"

"No, I'm honored," Kaita interrupted. She looked away, thoughts of her childhood in Acadia coming to the surface. "In my homeland it is common to fuse the names of the parents into one for the child. There was a man I thought I'd marry and I often combined our names into different ways to name our future sons."

Kianna looked Kaita in the eyes, lines creasing her forehead. "What happened to him?"

Kaita sighed. "He didn't die, he just found someone else."

"Well, I say it's his loss," Kianna said, rubbing Kaita on the back. "A man would have to be insane to leave you for another."

Kaita laughed. She laughed until her chest hurt, doubling over and lying on the ground.

"Did I say something odd?" Kianna said, pulling at her hair.

It was a few moments before Kaita regained enough composure to respond. She breathed deeply and shook her head, wiping tears from the corner of her eyes. "No, it's just that- I'm happy I met you, Kianna"