I very much like him bigger, especially as he’s also nestier. He seems to change out the nest he built in the largest quarters on the star flyer on an almost daily basis. I’m sure our hold is packed with nothing but nest materials. In fact, the thoughtbond tells me he’s just finished ‘making some final touches’ to his latest masterpiece.
We descend through the clouds following the co-ordinates we’ve been given, passing great mountain ranges and coming in over what is either a huge lake or an inland sea. Maxym pilots the flyer and lands where we’ve been directed as a massive Sarkarnii in his dragon form flies over us.
“I’ve asked them if they’ve been able to track down Klynn,” Maxym says.
Ever since the Sarkarnii routed the Bogarok and the Varangy from Tatatunga, no one has set eyes on Klynn. He might be a ‘vrexer’ according to Maxym, but he still cares about him in a way I think even he doesn’t quite understand. His other fellow Gryn gladiators are settled with their mates, but he somehow feels responsible for Klynn.
I’m inclined to agree with him, and given the only ship which got away was a Varangy, I can understand his fear. Klynn may have ended up in a worse situation than as a gladiator in the dome.
“If this mapping system they have is as good as they claim, maybe they can,” I say, giving his arm a supportive squeeze.
And at the same time, my stomach cramps. I drop the remains of my pastry and wrap my arms around myself.
“Little scrap?” Maxym feels my pain down the bond. “What is it?”
Almost as quick as the pain hit me, it has gone, but I’m left with a residual ache in my back I can’t ignore.
“The baby. I think he’s coming,” I say as calmly as I can, doing my level best to hide my terror through the bond.
“It is?” Maxym rises, with me in his arms. “It really is?”
“Yes, I think it’s finally time,” I say as my attempts to block him are rebuffed.
I am here for you, every step of the way, my eregri. Maxym tells me.No matter what.
And I know, I am never going to have to hide anything, from anyone, ever again.
