Jahree woke to find Lanni sitting silently beside him. Her eyes were closed, though he somehow sensed she wasn’t sleeping. Her calm and almost meditative presence gave him a moment of peace—but it wouldn’t last long. His heart pounded with the thought of how he would convince her that he hadn’t cheated on her. He’d been drugged, after all. Would it make a difference if she knew? Would she believe him or think he should have known it wasn’t her? A chill ran down his spine at the sense of violation, realizing he could be drugged again and not know it. As if sensing his thoughts, Lanni opened her eyes, her gaze steady. “Sorry about that. Uncle Tercala wanted to know what happened.” “Lanni…” Jahree started, his voice hoarse, but she held up a hand. “Jahr, wait. I’m sorry. I should have listened to you. I should have trusted you.” He let out a long breath. “What you saw—it looked bad. I understand that, especially with my reputation. I was so tired… I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I thought it was you.” He shook his head, the words sounding thin even to himself. Lanni shook her head softly. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.” He reached for her hand, relief flooding through him. “It’s okay. It’s over now.” “No, it’s not,” she replied, her eyes darkening. “Someone tried to hurt you, Jahr. That’s what worries me.” Jahree frowned. “You saw her. Do you know who she was?” Lanni raised her hand, conjuring an image with a flicker of magic. The air shimmered, forming the faint outline of a woman’s face. “This is what the woman looked like.” Jahree studied the image, his brow furrowing. “I don’t recognize her.” “Neither do I. But it wasn’t someone who looked like me.” She dropped her hand, and the image vanished like smoke. He took a breath. “Lanni, will you lay with me? Please?” She nodded, slipping into bed beside him. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling the weight of their shared silence. “I really do love you,” he whispered. “I’m not faking it.” “I know,” she replied. “Tilla says we’re bonding, and it’s quite strong.” He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t feel anything.” “Neither do I,” she replied with a wry smile. “Tilla thinks it’s because of your magic resistance, but she says we’ll feel it once we mate.” He sighed softly, grateful for the news. “Good. I want to be with you so much. I’ve dreamed of us getting married, having a family.” Her face fell, and she looked away. “Jahree, I can’t have children anymore.” He tightened his grip on her. “Neither can I. I thought we could adopt.” She was silent for a moment, then nodded. “It’s a good thought. That illness you had—when your parents died, was it the sleepless fever?” “Yeah. It took a lot from me.” He shifted slightly. “What about you? You have three children already.” “A miscarriage,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Lots of complications. My father and my brother’s wife, Lamdi, were still around then. She was almost as strong as my dad. I’m lucky to have survived.” He held her close. “I’m sorry, Lanni.” She leaned into him, taking a steadying breath. “I have my kids and the foster chil-dren. I’ve made my peace with it.” He gave her a small smile. “I did, too. I decided long ago that if I didn’t father any kids, the Tamerians couldn’t come after them.” Her eyes softened, searching his. “Do you still worry about them?” He nodded. “Not about them coming for me, necessarily. But if they attack again… if they realize what I am… will they come after me? What about the Menthanlans or the Ertonians? Will they trust me? I’m a soldier—will they even let me fight?” She traced a comforting line along his arm. “If the Tamerians attack, you’ll fight. We’ll need all the help we can get. Every time we make contact with them, they’re more advanced. I shudder to think what their weapons are like now.” Jahree frowned, lost in thought. “Why does their technology advance so quickly while ours doesn’t? I remember being struck by how primitive things are here compared to back there. I’ve grown used to it, but it’s strange.” She nodded. “We did try, but it didn’t work. But the technology needed electricity, something like lightning, and most of the conductors were eta-vie. Those are rare, and mages can’t be around large quantities for long. We’ve compromised by making charms to stand in for the tech. It took us a year to craft hundreds of charms for scrying, transport-ing, and other daily aids.” “Like Zan’s earrings?” She smiled. “Exactly. But over time, the merchants realized it was cheaper to recharge than replace them, so they’re deteriorating. That’s why you get sick when you transport. But Trema’s new charm should help with that.” He nodded. “Good to hear.” The door opened, and Midta entered, her gaze falling on them with a gentle smile. Jahree tensed, but he only gave him an approving nod. “I’m glad to see you two working things out. I never thought of you as a couple, but I think you’ll be good together.” Lanni grinned. “Unlike Uncle Ter or Kritalla, Midta prefers matchmaking to intimida-tion.” Midta shrugged. “You can take care of yourself. And Jahree has always treated all his girls well.” Jahree winced. “That doesn’t sound as good as you meant it.” Midta laughed, patting his shoulder. “I trust you with my mom, and I know if you’re with her, there won’t be anyone else.” He turned serious, taking his hand, reading his health. “Your surgery went well. You had some damage, but we’ve repaired it. You’ll need rest, though. No lifting, no strain on those arms. And,” he shot a knowing look at Lanni, “no mating until after the bandages are off. Mom gets a little active, shall we say?” Lanni flushed. “Midta!” “He doesn’t need to lose any more blood.” Midta pointed out. “I don’t always bite,” Lanni insisted. “And Jahree,” he continued, “we also healed your scars. It was a good time to do it so you could be monitored for shock. Consider it a wedding gift.” Jahree was stunned, speechless. “Thank you,” he managed. Midta nodded. “You’ll be fine. Rest now. I’ll check on you later.” As he left, Jahree turned to Lanni, taking her hand. “Will you stay with me tonight?” “Now, you want me to stay?” He swallowed. “I wouldn’t have been drugged if you’d been here. I’m not blaming you. I just don’t want to be alone.” She smiled softly. “I’ll stay.” With a relieved sigh, he closed his eyes, feeling her warmth beside him. He finally felt like things might be okay. #fantasy #magic #dragons #hiddenlands