Ire Taverness's Arc

Chapter 10 of 19

The second night in the tent, rain tapped the canvas. Ire lay against Kael's chest with his arm around her shoulder. A single lantern burned low by the flap. His other hand moved through her hair, slow, the same rhythm he used when he combed it after the bath. "Kael." "Mm." "I want a baby." His hand stopped. Then it started again, careful. "Say that again." "I want a baby. Yours." She lifted her head so she could see his face. "I've been turning it over all week. The tavern runs without me. The cellar is full. The staff is good. I stopped sleeping through the night a year ago and I slept through last night. I'm ready." He was quiet a long moment. His orange eyes stayed on her. "You're sure." "I'm sure." "I want children in the tavern. I want them behind the bar when I'm old. I want to hand it to them and sit in the sun with you." She pressed her palm flat against his chest. "I've wanted that since I was twenty-two. I just never said it out loud." He closed his hand over hers and smirked. "Then we try tonight," he said in a teasing tone. "Tonight." She giggled and lowered her head back to his chest. His heart was faster than before. She heard it under her ear. "You're scared," she said. "Yes." "Of what." He took a breath. She felt his ribs move. "I take jobs that break me. You've set my shoulder yourself. If we have a child and I don't come back one day, you carry that alone." "Then stop taking those jobs." He did not answer. "Kael." "I heard you." She pushed up on her elbow. Her tail lay across his hip. "I'm not asking you to stop tonight. I'm telling you what I want. A child. And you home. Both." He looked at her a long time. His jaw worked once. "After this trip," he said. "I take one more job when we get back. It's already promised. Then I'm done with the road work. I'll stay at the tavern." "What job?" "Close to Mosswood. A few days." "That's all you'll say." "That's all I'll say." She watched him. He watched her back. She knew that clipped tone. He would not open it. She let it go. "One more job," she said. "Then you're mine." "Then I'm yours." She kissed him. He turned the lantern down until the flame went out. Rain kept tapping the canvas. They stayed wrapped up together for a long while, quiet and content.