The Dawn’s Dusk - 17. Chapter 17- Enthale and Cojalis, part 1

Vis Sepherus remained awake long enough to welcome the Walker family to the estate and prepare a room for them if they chose to stay overnight. I showed the whelps where the art room was if they felt bored and asked Lucio to attend to them. Meanwhile, the Vesper Estate hosts would rest.

Unlike Owin, who fell asleep almost immediately in relief, my mate refused to rest until he heard the entire story from beginning to end of what happened to me. The amphiptere had been witnessed by some wyverns in the troth season grounds. My having been chosen by the lightning element was seen only by the amphiptere in question. The other wyverns only saw the bolt of lightning coming down.

"...and so the Walker family helped me learn how to fly," I concluded. The two of us were lying on our backs on his bed with a pair of our hands threaded. "The whelps were fearless and persistent. They were eager to share all that they learned with me. I was desperate to come home, and I didn't want their efforts to be in vain, so I gave it my all...and here I am."

"I had so many regrets...we should have walked to the river together. I was too impatient," Emery admitted as his free hand lifted to rub the side of his face. "Owin gave me a slap on the face before Sepherus managed to hold him back. It's mostly healed now. But, we all began searching and asking around about you. Your brother even sought out your parents for help…" His expression soured. "Let's just say that the Edesias are no longer welcome at either estate."

I lifted his hand to my lips to kiss the back of it. "I'm sorry Owin attacked you," I apologized in his stead.

Emery shook his head. "A part of me took it as punishment for having lost you," he confessed. "You'll have to forgive me if I become more of a nuisance than usual. I don't want to let you out of my sight again. I don't even want to fall asleep for fear of waking up without you here."

"I'm not going anywhere," I insisted as I snuggled closer. "I'll be right here when you awaken."

I felt his arm wrap around me. The Eld finally closed his eyes. I took in a deep breath, feeling comforted by the familiar scent of Cojalis that surrounded me, and followed him into a profound sleep.

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I stirred awake to a tickling sensation along my neck. Emery was tracing my mating mark with his fingers. The lavender hue of his eyes was still visible to me, so either night had yet to fall, or the two of us slept well into another day.

"For how long did we sleep?" I asked as I snuggled closer to him. He didn't hesitate to wrap an arm around me.

"Until the afternoon."

"Then, we should shower and eat. I'm feeling hungry."

"Agreed."

Neither of us so much as moved. Then, Emery tugged me closer until we were in a comfortable embrace, and I felt his nose at the crook of my neck. I couldn't help but do the same. The scent of Cojalis brought a stray memory to mind.

"Eld Emery," I murmured. "I strangely seem to recall that your scent was nearby when I first blacked out some months ago..." I felt his arm stiffen against me.

"Y-You don't say..."

A smirk tugged on my lips at his reaction. Was he embarrassed, perhaps? I felt a small thrill at the opportunity of teasing him. The older man was usually a very composed individual.

"I had assumed that it was Sepherus that had carried me to your room that day since he had been standing next to me," I deduced. "But, it was you, wasn't it? Did you catch me before I hit the ground?"

"Yes, I did," he responded hesitantly.

Though his skin was too dark to tell if he was blushing, his lovely eyes no longer met my gaze directly. He must have suspected what I would ask next because I felt his finger on my lips before I could ask it. I smiled against it.

"Rhyad, my Enthale, I confess that I did do something inappropriate to you the first time you fainted."

"Inappropriate as in..." I reached over to kiss the tip of his nose. "...a kiss?"

"I thought the worst, that you may have consumed something poisonous," Emery elaborated. "When I felt you breathing, I was so relieved that I impulsively kissed you on the lips, much to Sepherus's shock." I let go of his hand, and he used it to trail the back of his fingers along the side of my face. "I had to explain to him that I hadn't completely lost my senses...I was merely drawn to you."

"You weren't the only one that was so forward with me that day," I admitted. "Sepherus ended up hugging me and taking in my scent...but, I feel it must have been because I am the same height and build as Owin, and he let his longing for my brother get the best of him."

"He took in your scent without asking permission?"

"But, he didn't kiss me without asking permission."

"I sincerely apologize."

"It's alright," My lips pressed a kiss to his forehead before I shifted to a sitting position and smiled down at him. "Let's get cleaned up and get something to eat," I insisted, my heart feeling lighter than ever. Emery cared about me so much that he fought sleep to search for me. I would have done the same for him. "After we tend to our guests, I give you full permission to do with me as you wish, kisses included."

I'd never seen the elegant Scholar move so fast. The sight caused laughter to bubble up inside me, and I let it out without a second thought. My mate made me feel giddy and childish. I looked forward to seeing more sides of him.

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The kitchen was bustling with activity. The long table that I was used to seeing empty was now full of our guests, Owin, and Sepherus, all in squill form. Once again, Owin rushed over to hug me. A sense of peace rushed through me at the warm greeting.

"Come on, I saved you some arecs," my brother urged as he sat me down next to him.

The Walker whelps talked animatedly to Lucio as he refilled their glasses with juice and iced tea. They were as energetic in their squill forms as they were in their wyvern forms. Their parents told Sepherus all about the amphipteres, the island, the valley, and the other elementals. Emery sat beside me, his plate full of cef-turnovers. The scent of the pastry was appetizing.

"May I try one?" I asked my Cojalis. Though surprised, he cut me a piece to taste.

Cefs were usually not to my liking, but the turnovers that day were bursting with flavor. "Mmm, Emery...please get me two of these, no, four." I pleaded.

Owin peered over at Emery's plate, his face looking pale. "Are those turnovers full of arecs?" He asked.

The Eld responded with a shake of his head. "They're cefs."

"WHAT? But Rhy-Fry hates cefs!"

The statement was so loud that it drew the attention of everyone at the table. But, then the attention shifted to me as I ate the last bite of the turnovers that had been on Emery's plate. With so many eyes on me, I barely managed to restrain myself from licking my fingers.

"I don't know. They're just very delicious today," I concluded.

"They're delicious every day," Emery countered as he gently wiped the corner of my lips with a napkin. I willingly held out my fingers so that he could clean them, as well, while he was at it. Could he be treating me so tenderly out of a sense of guilt?

"Dawn Omegas can bear whelps," Lady pointed out. "How many days has it been since your Troth Season?"

"I don't know-"

"Three days and three quarters," Emery intercepted, causing me to gape at him in surprise. I had to reevaluate my initial thoughts about his acting out of guilt. Was he merely being more paranoid?

"Rhyad," the female omega's voice drew my gaze back towards her. I could have sworn I saw a sparkle in her greenish-blue eyes. "You'll find out for sure in two months," she informed the table. "Be sure to let us know when you near the fifth month, and I can help with the hatching."

"Wa-wait, hatching? What happens in two months?" Owin questioned. He didn't bother studying about incubation and hatching, assuming that he'd mate with a male beta at some point.

"He'll begin to nest, of course," she answered. "And he'll be eating for anywhere from one to twelve whelps' worth of food."

"One to twelve?" Owin wheezed.

"I doubt that's possible," Emery countered, looking pensive. "I'm a Dusk beta. We're far less fertile than the average beta. But, if it is true...then I'd be happy with any number of whelps."

I gently tugged on the Scholar's sleeve. "More cef-turnovers, please?" I whispered, giving him the most mournful eyes I could muster. Emery was quick to comply that time.

"How could you be so calm about this, Rhy-Fry?" Owin asked.

"Owin, we both survived troth season. I was then struck by lightning again, kidnapped by an amphiptere, and forced to learn to fly to get out of an island paradise in the middle of the ocean," I mused aloud as I pressed a hand gently along my abdomen. "If I was blessed enough by Dawn to bear Emery's whelp or whelps...I kind of look forward to it."

"Bring on the whelps!" Lucio agreed from down the table. "Congratulations!" I sent him a smile. The fact that my friend seemed excited for me made me feel warm inside.

"Yeah!" the Walker whelps at the table agreed.

Owin didn't share the sentiment. "Listen, if it's what you want, I'm not going to stop you. But, I would feel loads better if we took Aris Lady Walker up on her offer and asked her over before it's time," He requested. "Just to be safe."

"That's only if it's true, which we can't possibly know yet," I said.

"Rhyad," Owin sighed. "You haven't touched an arec, your favorite fruit in the whole world...and you're holding a cef in your hand as if you're getting ready to take a big bite out of it."

My eyebrows raised as I turned the cef in my hand. Owin was right. I generally abhorred the texture of a cef in my mouth. But, when another tug of hunger urged me, I couldn't help myself. The sweet juice sent a pleasant shiver down my spine, and its texture didn't cross my mind once as I continued to devour it.

"It's so weird seeing you eat those," Owin commented as he rubbed his arms. Was he feeling goosebumps?

I ignored him in favor of the plate of freshly baked cef-turnovers that Emery brought back for me. The Scholar was officially my favorite person at that moment. I gave him a soft kiss on the cheek in gratitude and ate my fill.

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