“Dead?” I firmed. “How?” Narrowing my eyes, my tone grew harsher. “Did your experiments push him to his death?” If so, they must have been cruel indeed. I doubt a Chosen of Thor would be g in physical strength and endurance.

  Christina was trembling again at my sudden outp of League, stirred by my fury, but she met my gaze as boldly as she could muster, despite her trembling body and more blood that dripped from her nose. “I uand you’re angry with me. After all, some might say what we’ve done was inhumane and cruel. But we didn’t do it because we e.” She mao strike back. “I’m Christina Bakker, genius stist, and I pride myself oing to the bottom of any mystery! If there’s other ways, I take them!” She puffed out her ample chest proudly, even as she shook and shuddered. “There’s always sacrifices. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. And I assure you, we’ve done our best to put your citizens bato an… acceptable… state.”

  The fact she thinks that is what’s so frustrating. “So if I put you or your family and friends through such experiments, tore your flesh, shattered your minds, all in the name ress? Would you just cp your hands and fet it afterwards, and go ‘oh, the ends justify the means’?”

  “I only speak for myself, but most definitely so.” Christina said without hesitation, and I was surprised, though in hindsight, sidering her previously scarred state and grateful enthusiasm for my Chirurgery I shouldn’t have been. “If it’s not torture for torture’s sake, and you solve the mysteries fag us by breakihen by all means…” She spread her hands wide, her fear somewhat suppressed. “…do whatever you will to me. I won’t resist. Unless you like that.” She couldn’t resist a little dirty humour.

  “I see why you’re still single, despite your looks…” I muttered, my anger dying down to embers at her frank, and I believed ho, rebuttal.

  At my praise of her looks, which was all she paid attention to in my pints, she looked ready to speak, only to shut her mouth, realising I was in no mood for flippancy. “So if your experiments didn’t kill him, then what happened? I want the truth.”

  “Adam’s going to be angry with me.” She muttered. “I’m almost too scared to go home for a while. Maybe I’ll have to stay here… but then, my research…” she groaned, before making up her mind to speak.

  “We picked up the loudmouth with a set of our operatives. It took a lot of effort t him down, his body was extremely resistant to the drugs, and our rubber rounds which should have broken bones just made him angry. We lost two good men. Though pared to your efforts he fell a bit short.”

  “Go on.” I urged. Titan scratched as his head, before speaking.

  “Egil, he was a big guy, ya? Makes me feel a bit small. Shouldn’t have run his mouth though, man. Drew too much attention. Breaking world records so easily, plenty stupid.”

  “That’s right.” Christina agreed. “Keeping a low profile was necessary before. Now it’s impossible, too mas are out to the public, but back then… anyway, we took Egil Andersen to our facility for interrogation, and all he would tell us is that he was blessed by Thor himself, a winged messenger brought him a gift. Oh, and of course, he promised to smash our skulls like Thor crushed J?rmungandr. I looked it up of course. Backwards mythology.” She snorted, bitterly amused. “Or not, it seems. Though without seeing a God, I won’t believe they actually exist.”

  “Depends on how you define Gods, but I could certainly prove they exist.” I said, and she looked ied, before tinuing.

  “I’d very much like that. So many questions could be answered… without the need of the sort of experimentation you disapprove of. Anyway… his strength and durability were both signifitly higher than his world record dispyed, so I suppose he had some on sense, if by no means enough to escape notice.”

  That’s rich, ing from you. “How strong are we talking? His word record was over half a ton, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes, but in battle against our operatives, I’ve seen footage. He dispyed strength a number of times that. He picked up and threw an off-road vehicle which weighed more than two tons. And his physical endurance was beyond human.”

  “So, minimum of four hundred in Might. Probably more. Not bad.”

  “You share how you quantify things?” she asked, distracted again, and I shook my head, urgio tinue.

  “In any case, he was very useful to our research. We were able to test a lot about how a human body be strengthened, and also the differences between here and the other world, the Boundary, as you’ve called it. But he was more ing than we gave him credit for. We’d thought he was calmer, had accepted his situation, but he had kept an ability from us. When he was taken to the Boundary for testing, he called lightning and killed two of our own guarding him. In the scuffle afterwards, he too died. A shame, a real shame.” She shook her head, disappointed.

  “You ’t cage a Chosen, not easily. Especially not in the Boundary.” I observed, downcast. What a waste. Three dead Chosen, and for nothing. There’s few enough of us to go around to begin with, and all over the world numbers are running low. I felt the pull of adherence from the Favours I was holding, more determihao prevent their loss, yet worried about the sequences of h so many. “Not without overwhelming advantages.” Like Arisu-san’s room, otherwise I’d never dare to keep that bastard captured, I’d have had to remove his Favour first.

  “So it seems. It wasn’t the first act we’ve had, but it’s never easy getting the baween safety and experimental freedht.” Christina sighed. “The situation is a lot better now that we are recruiting more beings from that world, but… there’s resistance, of course. They aren’t human, after all. Not that I care. I much prefer an intelligent monster over the average idiotic, self-absorbed and narrow-minded citizen.”

  “Did you keep his body?” I asked. Holy, I’ve not looked into what happens to a Chosehey die. I know the Favour is pulled back, but…

  “The corpse? Of course. Though many of my fellow researchers wao get rid of it. It’s evidence of our failures and… iional diplomacy.” Christina did uand their as were problematic, even if she felt them necessary. “But that would make a mockery of the work we put in, and also the sacrifice of our people and Mr Andersen himself. He’s dead, however it happened, so we might as well make use of him. Not that we’ve done anythi.”

  “Sometimes pragmatism o be banced with emotion, but…” I sighed then. “I’ve done some pragmatic stuff myself, which isly… good.” At her knowing look, I frowned and crified. “I’ve not done anything as wrong as you did though.” Kondou Kazuo, the invading ese and the Chosen in South Korea were all justifiable… but Yamato-san, it’s harder to stomach. I had good reason, I did, but… I still wonder if there was another way, now my fury at his mistakes that led to Eri’s maiming and so mahs has faded a little. And with the footage of my sis… “I want his body.”

  “I don’t think Adam is going to allow that.” Christiated. “The fact I’ve even told you is making me shiver. He’s of the belief that the few be discarded for the greater good.”

  “Yeah, unfortuhat doesn’t work.” I remembered the prequal to a famous visual hat had been adapted into a number of ahere was a righteous man, who gaihe power to ge the world. He wanted a peaceful world, but to do so the power required removing the few to protect the many. But then, more and more of the few would have to be sacrificed, until eventually… everyone was. Once you start down that road, it’s hard to stop. If sacrifieed to be made, we should make them ourselves, not force others to do them. I’m not messing around, I’ll be prepared to be diplomatid work with you all to not cause an iional i, but I’m not asking.” I paused, ing up with the most pusible excuse I could. “As a fellow Chosen of the Norse Pantheon, it’s my responsibility to make sure his remains are cared for properly and he has a det, spiritual funeral. I’ll also try and make amends with his family, if he has some, pay pensation, not that any payment is enough to cover the pain of lost retives. That goes for any other Norse Chosen too, and also the Japanese ones. I told you there’s more to the God that gave the Favour than you sidered, and now you know a little more. Aren’t you lucky?”

  Tsumura-san didn’t know what my purpose was, but supp me, he agreed, seeing that Christina was hesitating. “Yes, if Oshiro-san requires this, then it is in your best is to relinquish his remains into our care. Our retions are strained, an act of goodwill now would go a long way to starting down the road to repairing our cooperation, in these most troubling of times..”

  “I’ll… talk to Adam. When I work out a way to not get killed.” Christina said wryly. Her expression showed she was joking, but there was genuine worry in her eyes. “So… do you want to go see the others now?” she asked, clearly eager to ge the subject, so I nodded.

  “Yes, we probably should.” I certainly hope they aren’t in a terrible dition, but I’m not holding out much hope…

  ********

  At the same time as I was talking with Christina ierial I hurried back through the Ring Gate to my Territoing to the warehouse, the first girl I found was Daiyu, who was studying the Heirloom Jade Seal Of Kunlun, as well as the Yin-Yang Karmic Desotion Measure Formation and a number of other items. On seeing me ing, she looked up, her usually expressionless face breaking out into a small yet delighted smile.

  “You have returned, I see.” She said, and I opened my arms for a hug. She was still shy, and Shiro ughing behind me didn’t help (Shaeu had stayed behind to manage some matters in the Fae Realms, but would be back ter for the meeting, bringing Hyath too), but after a moment she stepped into my embrace, arms encirg me. We kissed softly, before she told me she had missed me.

  “I’ve missed you too.” I said a it. “About the Talismans…” I fessed I hadn’t hem, and Daiyu only shook her head softly, a gentle smile on her lips.

  “If you mao triumph without aid, all the better. I am hardly angry. I did enjoy showing you one of the Six Noble Pursuits. This is just the beginning. We have much to learn together.” She gestured to the Seal. “The old Kunlun dialect is troublesome, but it makes a fasating study.”

  “That’s great. It’s not like we ’t use the Talismans ter.” I agreed, before pausing. “Daiyu, you old me it was your birthday week.”

  She flushed a little, the barest hint of pink in her cheeks. “I did not think it articurly important. Cultivation milestones are celebrated, rather than the mere fact of one’s birth.”

  “It might not be important before, but now it is. We care. I respect your traditions, but you also enjoy ours.” I replied, and Shiro backed me up.

  “Aki’s right. Besides, we’re all going to demand Aki spoils us on our birthday, so you should do the same, or you’ll just get jealous. Don’t bme us if you don’t take advantage of your opportunities.”

  “In that case…” Daiyu thought, before smiling broadly. “I do indeed have some wants I desire, if you would be good enough to fulfil them?”

  “Of course. You just say what you want.” I agreed, and Daiyu looked at Shiro wryly, her subtle expressions as charming as ever.

  “Sometimes I feel rather lost, like I am simply robbing Akio of his sweetness. I find it f, and I would not be without him, but…”

  “Well, don’t the ese say it’s the job of a beekeeper to rob bees of their honey?” Shiro chuckled. “So for us, it’s our job to make Aki sweet to us. Besides, you offer plenty, girl. So don’t start filling in for Eri. Now we’ve got her over her issues, we don’t need you starting with a fresh set.” Shiro patted her shoulder reassuringly. “You offer more than enough…” she repeated. “…and more importantly, you like the idiot, so that’s what ts.”

  Daiyu nodded, relieved, and I kissed her, more passiohis time. Red-faced, Shiro demanded a kiss as well, and after I had kissed them both several times, we headed towards Asha’s Tree, while I checked our ether stores. It had mostly been transferred over to the Silos in Haru’s expaerritory, but I could see we had reached just shy of twenty millioher now. I’d be probably two or three million more if Shiro hadn’t been deyed and the buffs wore off, but even so, we’re filling up nicely. The Queues were moving down too. The two Anchor Spires both had twenty-three Astral days left, while the Rank 4 Ether Spire had one hundred and thirty-one. Lastly, the Rank 4 Boundary To Material e had six hundred and twe days remaining. We alo rush-build that just before we go for the Territory upgrade. We ’t wait for that to finish, that’s getting on for a year ierial.

  “Miyu has been w hard with her dang.” Daiyu observed as I checked the details, notig it had moved slightly faster than time would have indicated for the first three Queues. “I have observed her, and with her elegand grace, perhaps she might be suitable for the path of Cultivation. If her will is firm.”

  “Really?” I said, surprised. “Miyu doesn’t strike me as someorong-willed enough to push through like that.”

  Daiyu disagreed. “She has ged from what I uand. If you do not see a woman for a day, she will have transformed beyond all reition.” she quoted. “Besides, her dang fatigues her, but every day she dances longer aer. Rigorous training, no matter the form, increases one’s irength. I believe she is suitable to undergo training. Eri has already begun, and I also believe Motoko and Natsumi are suitable, though they would likely follow the path of a Martial Cultivator.”

  “I see. We ask Miyu if she’s ied, but she has a lot of demands oime. I feel bad enough making her dane. Though it is for her own be too…” As roached the Tree, I noticed that Shiro and Daiyu seemed off somehow. Reag the Tree, I asked some of the Fae around us where Asha was, and apparently she on the café terrace with some of the others. On reag the top, I found Asha sitting peacefully there, taking in the view and feeling of closeness with her Tree, as well as Tsukiko, Eri and Yu-mi sitting together. My sis was with them as well. On seeing me, my sis grihen waved a hand at me.

  “Bro, over here!” she called me cheerfully. As roached, I frowned.

  “Sis, shouldn’t you be doing your remote schooling? You already missed some to e with me to Korea.”

  She puffed out her cheeks, irritated. “Oh e on, bro. You let Eri skip any time she wants. I’m not a mediocre student anymore. I’m ready for exams after the Christmas break and them I’m done. So long as I show my faline a few days before Christmas, I’ll meet the attendance requirements.”

  “All right, I’m just being ed. You do want to get into the uy of your choice, don’t you?” I asked, and as some of the hed, my sis ched her fist, fident.

  “It’s in the bag. o worry. Anyway, don’t you have someone else to speak to?” She the wide-eyed Yu-mi, who was looking around i everything. Behind her, Eri looked amused, but offered some reassuring words.

  “It was the same for me.” she assured her. “When I first saw the Boundary, I was stunned. In fact, usually I still am, though sometimes I don’t have time to think, when I’m too busy fighting.”

  “Look at you, Eri, being all supportive.” Shiro ughed, and Eri rolled her eyes.

  “I’m a new me, and Akio has realised the way things o be as well. Don’t think that means I’ll let you get away with everything though.” Eri promised, and as they bickered, Yu-mi addressed me.

  “Hearing about things is very different to seeing it. It’s beyond belief.” Yu-mi sighed, awed. “I hardly believe my life has ged so mu under a week. But I have to get used to it. After all, I’ve made promises, to help you in Korea. Even so… I barely believe my eyes.” She paused, thinking for a moment. “Seeing this, and hearing that not everyone have this level of development… our President really is a fool. Holy, I don’t know if they were just careless, to get back at the Japanese, but you’d be the st man I’d provht now. Idiots. I’ve seen the results of yotiations first-hand, it’ll cost them more than they are willing to pay.”

  “Yeah, but that’s not my worry.” I pointed out. “Sis, you o be careful. Now that yolden Sister Army has been exposed…”

  “I get it. I know where it came from.” she said sombrely. “I’d rather have it than him, Eri almost died due to his screw-ups, but… Tsukiko’s already warned me to be careful. You know me, bro. “

  “I do.” I replied dryly, and my sis protested that I was being unfair to her, so I was serious for a moment. “I know you’re not weak, not anymore, but that doesn’t mean something bad ’t happen to you. I’ll discuss it at the meeting tonight, but we have to step up security, and this time… no hts.” It’s going to take a lot of mao protect all the traiheir homes, our families and more, but… this sense of dread I feel is only starting to grow, and… Tsukiko met my gaze, and I knew she uood and was feeling the same, perhaps even more keenly than I was. “Well, enough doom and gloom. As long as we stay sharp, we’ll be okay. Anyway, good to see you again, Asha.” I greeted her, giving her a hug, which she gave me with a smile, her long auburn hair ing around us. “I’m sure you’ve heard we have a new buff to try out.”

  “Is that all you have to say, Aki?” Shiro pined, and Eri rolled her eyes as well, openly disparaging me, something she never would have had the fideo do before.

  “I agree with Shiro. Akio, is Asha just a source of ether to you?”

  “I do think you are being rather tactless.” Daiyu agreed, and Tsukiko nodded her support.

  “No, of course she isn’t!” I insisted. “Asha, you are as important to me as anyone else. It’s just time is of the essence. I do agree we need a round of final testing to check your Tree won’t be harmed, but…”

  She pced a finger against my lips, her yellow eyes warm. “I uand, and I and my Tree, my two Trees as one, both wish to aid you in any way we . You are my saviour, and my love. Just as I and my Tree are one, so too are we. But that…” Her expression was deadly serious, but also tained hints of worry. “…is precisely why we must be cautious, lest the fruits of our love be wounded.”

  As everyone around me looked a little strange, I agreed with Asha. “Of course, our safety is always my first priority, yours, your Tree, and your fruits…” My brain caught up with my ears, and ierial, Christina was looking at me quizzically, w why I had frozen. Fruits? She doesn’t mean…

  “I… you…?” I managed mely, my thoughts rag. Asha slowly nodded her head, her worry evident.

  “This is a wonderful pow. Rich earth and water elements, the power of nature… and a blessing I do not prehend, but is fed with the power of fertility. Besides…” She reached for my hand and took it, and for a moment my thoughts turo Asha when we had first met her, a tortured, near-broken spirit, covered iilent fungus and other parasites. Now she was vulnerable again, in a different way. “…I wish t forth life, while I ever repce my sisters lost to save me, I wish to make the world, our world, bloom anew. But only with you, the one who saved me from my despair and suffering. Are… are you not pleased?”

  I didn’t o use my expanded vision to know that everyone around me was gring at me. Even so, despite my great Acrity and Split Thoughts, it was as if I was wading through treacle, my thoughts sloonderous. Me? A father? For a moment I didn’t know how to feel, what I was feeling. I immediately felt ie. After all, up until just a few months ago, I had run from any responsibility, from those I cared about, and this… this was the greatest responsibility of all. But then… I’ve ged. I’ve accepted love from many, and given love back. Even… even Eri…

  Stop looking at me, idiot! Asha should be your foow. But I get it. Your thoughts aions are leaking. I’ll say my pie a minute. But… you love Asha, right? Else you never would have slept with her in the first pce. You may not be faithful to us alone, but I know you’ll only share your heart with those you want to love. Now don’t be an idiot moonstone, as Aiko might say…

  Eri’s thoughts through Lovers’ Link jolted me from my shock, and I squeezed Asha’s haly. My thoughts were ing back to normal speed, and I realised the biggest worry. That the world wasn’t safe. But was that a reason not to have children now, waiting for a better future that might be years, decades, turies away, or instead… I think I get it. Or maybe I don’t. Damn, I’ve alked to father about this sort of thing, for obvious reasons. I probably should have…

  “Asha, you’re sure? Oh, of course you are. Don’t mind me, I’m feeling a little shaken up…” There was some gentle ughter from the others. “I… I don’t know what to think. I wasn’t prepared, but…” I pulled Asha into another, heartfelt hug. “Asha, when I accepted you, I agreed we would be together forever, and… yes, one day, I thought of children. With you all.” I reassured Eri, Daiyu, and Shiro. Tsukiko too, though she looked away, not fully intimate with me yet, though her face held some strange longing.

  “Not with us, I hope.” My sis said to Yu-mi, who ughed heartily, though her expression was warm. I guess talking about pregnand children hits most women the same way.

  “You are not displeased?” Asha asked, voig her true worries. “I know your mortal womeaking some strange preventative measures…”

  “Yes, we’re on birth trol.” Eri agreed. “Well, apparently you don’t ht Daiyu?”

  Daiyu agreed. “I regute such funs of my body with Qi. It is a vital art for female Cultivators. I… I see myself having sons and daughters iure to carry on the Incorruptible Jade, but… not now. I have too much to learn, too much strength to gain, and reveo obtain. Besides…” She smiled at me warmly. “... I wish to spend time with my Dao panion, without the distra of g for a child. We are you, and will live long. There will be time for responsibility after we have lived our youth.”

  “I left it to ce the first time.” Eri said to Asha. My sis muttered that she remembered, flushing crimson, and Eri waved a hand at her, before tinuing. “I wa for the wrong reasons. Now… until I truly have the strength to protect a child, I won’t have one. Besides, perhaps I would have been a bad parent before this. Too ed up in my own selfish desires. But…” she gazed warmly at Asha, who was still in my embrace, trembling a little, but happy. “…while I’m jealous I wasn’t the first… I’ll have my time. I’ve learned what’s important, and maybe even some patience. And Asha… perhaps giving Akio children will make him less reckless. When you’re a father, you have to be more responsible. Otherwise uncle… father-in-w… will kill you.” she said to me, firmly.

  “I hought I’d have kids. I mean, my body would definitely not be able to carry a child to term, and it would likely have killed me trying. Now… I’ve got too much going on. But… I agree with Eri. I’m damn jealous, Aki. And our kids would be bloody geous. Yours too, Tsuki.”

  Tsukiko also gave her blessings. “Just as the moon is a symbol of fertility, so too is Tsukuyomi oo ence us to be fertile and procreate. I too hought of ever having children. I never believed a man would look at me as you do, beh the veils I hid myself with. My own parents… they loved me, I know it, but not in a way that raises healthy children. So…” she looked at me, her crimson eyes shrewd. “…I am not fident I could be a good mother. But I will learn. One day. Together with you, I do believe. So I offer my blessings. Asha, Akio. May you both learn how to be better parents than many of ours.”

  “Couldn’t be shittier than mine, But if he is…” Shiro looked around, and Eri, giving her leave to speak.

  “As the first of us, I think I should be the oo say we’ll not be pleased. We may be jealous, fight for your affes… but we all agreed, back before even Shiro was a thing, to never bring each other down, only raise ourselves up. So… if you’re a bad father, Akio, we’ll correct you. Though we might need help learning to be good mothers ourselves. Asha… yoing ahead of us. So when our time es…” She bowed, as did the others, my sis and Yu-mi merely looking on, amused. “…please take care of us!”

  “I will.” Asha said, glimmering tears sparkling in her eyes like jewels.

  “In that case… time to say what’s on your mind, Aki. And be ho.” Shiro prompted, and I looked at Asha, my swirliions a mess, but ohing stood out. I’m nervous, scared, unsure, worried… but most of all I’m happy.

  “Asha. Thank you.” I said, and she looked at me puzzled, as I simply repeated it. “Thank you. For loving me enough to bear my children. I promise to alrotect you, protect them, and protect our home.” Words were ing from my heart now. “I’ll also protect your sisters, both those here who also love me, and those others you have that I’ve not met. If you want the world to bloom, for our children, then bloom it will. I’ll…” I ched my fist. “…I’ll never let Earth be destroyed. I’ll bee Astral Emperor, and fend off any who would threaten it. There will never be an ending like the Spring uhe Myids. Only an ending like where we beat the Myids, and make it beautiful again.”

  Asha was looking at me, her fears dissipating, her eyes now like clear golden pools, full of love and trust, and I bent to kiss her soft lips. For a long moment we kissed, and as we parted, I tinued gazing into her eyes. “So thank you. I’ll thank you every day, with words, deeds, love and affe. And I’ll offer the same to our children. Because they’ll be the fruit of what we’ve shared, and precious treasures to us too. Thank you.” I was choking up, something I never expected to happen, and Asha’s smile was blinding.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]“I thank you too. For my life, and my home, and for your pledges. I shall always be yours, our children shall know my love, and your family and home shall be protected, sheltering uhe shade of mine and many reat Trees. So I do swear these three Oaths. In exge… I ask for the boon of your love eternal, your prote and care for the daughters I shall birth, and… that who you take under your prote will always find succour, shelter, safety and love.”

  “I offer those Boons willingly.” I promised, feeling the solemn nature of her words. “But… I’m not Fae, irely. So I’ll not stop at three. Four, five, ten, a hundred, a thousand. I’ll give you as many boons as the stars are in the sky. Hell, I’ll pull dowars if you want them, or our childrehem. So… thank you, Asha.” I touched her belly gently, though obviously I couldn’t feel anything through the cloth. At that, the girls whooped and cpped, even Eri, who was doing it wryly.

  “So, does everyone know but me?” I asked, embarrassed, after kissing and hugging Asha again, and she snuggled into my shoulder, her long hair warm against me. If so, that’s rather mortifying. But… I find I don’t care anymore…

  “I’m afraid so. Mom’s been going crazy. She’s driving auntie Hana up the wall.” My sis ughed. “I don’t quite know how I feel about being an auntie, I’m not old enough. But… it doesn’t feel bad. And if they are Asha’s daughters, they’ll be adorable little saplings, I bet…”

  “I have a question.” Yu-mi asked, curious. “How will you handle ia’s a thorny issue for an ordinary family, or ohat’s had a remarriage.”

  “Simple.” I said. “My children… our children, they won’t get to fight. You agree, right Asha?”

  She nodded. “So long as they have their Trees and the beauty of nature, and… and our love for them, they will be tent.”

  “That’s not all they’ll have. I’ll make sure I have enough wealth and power to make every child we have happy. And… all of us will guide them on the right path. Rise up, not cast down, right?” I repeated Eri’s ses, and she nodded firmly.

  “Exactly. Anyway… Asha, are you happy now?” she asked. “I know you believed in Akio, but… I know it has to be a big step, your first child. I barely even imagi. I ’t believe I was so immature before.” Eri seemed shocked as my sis put her arms around her.

  “Wow, don’t be so down on yourself. You just had to grow up, and stop being the girl that only followed my bro around. You had to grow up too, bro.” she said to me as well. “It took you lohan it should, but in the end, I’m proud to call you my bro, and I’ll be sure to spoil your kids rotten!” She turo Asha. “You and my bro be the stries, we’ll be the auhey really like!” She winked, and there was good-humoured ughter. Asha looked up at me, my hand still on her belly, and whispered in my ear.

  “I do not fully uand human childbearing, but I know… as a Dryad, it will not harm my daughters to tio… be as one.” Her smile was teasing, and I found myself kissing her fiercely, while everyone else started up versations around me about the uainties of Fae pregnand the fact we didn’t have any clue about the due dates, while ierial, I shook my stunned immobility off. Just how many kids does Asha want? When she said she wao make the world bloom, does she mean with our daughters in every open Tree? If so… if so, I would be having a lot of children, and equally as many with the others as well, I was sure. I’d best work hard. I’m going to need a bigger house…

  With that, I shouted loudly. “All right, it’s a toast! Break out the good booze and snacks, and when everyone’s gathered together and we have a spare mio ourselves, we’ll have a proper party, inviting everyone.” My sis cheered loudly at that, and goblets of fruity wine were pushed into our hands. “I’ve said it, but I’ll say it again, and again. From now until eternity. Asha… thank you!”

  “We need no thanks between us. Only love to moisten parched ground, and trust to sprout happiness.” She tered. “Otherwise I would have to speernity thanking you. So let us set that aside, and instead say…”

  We ked sses together and took a sip, to the cheers of the others. “I love you. And I’ll love our daughters too.” We said together, and while my worries about whether I was ready, whether the world was ready, for me to be a father, didn’t vanish, they faded to the background, repced by a certainty that I would fight to the end if aried to harm Asha or the life she was carrying within her…

  ShipTeaser