Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Blinding

"Okay then, Fen," I announced after our tutoring session. "I want you to finish practicing your letters, and then you are free to go."

Fen got straight to work as I stood up and stretched out my back. With Murtagh installing windows with Thorn's help, I could sneak out to the field and start up a berry patch. I wrapped the bag full of berry seeds I had received from the berry vendor and left the treehouse.

I walked along a small path that was slowly being formed, towards the field where I planned to grow our food. Humming an elvan tune underneath my breath, came to a stop in front of the large field.

Alethea had let out some energy by tearing up the field with her claws and tails, thus tilling the ground for us. She had done a pretty good job considering the amount of soil that was disturbed.

I took out the first of many pouches and use my magic to make a row of berry bushes. I did the same with the rest of the bags, creating two lines of seeds. Satisfied with the rows, I covered the seeds with dirt and conjured water to wet the soil.

"What was that spell he said would make them sprout?" I muttered to myself. I swear this pregnancy is slowing everything but my bladder down. After taking a couple minute to recall the spell, I finally remember the words.

The key was to use slight magic and your voice to coerce the seeds to sprout and grow big. With a gentle voice, I sang a short song to the seeds. Nothing happened.

"What do you think you are doing?" I spun around to see Murtagh standing behind me with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing?" I answered as the sound of something moving erupted behind me. Turning back around, I found two neat rows of berry bushes. "huh, so it does work."

"I thought you promised not to cast any magic," Murtagh asked gruffly as he lumbered up next to me. I looked at him with my own eyebrow raised.

"I made no such promise!" I defended myself. "besides, I only used a little bit of magic, it wasn't even a complete spell."

Murtagh sighed, most likely figuring out he was fighting a losing battle. He wrapped his arms around my midsection and grasped onto my growing stomach.

"Are those berry bushes?" He asked as he rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Mhm," I responded. "the berry vendor gave me a bunch of seeds to start our own bushes. Those bushes alone are going to be what keeps Fen here night and day."

"Doesn't she already?" Murtagh teased. "I swear you two spend more time together than you do with me."

"Jealous?" I taunted over my shoulder.

"Of you two?" Murtagh asked. "Absolutely."

"I hate to break it to you, my love," I teased him, placing my palm on his cheek. "but in a few moon cycles you are going to have to share me even more."

"I better get the nursery done then," Murtagh said, shifting his hold on me, so he was slowly pushing me towards out massive treehouse. I let him guide me back towards our house as tiredness overcame me. "Tired?"

"Could use a nap," I replied with a drowsy yawn.

"You're in luck," Murtagh said. "the mattress you love so much was just delivered."

"Really?" I asked, perking up some as we neared the grand porch that had been constructed thanks to the maples grandeur imagination. We walked up the ornately carve front steps and entered the house.

Fen had moved out of the dining room and into the brightly lit foyer where she was drawing. We passed her and continued through the room until we entered the hallway that the spiral staircase was located.

The banister of the stairs was carved with depictions of Dragon and their Rider's, a theme that was reoccurring throughout the treehouse itself.

"It really had fun designing the house, didn't it," Murtagh muttered as we reached the top of the stairs and headed for the back of the house.

"Can you blame it?" I replied. "These woods haven't been touched in centuries, the trees were getting bored."

Walking to the end of the hall, I saw the ornately carved doors that led to our bedroom. Beyond them, was our bed now adorned with the glorious feather-filled mattress I had been drooling over the past few weeks.

"Sweet merciful gods." I moaned as I flattened, or at least tried to, myself against the softness.

"Hey!" I blinked an eye open to look up at a scowling Murtagh. "Those moans are reserved for me and me only."

I huffed at him and snuggled farther into the mattress.

"Don't be jealous."