Señora Boh took one look at her and signaled to Cage. "Come. Bring your mate. Let's see if we can talk your new little warriors into staying put a bit longer."
Uh-oh. The midwife had totally avoided the question and that air of calm that she usually pervaded was uncomfortably absent. She was all business now. Not good. The aches tugging at her from the inside out were nothing compared to the one in her heart. If anything went wrong, if her babies.... well, she was going to fuck that Black Witch's life right up.
Cage shifted into his dragon form and flew out to the treehouse, their sanctuary. Señora Boh followed behind like a weird flying nun. Another sharp pain shook Azy's body just as Cage set her down in the bed. He shifted and crawled in with her, sitting behind her and wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into his chest drawing on his warmth.
He cradled her, nuzzling her neck, doing his best to keep the fear out of his own voice. Azy heard and recognized it."My heart, I love you. No matter what. You're mine and you're going to be fine. Okay?"
More pain shot through her and she grabbed Cage's shirt, pressing her face back into his shoulder. "I'm scared, Cage."
"Now, now. There's no need to get crazy, you two. We're not going to let anything happen." The midwife crossed the room and placed her hands on Azy's belly. A white light, like the ones her babies had produced in defense against the Black Witch emanated from her hands and soaked into her skin.
The babies wiggled and a huge sense of relief washed over Azy that they were alive and kicking. It was the only thing that kept her from screaming when the next pain pulsed across her midsection. Azy gasped, the agony of it stealing her breath away. This one was the worst yet. The midwife closed her eyes, concentrating and the white light grew, surrounding them, pushing its way into her. It burned, so hot until she was covered in sweat and her vision tunneled. A ringing grew in her ears and her skin tingled like a thousand needles were skimming up and down, pricking, poking.
"Azy, hold on, baby." She could hear his frantic tone, but barely understood his words. "Stay with me. Stay, my love."
Where did he think she was going?Cage's voice disappeared into a whisper coming from someplace very far away. His arms were still around her, but his touch felt like nothing more than a feather. All she could see, hear, and feel was the light.
"Señora, save her. If she dies--"
Azy didn't hear the rest of what Cage had to say. The light was so loud, or maybe that was something else rushing through her ears. It did have a whoosh whoosh sound. Plus, that voice. Not Cage's, not Señora Boh's, yet someone she knew was calling her.
"Azynsa," the soothing voice sing-songed her name. It was so familiar, like a long lost friend. Someone she missed and hadn't seen in a long time. "Just where do you think you're going?"
Azy couldn't feel her body, didn't understand if her mouth was moving producing words or if it was her thoughts."I, uh, I don't know. I don't want to go anywhere."
"Then don't, silly fish." The form of a beautiful woman and an extremely good-looking but fierce young man wavered on the edge of Azy's vision. "You need to help bring us back into the world."
The name calling came off more like a term of endearment from them. How did she know this couple? She certainly didn't know anything about bringing anyone back to life. She wasn't a witch, good or bad. She was just a girl from the south side of Chicago with a mermaid for a mother."I do? I don't think you have the right person. I do know a few witches, maybe they can help."
The woman smiled and shook her head while the man remained very stoic, reminding her of Cage when they'd first met. A sadness emanated from them both. For the first time a deep male voice permeated into Azy's head. "No, you and Cage are the Gold Wyvern. You're chosen. You're the only ones who can make the hard choices to come. She's been hidden away for far too long. They can't protect her any longer and It's time for me to rejoin the battle."
Damn, she should know who these people were. The woman's identity was a smidgen out of reach, on the tip of her tongue, on the edge of her peripheral vision. There was an incredibly familiar feeling about them both. Like someone she'd known for a long time, like family. Which didn't make sense. Azy didn't understand much about families. She'd only ever had her dad. "Who are you? Do we know each other?"
That question made the woman's sad smile turn into a bright happiness and the young man glow with a colorful aura around him. "You'll see soon enough."
Together, they wrapped Azy into their soft but strong energy, like an ethereal hug."I'm sorry we've put you through so much stress these past few months, but we had to hurry so that Ereshkigal and Jara didn't have time to sense us and figure out our plans. You've been so strong. I know you can be for just a little longer."
Whoa. Did this woman know more about what was going on than the rest of them? Maybe she could get some intel from her to bring back to Cage. Not that she understood where she was at the moment or how to get to Cage. She only knew she needed to. She'd had some other weird experiences since her life had become intertwined with the dragons and every time her bond with Cage, had pulled them through. She had no doubt, only complete faith that it would again. "Ereshkigal was just here. Did she do this to me?"
The couple's form faded a bit and they retreated."No. We did and I'm so sorry. I promise it won't be for much longer, but you have to hold onto the Gold Wyvern, let him anchor you to the world. He's the one who can pull the Wyrs together. The combined power of all six is more than any Wyr individually. It's the only way to defeat the black magic of the witch and... the dragon."
Cage. Yes. He was her anchor. Azy pictured him in her mind and the white light surrounding her turned gold around the edges. Gold like Cage's scales. The pain in her belly started to fadeuntil every last little twinge was gone, and Azy opened her eyes.
"Azynsa? My love. Holy shit, don't ever do that to me again." Cage looked down at her, his eyes swirling with the gold of his dragon, fear, relief, and love shining in them.
"I'm not going anywhere," she croaked out. They had work to do. Together. Some important people were coming.
Señora Boh wiped a strand of hair from her sweaty brow. There was more worry on the midwife's face than Azy expected. “Azynsa, listen to me. The babies are in distress. I need to help them get into the world, now. If I do not, they will die.”
Time stopped, the air froze, and the sunlight faded from the room, but just for a second. Everything was going to be okay. “I - I think they're ready.”
She touched her hand to Azy's belly again looked to both her and Cage.“Yes, they are. But they won’t let me help them. Such little warriors they already are. They are each trying to protect the other, but it’s keeping them from joining our world.”
Azy reached out her hand and Cage caught it up immediately, lending her his strength. She met his eyes and took a deep breath, making the hard decision and trying to tell him with her calm tone that everything would be all right."Cut me open to get them out. Babies are born by Cesarean all the time. I’ll heal.”
Cage growled but didn't say no. He knew they would have to make this sacrifice too.
“No, we don’t need to cut you. I can bring them out with magic. But they have to allow me to do it. The two of you need to be shining lights for them. They know you, but there is a dark force in this world trying to keep them from being born and they know it.”
