Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Seventy: Blinding

With my eyes glued to the floor, I reached back and slowly untied the loose bow that kept my dress secured against my body. With my overdress loose, I pulled it over my head and dropped it to the floor.

That left me standing in front of him in a very big, maternity undergown. With our eyes connected, I slowly undid the buttons on the front until I reached the last one. My finger gripped the undergown, they were the only reason it was still on my body.

One last sigh escaped my lips before I released the fabric. The under gown slipped off my body and pooled at my feet. Standing naked, in a post-labor body, I shifted on my feet in front of Murtagh, unsure of what to do next.

"That wasn't so hard, now was it," Murtagh said as he gently pulled me over to the bath. I huffed at him before gripping his arm as I stepped into the tub. Ever so carefully, I lowered myself down into the water with a groan of relief.

It was near-instant relief from the uncomfortable wetness that clung to the insides of my thighs. Murtagh knelt down next to the tub and took my shaking hand. He started to mutter words of healing, seconds later, his mark lit up, and the pain and discomfort melted away from my body.

"You didn't have to so that," I murmured quietly as I rotated my head to look at him. Murtagh's grey eyes met mine before he leaned in and kissed my forehead.

"You just gave me the greatest gift any man could ever ask for," Murtagh told me, brushing my sweaty hair away from my face. "there isn't anything in the world I can do to compete with that. Now let's get you cleaned up."

With Murtagh helping, I was able to wash all of the blood, amniotic fluid, and sweat from my body as well as rinse my hair in less than ten minutes. Murtagh retrieved a nightgown from our dresser and helped me into it before letting me use him as a crutch to walk back into the bedroom. Upon entering the bedroom, we came to a stop at the sound of Fen's voice.

Lullaby and goodnight,

With roses bedight,

With lilies o'er spread

Is baby's wee bed.

Lay thee down now and rest,

May thy slumber be blessed...

Fen was singing to the baby as Yirlitá rocked her and ran a glowing hand over her tiny body. Just from the rush of magic in the room, I could tell that the healer was already placing protective wards on my child.

Murtagh immediately tucked me into our giant bed, propping my back up with copious amounts of pillows as Fen continued to sing.

"Tis the voice of an angel," Yirlitá said with a soft smile. Fen beamed at her as the healer got to her feet. "now then, Shur'tugal, I think you wish to hold your babe?"

I reached out for my daughter, and Yirlitá complied, placing my child in my arms. Fen's singing seemed to have put her to sleep, as when I tucked my daughter close to my chest, her eyes were closed, and she breathed rhythmically.

"What are you going to name her?" Fen asked as she climbed onto the bed and laid on her stomach. I looked up at Murtagh, once again, we failed to discuss names for our child.

"There isn't a name you could choose that I would not like, Mal," Murtagh said unhelpfully.

"So if I named her Yilba... you would be perfectly fine with that?" I probed, trying to get a rise out of him. He closed his eyes. Most likely he was counting backward from ten.