Two Thousand Years | The Empire Saga #1

Chapter Thirty-Three

The first breath was the most painful, and Alex found herself gasping as her life returned to her body. Her eyes still stung from tears, and she coughed as her chest heaved, her lungs struggling with each sharp intake of air.

Treyan was immediately by her side, helping her sit while yelling for someone—anyone—to get her a glass of water. The cup was brought, and she drank it down readily between deep breaths as she tried to calm her now-beating heart.

When she appeared to be stable, Treyan wrapped his arms around her as sobs sent spasms through his body. Her own tears matched his as they remained within their embrace, and neither noticed the shock that overcame the Councillor and the healer as they stood silently, observing the Empress who had returned from the dead.

Coming back to his senses, the Councillor cleared his throat, causing them to break their hug. Motioning to the Empress, Treyan nodded and stepped aside to allow him access to the bedside. The healer acted as though she had seen a ghost, Alex surmised, as she placed a gentle hand to her neck, her head, her chest and her abdomen as though to check her vital signs. When all seemed well with both Alex and the babies, she bowed and escorted herself out, casting a glance toward the Councillor that he should do the same to give the newlyweds some much-needed privacy. Questions, they assumed, would come at another time.

They continued to hold each other close in peaceful silence as tears of relief and happiness fell. Eventually, she looked up to him.

"Treyan?"

"Hmm?"

"We are going to make this right."

He looked at her, and she felt the same connection she had the first night they met.

"And we're going to do it together," he promised.

She nodded.

He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, a true kiss as if to confirm his commitment.

"Oh!" She jumped away from him in surprise.

Treyan began to panic. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

She chuckled to herself. "No, not at all."

Taking his hand, she brought it to her belly and allowed him to intimately touch her for the first time since her return. Once his hand applied the slightest amount of pressure to her abdomen, Treyan was able to feel the babies move within her.

Pride and joy overcame him as he held his wife in his arms, and the sadness and pain from the past seemed to melt away.

"Alex," he said softly, his voice hoarse. "I'm sorry. About what I suggested...what I wanted you to do."

She merely shook her head. Now wasn't the time for that either, she decided as she clung to him tighter.

As she snuggled into him, Treyan glanced down at her, and he gently brushed her hair away from her forehead as something caught his eye.

"What's that?" he asked as he ran his thumb lightly over her skin.

"What's what?" She practically crossed her eyes trying to look up at his finger.

"Hold on." He got up to rummage through one of the infirmary's cabinets and brought back a small hand mirror.

Moving her hair aside, she saw upon her forehead, right in the middle above her brows, a light red starburst, similar to a healed burn.

It was in the exact spot where Saratanya kissed her.

"The Light of the Empire." She couldn't help but chuckle in amazement.

"What did you say?" Treyan asked from behind the mirror.

She smiled up at her husband.

"Your mother says 'hi.'"