Laura stood next to Donovan as they lit the row of pallets on fire. Bodies lined them, wrapped from head to toe in white, frozen in time by the frigid winter air. Many loved ones had been lost, but so many had been saved.
In front of her was Allen’s small form next to the other warriors lit up in a fiery red glow. They were all being purified by flames and lifted to the sky. Laura looked up at the twinkeling stars hoping that Allen became his very own star that would shine down on the world. Two weeks had passed since she’d been first rescued and reunited with Donovan. Their love blossomed more and more every day. She supposed, even as a child she’d somehow known they were soulmates but could never truly listen to her gut instinct enough to believe it. She believed it now and she’d accepted his proposal. Things would be okay.
Laura pressed a hand to her abdomen.
“Ellen is doing well,” Donovan said as he wrapped a strong arm around her.
Ellen was still on bedrest but her fever had broken and she appeared to be infection free. She was even able to breastfeed the twin redheads.
“Not well enough for Marcus’ liking,” she laughed. The man had been the babies mother and father for the week since Laura had ordered that the only reason Ellen should leave the bed was to use the chamber pot. The grumpy man did his best to clean the room and keep the two rambunctious babies calm so that their mother could rest. But, on more than one occasion she saw the smile that lifted his tired face when he held the sleeping bundles in his arms.
“No I suppose not.”
The man next to her was a wonderful leader even if he was a bit rough around the edges. Donovan had explained to her when they spoke about all the things bothering her that he’d had her father tattooed. Her father was now marked as one of them even though he didn’t have powers. Laura understood Donovan’s reasoning and it was the perfect justice. He would be alone now, and that made her a little sad but the man had done it to himself. He now had to live with the prejudice he’d cast on to countless other people. He would feel how it truly felt to be hated because of that. Her father had run Donovan off as a child, but she’d managed to find him again. Donovan tightened his grip and she leaned her head against him as they Maybe with time, her father would realize the error of his ways and they could repair the shattered bond. She suspected that her father was staying in the hunting cabin now. For now, though, reconciliation was a long way off.
They watched the sorrowful scene before them. He tilted his head down and looked at her. “What’s wrong, love? Are you not feeling well?”
“I went to see Ellen earlier,” she said changing the subject...sort of.
“Oh?”
“She and I had a really good talk and she discovered something when she healed my face.”
“Was the bone fractured?” Concern mottled his features as he tilted her head up so he could examine her.
“No. She felt something strange.”
“Laura, what is it?”
“Two life forces.”
“Two?”
“Yes,” she took Donovan’s hand from her chin and pulled it to her stomach. “Two.”
“You’re with child? We are with child?” His face was hesitant as though he wasn’t sure if he understood correctly and didn’t want to be excited yet.
“Yes.”
He lifted her into his arms and spun in circles. She giggled softly, not wanting to disturb the people mourning. She’d wanted to announce it to him while they cremated Allen because she wanted Allen to hear. It was because of him that the child would have life.
“I cannot believe this.” He shook his head and kissed her deeply. “I am going to be a father!”
“Shh,” she touched a finger to his lips. “Don’t disrupt everyone. I’d like to wait a little longer before we tell everyone.”
“I don’t know if I can wait that long.” He set her back on her feet and pressed a hand to her stomach again. “It’s a boy...I just know it.”
“You do?”
“I do.” His smile grew soft. “And you know what?”
“What’s that, my lord?”
“I know just what we will name him.”
