Chapter 55

VALKYRIE

I clutch my belly, tears streaming down my face, as the chamber door slams open. Zar is holding me tight.

“What’s going on?” Michael’s voice is filled with shock as he sees the blood staining my thighs.

“Valkyrie’s pregnant. She needs help!” Zar’s voice is urgent.

“What?” Michael stammers, but then he seems to snap back to reality. “Let me see, Valkyrie,” he says, gently pulling back the bedsheets Zar had draped over me.

I wince as Michael’s hand presses against my abdomen. Sweat is pouring down my face and my breath comes in ragged gasps.

“Shit!” Michael swears loudly. He beckons Mia over and whispers something to her. I can’t focus on their words. The pain is too intense. I can feel myself growing weaker.

“You can heal, right?” Michael asks Zar.

“Yeah?” Zar’s brow furrows. “Need help?”

Michael nods. Zar gently lays me down and I let out a soft groan, my eyes squeezed shut.

I can hear Michael and Zar talking, but I tune them out. Slowly, I open my eyes and see a figure standing in the corner of the room.

I turn my head and see Dimitri. He looks lost, shocked, and pale.

My vision starts to blur and I see black spots.

“Valkyrie?” Zar’s voice is soft. He strokes my cheek gently as my eyelids start to droop. “Valkyrie, I need you to listen to me,” he says, his voice steady.

“Yeah?” My voice is barely a whisper.

“I need you to bend your knees. I need to check on you,” Zar says. I nod weakly.

As he lifts my legs, I close my eyes. My breathing is shallow.

I hear a rustling sound and open my eyes. Mia is bringing some things into the room with another woman. I want to ask who she is, but I don’t have the strength. All I see is Michael leading Dimitri out of the room.

***

I slowly move my hands, feeling the soft sheets beneath me. I blink my eyes open and wait for them to adjust to the light. I turn my head and see Zar sleeping next to me, his hand resting on my belly.

I smile faintly, trying to move, but decide against it. I don’t want to wake him. I glance towards the balcony and see that it’s morning.

“You awake?” Zar’s voice is rough with sleep.

“Mm-hmm,” I hum, my throat dry. I shift slightly and feel a twinge in my belly.

“Don’t move,” Zar says. I look up at him. He’s smiling, but he looks so tired.

We stay silent for a while. I close my eyes again and rest my head on his chest.

“What happened?” I finally ask. Zar doesn’t answer right away. I bite my lip, my hand shaking as I reach for his. He takes my hand and starts tracing small circles with his thumb.

“Zar?” I ask. “Did…”

I can’t finish the question. I choke on the words.

“You’re all okay,” Zar says quietly. I look up at him.

“Then why are you so quiet?” I ask, my voice filled with worry. Zar looks surprised, then he starts to laugh.

“You didn’t hear me, did you?” Zar chuckles.

“Hear what?” I ask, confused.

“Just relax, you can’t get stressed,” Zar says, leaning in to kiss my forehead. “You and the twins are safe. You just can’t move for a while.”

Wait, what did he just say?

I stare at Zar, stunned. My heart is pounding in my chest as I replay his words. Twins?

“Yes, Valkyrie, you’re having twins,” Zar says, still laughing. “They’re both strong.”

“But…the blood, what happened?” I ask, confused. I try to move and feel a sharp pain in my lower abdomen.

“Don’t!” Zar says sharply. “You can’t move. When I say don’t move, I mean it.”

I nod and stay still.

“You got hurt because of what happened with Dimitri. You have a huge bruise on your back and you almost miscarried. But the midwife who lives here in the palace, who’s also a witch, helped.

“The babies are strong, which helped too. After all, they’re royal blood,” Zar explains. “But you need to rest and stay in bed for at least two weeks.”

“What?” I say, surprised. “Two weeks?”

“Yes, you need to, and,” Zar’s eyes drift to our intertwined hands, “I need to stay with you.”

I give him a questioning look.

Zar sighs and smiles. He looks exhausted. His hair is a mess and there are dark circles under his eyes.

“We have a bond. As tamers, we can heal each other. The witch, Calandra, saw our marks and said that my healing powers helped you by easing the pain and helping the babies.

“I have to stay next to you… like this,” Zar says, raising an eyebrow and smiling.

“Really?” I murmur, looking away.

What the witch said makes sense. I feel a warmth coming from Zar that’s comforting. But something else is bothering me.

“D-Dimitri…,” I start, pulling my hand away from Zar’s.

“He’s been outside, Valkyrie,” Zar says with a sigh. “He’s been outside your door for the last five days.”

“Five days?” I exclaim.

I stare at Zar, my eyes wide with shock as the chamber doors swing open.

“Finally, you’re awake!” Dimitri exclaims. He drops to his knees, cradling his face in his hands, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. Michael crouches beside him, whispering something I can’t quite catch.

Mia, Damian, and Leo enter the room. Damian practically sprints to my side, dropping to his knees next to the bed. He takes my hand, bringing it to his lips for a gentle kiss. I can’t help but smile.

“You had me worried,” Damian murmurs, resting his cheek against my hand.

“I’m sorry…” I whisper, my smile still in place.

Damian peeks up at me from beneath his lashes, a wry smile on his face.

“I already gave him a good beating,” Damian grumbles, glancing over at Dimitri who’s still on his knees. Dimitri lifts his face, a sad smile on his lips.

I avert my eyes, my own smile turning wry. I glance at Leo, standing with his arms crossed and grinning, and Mia, who just sighs.

“We should get her something to eat,” Zar suggests, removing his hand from mine. “You need to stay put. I’ll call the midwife.”

“I already did,” Damian interjects, standing up. “She’s on her way.” Zar nods, giving me one last look.

“You should be okay for an hour. After that, we’ll get you some food, and then I’ll come back, okay?” Zar says, his smile warm and comforting.

“Yes, and thank you,” I whisper, watching as he and Mia leave the room.

Leo and Damian just stare at Dimitri.

“How are you feeling?” Michael asks, taking a seat near my feet.

“Sore and tired,” I admit, coughing. My throat feels parched.

“I’ll get you some water,” Leo offers.

“Listen, you were lucky nothing happened. Now that you know about the babies, which I’m sure Zar told you about, you need to be more careful than ever.

“Do you understand?” Michael’s tone is more fatherly than healer-like.

“Yes,” I respond, smiling.

“You’d better, my queen,” a sweet voice chimes in. I turn slowly to see a woman with raven-black hair and gray eyes entering my room.

She graces me with a kind smile as she shoos Michael away. Taking a seat, she places her hand on my belly.

I watch in awe as her eyes turn almost white and a small white light emits from her hands after a few seconds of silence. Her eyes return to their normal color, and she smiles at me.

“You and the babies will be fine. The bleeding was just a small warning. Not because this jerk here can’t treat a woman right,” the witch Calandra hisses.

I stare at her in complete shock, taken aback by her blunt words to Dimitri.

“Don’t worry, she’s an old friend,” Damian assures me through our mind-link. I nod and refocus my attention on Calandra.

“As you know, you need to rest for at least two weeks,” Calandra instructs. “I noticed you and Zar share the same tamer’s mark. Do you know why?”

“No?” I respond, frowning. “I don’t know. This is all new to me.”

“I see,” Calandra murmurs, her eyes moving to my chest. “I’ll look into that and let you know.” I smile at her in gratitude.

“Now,” Calandra suddenly says, her gaze hardening as she looks at Dimitri, “I think you two need to talk. But before I leave you alone, I have a question.”

“Yes?” I respond, already having a hunch about what she’s going to ask.

“Why did you hide it?” Calandra asks, her hand moving over my belly as she looks at me with concern. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me.

I bite my lip and place my hands over my belly, sighing. “I… I was scared,” I admit softly. “I’m not ready.”

“I see,” Calandra hums, her eyes meeting mine. “But why didn’t you tell him?”

I glance at Dimitri. He looks away.

“I… it was too sudden. I’m not ready at all. I don’t even know how I feel about him,” I confess, closing my eyes and gritting my teeth.

“Alright,” Calandra says, taking my clenched hand in hers. “Just breathe. Try not to stress. We’ll give you some space.”

With that, Calandra stands up, taking Damian by the arm and leading Leo out of the room. I watch as the doors close behind them.

I lean my head back, closing my eyes. This is all so uncomfortable. I feel the bed shift and open my eyes to see Dimitri, looking defeated, sitting next to me.

I just stare at him. His eyes are shadowed with dark circles, his hair is a mess, and he’s shirtless. It’s clear he hasn’t been sleeping.

My eyes roam over his body as I watch him in silence.

“I’m sorry,” Dimitri mumbles.

I continue to stare at him, my lips pressed into a thin line, my face devoid of emotion.

“I’m so, so sorry,” Dimitri repeats, reaching for my hand. His rough fingers gently stroke my delicate hand. I watch his movements.

I let him do as he pleases. Then, turning my head, I look out the window. A soft breeze stirs the curtains.

“Valkyrie, please say something,” Dimitri pleads. I glance at him. “I… Why didn’t you tell me?”

I turn my head to face him.

“Tell you?” I snap, my annoyance clear. “Didn’t you hear what I told the witch? I said I’m not ready, for fuck’s sake.

“I don’t even know what it feels like to have a mother’s love or care, and you expect me, a slave, to take care of a baby?”

I wince slightly as I raise my voice at Dimitri.

“Don’t you think I’m scared too?” Dimitri’s voice is barely above a whisper, his hand freezing in place. “Do you have any idea how close I came to breaking when I realized I’d hurt you? That I might lose our babies? I have feelings too, Valkyrie.”

I can feel the sting of tears in my eyes, and I take a deep breath, closing them tightly.

“I’m scared too…” Dimitri’s voice is soft, almost lost in the silence. “Scared of losing you, scared of these feelings I have for you, scared of losing our babies. I’m terrified of being a father, Valkyrie,” he admits with a shaky laugh.

Dimitri drops his head between his knees. “I’m not perfect, but there’s one thing I’m certain of. I love you.”

His words make my heart flutter. The way he’s looking at me, the intensity in his gaze, it tugs at something deep within me.

“Did you know that the last couple of times we made love, I wanted to tell you?” Dimitri’s smile is tinged with sadness.

“Every time I looked into your eyes, and saw you looking back at me with such warmth, I felt this overwhelming urge to tell you that I love you. But now, I’m even scared to say it. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?”

I stay silent, just listening to him pour his heart out.

“When I first realized how I felt about you, I wanted to tell you so badly it was driving me crazy. I was so confused.

“Remember when we made love, and then I went to take a bath? And you asked me what was wrong?” Dimitri asks. I nod, my brow furrowing in confusion.

So that’s what was bothering him?

“That was when I was struggling with my feelings. I was so confused, but after talking to Michael, I realized that what I was feeling was real.

“But now… I can’t help but wonder,” Dimitri’s voice trails off, “I wonder if my love is enough to ask you to please, Valkyrie, just please give me a chance. I promise I won’t let you down.”

He stands up, and I watch as Dimitri walks around the bed to my side, then suddenly drops to his knees. Startled, I try to sit up.

“What are you doing?” I ask, propping myself up on my elbows.

Dimitri’s hands are at his sides, his head bowed, his shoulders slumped.

“I’m begging you, Valkyrie. Please give me a chance. I don’t care if I have to kneel, all I want is for you to let me love you.

“Just tell me how you feel. Even if you don’t love me, even if you want nothing to do with me, at least let me be there for our babies,” Dimitri pleads, his hands clenched into fists. His golden eyes are filled with hope.

I take a sharp breath, feeling a tightness in my chest. Then, I feel something wet on my cheek. Reaching up, I touch it, and realize I’m crying. Why am I crying?

“I know you’ve suffered, and I know you’re scared. You’ve never had an easy life, all you’ve known is pain. But let me be your strength, your hope.

“Let me take care of you, of our children. All I’m asking for is a chance,” Dimitri murmurs, leaning his head against my belly. His hand gently strokes my lower abdomen. “Give me, someone who’s always longed for you, a glimmer of hope. Let me be the only one in your heart. Let me take off the crown. Just let me be the love of your life.

“Because my feelings for you are so strong that I would give up being king just to have you look at me and tell me you love me the way I love you.”