Avalyne Series 01: The Queen of Carleon Read Free Page B

secure in that fact, if no other.’
    A dmonished, Dare nodded in silence and knew that it was foolishness that allowed his mind to travel such dark roads. She had proven her love for him on more occasions than he could count and he had faith in her. Still he could not help but wonder what in the name of Celestial Gods she saw in him to abandon her immortal existence to share a very mortal one with him.
    ‘ All right,’ he conceded defeat, ‘but you must admit you were rather frightening these past weeks and fear is not something I succumb to easily. I’ve fought monsters .’ 
    ‘ I have my reasons,’ she said dryly, disappointed that the surprise she had intended to give him had been waylaid by an old argument. Then again, what in life ever took place according to plan? ‘Something had been preying upon my mind that I could not speak of to you until I had confirmation of it. I am afraid waiting for an answer frayed at my nerves more than my disposition could endure.’
    ‘ What Rian?’ he demanded, a little alarmed that she had not told him that she was so vexed about something. Theirs was a relationship that turned on their ability to confide everything to each other. It worried him what she might think too much for him to bear. ‘Did something happen? Are you alright?’
    ‘ I am fine,’ she stilled him again her finger. ‘Dare, we are going to have a baby.’
    The expression of stunned silence that crossed his face was so acute that there was an instant she thought this news was not to his liking. All men wanted sons, did they not? She wanted to give him an heir, to consolidate his claim to the throne and show him that he was not the last son of his house. However, his astonishment was but brief and her fears were dispelled when a great light flickered into being behind his eyes and soon it encompassed his face with a brilliant and happy grin.
    ‘ A baby!’ he exclaimed with the eagerness of a boy given a wondrous gift. ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘ Yes,’ she nodded, relieved to be able to tell him finally and now being able to share the joy of it by his reaction to her news. ‘I had begun to suspect weeks ago that I might be quickened but I could not be certain until today. That is why I was seemed so out of sorts. I am sorry that I upset you but I so wanted to be certain before I told you.’
    ‘ And you are now?’ He asked, staring at her in wonder before his gaze dropped to her stomach where his child, no their child, was growing within.
    ‘ Yes Calfax confirmed it for me today. We are going to have a baby in the spring.’
    ‘ Oh Rian!’ he exclaimed and he lifted her up by the waist and twirled her around in an uncharacteristic show of exhilaration. ‘I love you and I will love our son.’
    ‘ Your son?’ She gazed down at him with an imperious stare. ‘Are you so sure its going to be a boy? It could be a girl.’
    ‘ I don't care what it is,’ he admitted immediately. ‘I do not care if we have a boy or a girl. I will love it either way. You have already made me happier than I ever thought possible, but now, knowing that we have created this together—there are no words to describe it.’
    ‘ Oh Dare,’ she spoke, her voice choking with the emotion that corresponded with the tears glistening in her eyes at the delight she saw in his face. Resting her head against his chest, she took comfort in the sound of his heart beating so close to her ear and wondered if her baby was listening to hers in the same fashion. ‘We are going to have a baby! Keeping this to myself has been so hard, I've wanted to shout it out from the roof tops ever since I first thought I might be with child. I am so glad I no longer have to keep this from you!’
    ‘ I wish you had told me,’ he said brushing the top of her dark hair with a light kiss. ‘You should not have to keep such a thing to yourself. It’s no wonder you were so disagreeable.’
    ‘ I did not want to plant false hopes, my love. You have so