With My Last Breath

"As confusing as that sounds, that makes sense," I agreed. "Which means that we will need to rush our business here. Heleyne is not meant to be pregnant. We cannot have her body begin to show."

"I agree," my mother said. "But we should rush anyway. We absolutely must find that sword and soon."

She sank onto the bed next to me, pulling me into a hug.

"Congratulations, daughter," she beamed. "We shall have to restore the palace nursery in Olympus. I cannot wait to spoil this child. Although, I must say, I’m too young to be a grandmother."

"You’ll be the most beautiful grandmother on the face of the planet. You are ageless," I assured her. "But this brings with it so many complications. We are in Camelot, Cadmus is trapped in the Wastelands, the future of the Spiritlands is uncertain…"

"The future is not uncertain," Guinevere stated firmly. "We will save the future.

We have no choice. For now, all you can do is use caution and protect the child that you carry. All will work out, daughter."

She smiled Aphrodite’s smile at me and I couldn’t help but return it. I was pregnant. It was a miracle. I was filled with such a feeling of wonder that I could hardly contain it. My mother beamed at me once more as she stood.

"I’ll leave you to rest," she said as she walked toward the door. "And I’ll send Lucan in. I’m sure he’s beside himself right now. Do not tell him," she cautioned.

"I won’t," I answered as I nestled into the softness of my pillows. Lucan was beside me in one minute flat, sliding up next to me, wrapping me inside his strong arms.

"The queen said that you are fine?" he inquired, nuzzling the back of my neck.

"That you just got too warm. Is that correct?"

No, I’m carrying your child, I wanted to say. But of course, I did not.

"Yes, my sweet. It is just as I thought. These skirts do get warm in the heat. I feel so much better now," I assured him. Ecstatic, exuberant and joyful, to be exact.

"Do not scare me like that again," he instructed, pulling me closer into the warmth of his hard chest and I inhaled his masculine scent. He smelled like the outdoors.

"I won’t," I promised as my heavy eyelids closed. I was so weary. It felt as though every cell in my body was tired and I knew a nap would do me good.

But even still, sleep wouldn’t come to me. All I could think of was how much I wanted to share my miraculous news with Cadmus. He was going to be a father and he didn’t even know.

Courtney Cole 55

With My Last Breath, Book Three

As I snuggled deeper into Lucan’s arms the strangeness of my current situation hit me. I was here with my husband, but he was in another body and didn’t know who and what we were. I was pregnant with his baby, but I couldn’t tell him because he had impregnated me from his god form, not his mortal form. And I couldn’t tell him in his true form because he was trapped by the Fates in some godforsaken wastelands. If I hadn’t known it before, I would certainly know it now. The Fates were cruel, cruel beings.

At long last, my eyes grew too heavy and I felt myself drift into slumber. And almost immediately, I found myself standing face to face with my husband amid swirling white wind.

"You’re pregnant?" he asked incredulously.

Unfortunately, although amazement and joy was inflected in his tone, I knew he didn’t feel it in his heart. He wanted to, but he couldn’t muster it up in this horrible place.

I nodded. "How did you know?"

He shook his weary head. Lines were etched on his face now, lines that hadn’t been there before. The wastelands were hard on him and I ached to take him from here. I had never felt so helpless.

"I do not know. Every once in awhile, something just occurs to me. I don’t know how. It is just dropped into my mind."

I thought on that for a moment as the wind whipped my skirts around me. Was it possible that he was inadvertently gleaning information through his life as Lucan?

He paused and ran his gaze up and down my length. "By the gods," he breathed.

"You’ve traveled time again, haven’t you?"

I nodded. "Yes," I answered. "It was necessary. I think Zeus’ sword is in Camelot.

We’ve returned there to find it so that I can save you."

He examined my clothing once again, his eyes widening.

"You’re in Camelot?" he asked in shock. "Do you remember how dangerous it is there for you? I have no wish for you to be there. You must return to the Spiritlands.

We’ll find some other way to get to the sword."

"There is no other way, my love," I shook my head. "We’ll find it, I’ll return, then I’ll save you."

"And then you’ll spend all of eternity reminding me of that?" he raised his eyebrow humorlessly. Again, it was something that he would normally say in jest, but it was apparent that all laughter was gone from his heart.

"I’m going to be a father," he marveled as his jaw clenched. "I can’t believe it, Harmonia. What a blessing!"

"Yes," I whispered. "And I cannot wait to get you back home so that we can truly celebrate it in the happiness that it deserves."

Courtney Cole 56

With My Last Breath, Book Three

"I’m sorry, wife," he murmured, pulling me to him. "I will be happy. I promise it.

This place sucks every emotion out of me, I cannot help it. But I do love you. And I will love our child. It will be the most loved child in the history of the world."

Tears streamed down my cheeks, soaking the front of his tunic, as sadness for what I was now missing overwhelmed me.

"I know, Cadmus. Ours will be the luckiest child in the world."

He glanced down at me. "So, you’ve managed a way to be with me, even though I am trapped here. You’ve always been wily, wife."

I smiled against his chest. "It wasn’t my purpose, but I will admit that being with you as you are Lucan is a comfort to me right now. I miss you so much, Cadmus. But I am trying my best to save you. We will beat them, I promise you that."

He nodded silently, his large hand stroking my back.

"I know," he answered. "I have faith in you, Harmonia. But leave here now. You don’t belong here."

And I was awake.

Lucan was stroking my back in the same way as Cadmus had been a moment ago, his long fingers splayed across my hip identically. And although it was comforting, it wasn’t quite the same. Somehow, even though I had loved Lucan with every ounce of my heart, Cadmus was who owned it.