Wild Magic Three: The Shade of the Earth- a M/M fantasy shifter romance

11- Honeysuckle and Horse

SAMI—

I thought long and hard on Silvia's words to Sera over the next few days, and I watched my mate closer than ever. Was he like what Silvia had said— I wasn't what he was expecting in a mate, so he would be confused and have his body sneak up on him? Was there anything I could do to help his confusion, or should I continue as I had— proving my worth and showing him I was his when he wanted me, but otherwise letting him go at his own pace?

He was darned pretty, my mate. Small green eyes that never stopped looking like trouble, 'specially when he teased that damn wolf, lips I wanted to know the taste of. And a body that promised to bring pleasure and a rough hand. Goddess, I wanted those rough fingers. My mate was all of that, and more, and maybe if I continued to be patient, he would choose me. He would move past what shamed him and claim me.

Silvia let me be by her side when Honeysuckle the mare had her cub— a foal, Silvia told me a horse cub was called— and she even said I could name the new baby. She woke me from my mate's bed and dragged me, sleepy and almost naked, through the keep in the middle of the night. My mate followed, far behind and grumbly, growly, as we went into the barn, but Silvia ignored him and my nakedness, except for a loincloth— my mate made me wear them to bed even though I hated them and they were scratchy— and had me help her with the mare's breathing, helping to turn the baby in her belly, and holding her big head in my lap as she brayed and pushed out the baby.

The foal came out in a sticky mess and Robert wrinkled his nose like he smelled something bad, but I was fascinated and awed. It was amazing, watching a baby feeling the ground for the first time, smelling the hay and the humans around her and her mama for the first time. Goddess, I hoped Silvia let me help her with the other animals in the keep when their broods came.

"She's beautiful, Sami," Silvia said with a smile, wiping her wet hands on a cloth Robert handed her as Honeysuckle licked at her cub—her foal, I reminded myself. "What do you want to name her?"

"Horse," I answered, looking up at Silvia and smiling. She gave me a funny look— maybe a little confused, a little laughing, but I looked back at Honeysuckle and Horse and watched in wonder as the mama licked all of the blood and mucus from the baby's body, leaving her clean and happy. Horse made little whiny horse noises, and I had to hold myself back from jumping up and down in excitement, knowing it might frighten both foal and mama.

"Horse," Silvia repeated, and I nodded, still not wanting to look away. "You want... Gods, I guess it's my fault for asking you to name her. Very well. Welcome to the world, Horse."

ROBERT—

I laughed the entire way back to my room as Sami nearly floated through the halls. Horse. He had named the foal Horse. And gods, Silvia's face. I thought she would explode, trying to hold back the disbelief and arguments against the name. But she held herself back, though I swore I saw a vein in her forehead pop with her restraint.

"That was amazing, mate," Sami crowed, talking more than I'd ever heard him before. "Honeysuckle just pushed Horse out and she just kinda fell out and she was all new'n pretty'n shiny, and her legs! And she was pretty, weren't she? Did'ya know, mate, Silvia said I could name the new hound too? I don't much like dogs, really, but I'm sure a dog cub— a puppy, Silvia said they're called. Hey Robert, why is there a different name for different baby animals? Why can't they all just have one name? I think cub is the perfect name. Not pup like the wolf says—"

"You've gotta start calling him Edon, Sami. Even 'prince-consort' would be better than 'the wolf.' It's disrespectful."

Sami ignored me and continued to crow about the upcoming birth of the puppies to the bitch in the kennels as he led the way back to my room. We only had a few hours to sleep before I had to wake to head over to the training yards, but I knew it was highly unlikely I'd be able to go back to sleep. Sami was far too hyper and excitable.