Alannah shook, the exhaustion catching up with her. “Is he okay?” Her eyes were half closed as she panted, but it didn’t stop her from opening her arms.

My mom handed the baby boy to Wendy, who took him into the bathroom to clean him up. “Wendy will be right back with him, but we aren’t finished here, Alannah.” She waited until Alannah nodded before she went back under the blanket. “We might have a little wait while the next baby gets ready to come out. You let me know when you feel the need to push again, okay?” Alannah breathed out and nodded, still too tired to say anything.

“Ainsley?” Wendy called from the bathroom. “Can you come here?”

My mom pulled back and stood up, cleaning her hands as she went. She caught my eye, and I nodded once, letting her know I would watch over the woman in my arms as she took care of her baby. Alannah pushed up weakly. “What’s wrong with my baby?”

My mom patted her knee. “I’ll check on him. Worry about the little girl in your stomach.” Then she walked out of the room. We all heard the whispered conversation from the bathroom.

“Amy…” Alannah’s fear scented the room. “My baby is going to be okay, right?” She panted for a few seconds before another scream hit.

“Are you okay?” I leaned over to see her face clearly.

She clutched at her stomach as she smiled. “Seems like I won’t get much of a break. She is raring to follow her brother.” She gritted her teeth as she grunted with another contraction.

My mother and Wendy walked out of the bathroom, both a little paler than before. My mom got back down. “You sound about ready. Let me look, and then we can start pushing again. Okay?” Alannah just nodded.

Wendy’s eyes were still wide as she stared at us, and I started to worry. Nix came out of the trees. Go to Wendy. She has something to show you.

I looked toward Ternen. His face was pale, but I could tell he was doing his best to support her. I leaned over. “I am going to check on your pup. Move over.” I nodded towards me, and Ternen gave a tiny jerk of his head as he shuffled over. I stood with a reassuring pat to Alannah, and I moved next to Wendy.

I held open my arms, and with a tight smile she handed him to me. “Here.” She slid the baby into my arms, and without drawing attention to it, she bared his arm.

“Oh.” The word slipped out before I could stop it, and all eyes snapped to us.

“What’s wrong?” Ternen’s voice broke as he asked.

I smiled down at the dark-haired baby in my arms. His bright green eyes were gorgeous; his unfocused gaze locked onto my face. “Nothing is wrong. Ten fingers.” I moved the towel and quickly counted. “Ten toes.” I smiled down at this precious baby with his trembling lip, and I walked over to the bed. “He’s perfect. And blessed.”

Alannah grunted as another contraction hit, but her focus was on me as I shuffled back onto the bed. “I want to hold him so badly.”

I grinned. “And you will as soon as your daughter is born. That way you don’t have to worry about being in active labor, you can focus on them both, and bond with them.” I slid next to her and tilted my arms. “But here is your son.”

Both Ternen and Alannah leaned closer, forgetting the pain in the moment so they could see their pup. “He’s perfect,” Ternen’s voice was soft.

Alannah leaned over and kissed his forehead. “Our Taryn.” She pulled back, and I watched as they both registered his arm.

“What’s that?”

“A blessing from the Goddess.” The soft pink skin of Taryn’s shoulder was marked with a pale, almost luminescent trio of stars.

I touched the blessing, and it seemed to glow with my touch.

“What does it mean?” Ternen’s fingers trailed over the blanket, and then the mark.

“I can’t say. Only the goddess knows the truth behind her blessings.”

Alannah opened her mouth, but she reared up and screamed again. My mom popped out from under the blanket and smiled. “Your baby girl is ready.” She disappeared again. “Next contraction we are going to push again, okay?”

It sounded like it was a question, but she meant it as a statement. But Alannah nodded anyway. “Okay.” She panted for a second before the next one hit. I handed the baby back to the waiting Wendy, and I grabbed for Alannah.

“Push.” I grabbed her leg, as Ternen did, and just like the first time, she screamed. She pushed until she couldn’t and collapsed against us.

“I can’t.” She panted.

“She is almost out,” my mom called up to us. “Push harder on the next one, and she’ll be free.”

“You can do this.” I wrapped my arm behind her back, and Ternen pressed closer.

“Okay.” She nodded again as another contraction hit. She grunted as she bore down, and with a final push, another tiny scream tore through the air.