Seer's Hope (Book 1 of The Seer Trilogy)

Seer's Hope (Chapter 13)

Seer's Hope

By Maree Anderson

Chapter Thirteen

Hope folded like a damp rag. Before Roban could react, Dayamar moved lightning fast, scooping her up and laying her gently on the floor. "See to Treya, Johan," Dayamar said. "I promise you Sehan Hope will be all right."

Roban clenched his fists, his body straining with the need to do something—anything. But when Johan gasped, Roban tore his worried gaze from the young Sehan to check on Treya.

Instead of a weary, pain-wracked woman, hovering at death's door, he saw a healthy-looking female who merely seemed to be sleeping. Her breathing had strengthened and her color was good. In fact, she practically glowed. The relief he felt was so immense he had to lock his muscles to keep himself upright.

Her eyelids fluttered, and when they opened, her gaze was lucid. And determined. Brow creased with effort, she bore down, and began to push.

"Gods!" Johan snatched a couple of quick breaths. "That's it, Treya. You're nearly there. The baby's crowning."

Roban could not look away. Some unknown force held him captive, compelling him to bear witness.

Treya grit her teeth and rallied for another tremendous push. Johan gently assisted the baby's head to turn to the side. A final push, and then Treya's baby slithered out in a rush.

"It's a boy!" the healer announced.

But the baby was silent and limp. Roban held his breath until he saw stars, while Johan held the little one by his ankles and administered a smart tap on his backside. The healer was rewarded with a lusty wail of outrage. He checked the baby's vital signs, wrapped him in a soft cloth and handed him to the nearest able person....

Roban.

"But—" Roban's half-hearted protest was ignored while the healer focused on the newborn's mother, and delivering the afterbirth.

Roban had never been present at a birth before. He'd imagined the process to be painful, messy, and not in any way, shape or form, a spectator sport. What he'd just witnessed didn't change his mind one iota. But as he examined the squalling, red-faced bundle of baby in his arms, he knew in the depths of his soul he'd witnessed a miracle.

His hands shook as he unwrapped the swaddling cloth. He marveled at the perfection of the little body. Tiny fingers and toes, wrinkled skin.... Treya's infant son was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

The baby stopped wailing, opened his eyes, and gurgled. And Roban was smitten.

"Johan, how is our patient?" Dayamar asked. "She looks very well to me."

Treya surprised them all by speaking for herself. "I'm fine, Dayamar. Really. My baby? Is he all right?"

"Roban!"

Johan's bark startled man and baby both. The baby whimpered, tiny bowed lips quivering. Roban soothed the infant and spared a glare for the healer.

"Stop cooing over him and bring him to his mother. She's done all the hard work. She deserves the cuddling, not you." Now the drama was over, Johan's biting wit was firmly back in place.

"Johan?" Treya's voice sounded thready and small, and the healer's attention snapped back to her. "I don't know how, but I think Hope helped my baby to be born. How could she do that?"

"Don't worry about that for now." Johan helped her sit up and tucked a blanket around her. "All that matters is that you have a healthy son." He clicked his fingers at Roban.