After Sethis shared his findings, the others left the chamber quietly, giving Mae the space she needed. But Ashar and Riven remained. No words had passed between them since the scan. There was too much to say, and not enough clarity to form it. Mae sat up slowly, still pale but stronger now. The glow of her children, her energy-born twins, still buzzed faintly beneath her skin. She looked at Ashar, then Riven. Her mates. Her future.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” she admitted, her voice trembling but real. “I didn’t even know I wanted this. Now they’re here. And I feel like I’ll break if I lose either of you.”
“You won’t,” Riven said, sitting beside her and brushing a piece of hair from her cheek. “We won’t let that happen.” Ashar took a seat across from her, his arms resting on his knee
