Chapter Forty-Eight
Skylar Cathal
“Hurry!” Adohan’s voice echoed with urgency as he led us through the inner passageways.
The tapestries adorning the red-colored walls shook as we sped past them. Even the ivy vines that adorned the open balconies seemed to part ways in response to the high prince’s distress Adohan’s feet thundered underneath the ground as he rounded a corner with the three of us close behind.
I could hear the screams of labor pains tearing through Idris, the echoes of her cries urging her mate to race faster, desperate to try and comfort her in any way he could.
We hurried toward the estate’s southern corner.
Guards stood outside the room, with Astro anxiously pacing, hearing his mother’s cries.
“Father,” Astro said with a twinge of panic. “Is Mother…”
“It’s normal, son,” Adohan rasped as he reached for the handle. “You should’ve heard her screams when you and your brother were born into this world.”
Gods, I felt my chest ache witnessing the sunken look on Astro’s face. He knew his mother was in danger. Childbirth, after all, was one of the most dangerous feats for females in this world.
“Gods! Where is Adohan?” Idris screamed as we entered through the large double doors.
“I believe that’s my cue,” Adohan said, his confident voice wavering, granting me a glimpse of the fear that lurked in his heart for his mate and unborn child.
“Fucking… God’s above!” Idris roared. “Where have you been?”
“I went to find Skylar,” Adohan said as he raced to his mate’s side.
“I’ll wait out here,” Shaw said.
“Probably a good idea for now.”
Shaw disappeared into the shadows, remaining with Astro, while Daxton and I entered and closed the doors behind us.
The ornate bedroom was a frenzy with at least five different healers scattered with hushed whispers in the corner.
I could smell the scent of Idris’s blood as soon as we entered the hallways, but seeing it was another thing altogether.
Two healers bent over a wooden desk, scouring texts to find any resource that could help their lady of Crimson City, while others carefully monitored the baby’s position and the mother’s condition.
Zola was perched near Idris’s head, gently wiping her friend’s brow with a wet cloth. Her stare met mine, and I swear the shadows sprang to life in response to her silent pleas for me to help.
The room was in utter chaos.
“Everyone out!” I screamed.
An older-looking male, whom I inferred to be the elder healer, turned to look at me. “I beg your pardon, but—”
“Out!” I roared with a pulse of my power filling the space. There was simply too much going on, and the stress of everyone’s panicked state was not helping the laboring mother. “This,” I said, motioning around the room. “This chaos isn’t helping Idris.”
Thankfully, the healers followed my command and began filing out, muttering to themselves.
“And who exactly are you?” The lead healer glared as he flinched, trying his best to brush off my magic. “I brought both heirs into this world and intend to do the same with this one.”
“Look, with all due respect—” I began.
“You give no respect,” the lead healer said.
Daxton stepped to my side, causing him to stagger backward toward the door.
“I don’t know what kind of powers you possess, shifter… but I will not leave Lady Idris.”
“For Gods fucking sake!” Adohan’s voice boomed as he stood at Idris’s side, his eyes blazing to life with the flames at his command.
“I don’t care about your pride right now, Theo.
What I care about is my mate and my child!
Skylar is the only one who has the magic to help.
Stay if you wish, but she’s taking the lead.
” Flames erupted along Adohan’s hands. “Move aside.”
Theo’s head bent forward, his dark tendrils of hair falling in front of his face as he followed the command of his ruler. “Yes, High Prince. As you wish.”
I glanced sideways at Daxton, whose eyes were as hard as stone. His jaw was firmly set with displeasure at the healer’s disrespect. A small part of me relished in his protective presence, but I quickly buried that glee and focused on my task.
“Look, I’m not as experienced as you are with bringing children into this world,” I said softly. “And I’m also not afraid to admit when I need help.”
Theo gazed at me with a raised brow, his expression uneasy.
“Will you help me deliver the baby and keep the mother safe?”
“That is my soul duty.”
“Good,” I said.
“Then both of you move it along and help!” Idris yelled as another contraction tore through her center. “The baby—” Idris could barely speak as she began to lose consciousness, her head falling to Adohan’s chest.
“Skylar! Get over here and fucking help her,” Zola cursed with fear.
“Idris!” Adohan roared in a blind panic.
The heat of his flames spiraled around his touch, engulfing the space.
“No, no, no! My love.” He cradled her head in his trembling hands, his flames encircling his mate, desperately trying to fuel her with strength.
“You must fight the pull. Do not give in. Stay with me. Idris— Idris!”
“Daxton, pull those curtains and let some fresh air in here.”
Dax nodded as he combated Adohan’s flames with his ice magic, following my lead as I moved toward Idris.
Idris’s eyes thankfully fluttered open, finding Adohan.
“There you are, my love,” he sobbed, releasing a caged breath.
Theo leaped into action, positioning himself at Idris’s feet. “Do not fight the urge to push,” he encouraged.
I rushed to the healer’s side, my hands glowing with a golden hue in preparation to fix what was broken.
“The womb, I believe, is torn,” he whispered to me.
Without hesitating, I moved my hands across Idris’s belly. It felt like a stone under my palms as my magic began mending what it could.
“Gahhhhh!” Idris yelled as her contraction peaked once more.
Sensing the injury within the lining of her womb, I allowed my powers to flow into Idris, mending the torn tissue beneath the surface of her skin. Then, I searched for the baby.
“Is the baby…?” Idris rasped with a twinge of heart-wrenching fear in her voice. “Is the baby all right?”
Time slowed as the anxious parents waited for my reply, hanging on the silent seconds passing between us as I assessed the baby’s condition with my magic.
It was faint, but the heartbeat was still there.
I could feel the infant’s distress from being wedged in the birthing canal.
Idris needed to birth the child, or else I feared my magic wouldn’t be enough to save them both.
“Idris,” I began, “this is going to be—”
“Difficult… Hard?” Idris laughed with a shaking voice, trying to sit up. “Already there. What do you suggest?”
“Let’s try an upright position,” I said, looking to the healer, who gave me a firm nod, telling me he agreed with my suggestion.
“Gravity,” Idris rasped with a side grin. “Worked last time.”
I nodded. “Exactly.”
“All right, let’s get on with it then. I’m feeling the urge to push.” Idris leaned forward with Adohan and Zola on either side, trying to help hold her up.
Theo silently moved into position below Idris as she rose to stand.
Sweat pooled and dripped from her face as her brows pinched together, the lines on her forehead creased with hours of labor pains trying to bring her child into the world.
Gritting her teeth, Idris groaned as she forced herself upright, bending her knees to try and widen her stance in preparation for the next contraction.
“Get ready,” Idris said as a scream tore through her. Every muscle in her body clenched as she put all her energy into pushing the babe from her womb.
“Yes!” Theo said, his hands outstretched beneath Idris.
I stepped back, watching my friend convulse and shake with every last bit of strength she could muster. Daxton placed a hand on my back as he eagerly watched and waited alongside me.
“Yes, Lady Idris, one more push. The baby is right there!”
“Gahhhhh!” Idris roared as she took in one final breath and bore down.
Then, the most beautiful sound in all of Valdor silenced the room. The breathtakingly precious cry of an infant cradled in the healer’s hands brought tears to my eyes.