Queen of Summer's Ice (Book 2)

Chapter 43

     There, the tiger was tamed. And our travels into Spring started once again.

***

     It took another week of travel before we were even close to the Spring castle, and each day we got closer brought a tighter knot of nerves in my stomach. Every morning I stepped away from the group while they still slept and threw up. Without my powers my morning sickness and hormones were worse than when I was carrying twins. Oh lands - unless this time I'm carrying triplets?

     I thought long and hard about it, and ruled it out. I was pregnant with one child only, and this time around I felt every pain and motion sickness on high alert. How do regular women handle this with such ease, it was practically unbearable. Nevertheless I kept it all to myself. Every horrible feeling, every morning sickness, every sign that told Clovis, and possibly anyone watching us travel, that I was pregnant.

     Well, as to myself as I could. Alagan or Aunt Palma just so happened to be awake each time I came back to bed to hand me some water, or suggested that we take a break from riding each time I looked ill. They were keeping their promise to Ray, that was certain.

     One night when it was Alagan's turn to make sure I was holding up, I was taking to long away from the group that he came to follow me. I hadn't been doing anything, except admiring the view of spring. The land was beautiful, not the same beauty I had when I went to summer or winter, but it was different.

     "Are you okay?" My brother asked in a low voice.

     "Yeah, yeah, I just can't sleep."

     "Nerves, or something else?"

     "They go hand in hand at this point."

     Alagan sighed as he sat down next to me. There was enough room for the both of us to sit close to each other as we were surrounded by the spring trees and vines. We stayed silent for a while, which we did a lot here. I couldn't really ask him about how he was feeling getting ready to take his throne back, and he couldn't ask me about the pregnancy. But there were other things I could ask my brother.

     "I've been meaning to ask you."

     "Ask me what?"

     "Well, how come you and Zinnia didn't have this grand goodbye? Or any goodbye, really."

     Alagan looked down at the grass. "It's not a secret I find her beautiful."

     "Obviously, anyone with eyes can see that. And even if they didn't, they can tell by her personality that she is. I mean, past the attitude she displays a good half of the time."

     "Oh no, I think that's my favorite part about her."

     "What?" I said in misbelief. When I looked at my brothers face he had a hint of a smile on his tan skin.

    "Yeah, I find that to be her strongest asset."

     "Alagan, I have known her for years, she was one of the first people in summer that I met and I love her dearly. She's strong, but underneath all that she's as vulnerable as anyone else. I'm telling you this because I want nothing but the world for her, don't use her."

     He looked at me as if he was shocked I would even think that. "I would never do that. To her or anyone else in that way. She knows the status of where we stand with one another and she feels the same way."

     "And what is that exactly?"

     "That I... don't have to tell you."

     I had to cover my laugh. Lands, he was annoying. "No! Tell me, I need to know if family gatherings are going to be weirder than they already are."