Chapter 28

Kamari

I didn't have much appetite at dinner after this morning's news. When I look up, Koa catches my gaze, his brows furrowed in worry. I sigh, "I'm fine. Itchy," I scratch my skin, knowing I must go back into the water. Hours had turned into half-hours, and it annoyed me. "I might as well stay in the water at this point," I say aloud. Nye gets up, giving me his hand, "Come. It shouldn't be too long."

I give him a meek smile. I feel a slight twinge in my lower abdomen, but I get used to my whelp beating my insides like a drum. When I get to the water's edge, Nye holds my hands as I get in. Koa built what looked like a smaller pool just for me to wade in or sit if I wanted to. When I get halfway in, I smirk at Nye. "Awe, aren't you gonna come in?"

Nye's nose twitches, "I don't enjoy swimming with pearls…" He says with distaste. I pinch my lips together, wishing he hadn't said that. "Please, for me?" I bat my eyes. He shakes his head, "I'll stay at the edge."

Ugh. "You're not fun." I splash him playfully, and he backs away, then points at me, "Try that again, and I'm walking away."

"No, you won't," I tease, with half my head out of the water, "You'll just get mad for a minute, then come back to me. Like you always do." Nye's eyes are narrow, but a smirk on his face lets me know he isn't in a bad mood. Hopefully, he is playful as well, I hoped.

I swim to the edge of the Oasis pool, lifting myself out halfway. "There are some fun things you can do with me in water," I bite my lip with a smile. Nye walks back to me and then crouches near me. "I'm listening," he says with a slight tilt of his head. I perch on a step, place my arms around his neck, and whisper what I want from him. 

When I pull back, I watch as Nye's eyes haze over. Nye wasn't a prince charming; his demeanor screamed Villian heart-throb. Nye then sits back on land with a smirk as he leans on his arms. 

"On land." He says with a stern voice, still a smirk on his face. I chuckle in disbelief, "You hate water that much?"

His eyes lock with mine, "I loathe it."

"Then why did you jump in the last time in the underdwelling?"

Nye rolls his eyes. "You were bleeding. Next time, I'll just plunk you from the water."

I sigh, letting him win this one. But as I try to get out, a sharp pain pinches my spine, "Ah!' I fall and land on my butt on the step. The wave of pain makes me groan, and when I look between my legs, a shimmering ooze flows out of me.

Oh, Goddess.

"Nye!" I shout, "I think he's coming." My body trembles. The pain came out of nowhere. I have never experienced this kind of pain in my life. Nye peeks over the edge, and his eyes widen. My hands clenched the stone below me. Tears stream down my cheeks with every pulse of pain.

"Koa!" I scream. Nye didn't know what would happen to me, but Koa did, and I needed him. A splash of waves rolls over the pool wall, and Koa climbs over it. I've never felt such relief in my life to see someone. Despite the pain, I tried to swim towards him, but Kamari didn't move. Koa's calm voice lures me into him, and I wrap my legs around him. 

I pinch my eyes together as the pain slices down my spine. "Ugh! Why can't he swim out of me!" 

Koa wears a pursed smile and hates it, but it makes me chuckle, "Stop it, it's not funny."

The night sky turns blush with a dash of blue as morning hits, then afternoon and dusk. No whelp. 

My exhaustion hits its peak as my labor falls into its twelfth hour, and Koa stayed with me, swimming backwards like an otter, he laid me on his chest. "I'm so tired…" I whimper. I feel Koa's arms wrap around me. "He'll come. Does the pain come in waves?"

"No. Not anymore. It's staying." I tried to breathe out the pain, but nothing worked. I just wanted the fucker out at this point. "Ugh," I groan like a feral beast. I lay my head to the side I could see Aneth and Nye by the pool, Nye paced back and forth, while Aneth sat near the edge of the pool. 

As far as I knew, they didn't leave for anything—not even food. "I'll try once more," I say softly. My body suffers from not sleeping or eating, and my limbs weigh heavily.

Please, Kadea, let this be the last push…

I wrap my arms around Koa's neck, and I push with the last bit of everything I have. The whole forest probably heard my cries. I finally feel something give and he comes out, my pain vanishes and I inhale as if it's my first breath. 

"Oh, thank you, Goddess, " I sob in relief. I turn, still hanging onto Koa's neck, trying to find my baby. I hear a soft reptilian chirp behind me, and then I see a pair of serpent turquoise eyes staring back at me—a miniature version of Koa—except his body isn't emerald; it's white.

"Oh, please come to me; don't go away yet." My emotions poured out all over the place. As if he recognized my voice, he gave a soft chirp and swam to me. I embraced him as he curled into my chest. I felt a vibration in the water as Koa came around. He gazed down at his whelp, tilting his head. "He is strong," Koa half-smiled.

"He reminds me of a glistening pearl." Well, before the fact that I knew where they came from. I tell myself. Koa raises a brow at me. Probably thinking the same thing.

"He's beautiful," I said, caressing his little head. An overwhelming feeling to protect and love him crashes over me. I had never experienced such a powerful emotion. "Koa, do you have a name for him?" I ask. Koa gazes down at him for a while before saying anything.

"Ryuu."

"Ryuu?" The name sounded unique, and she doubted anyone would have it. "I like it. Do you?" I look down at him, and Ryuu gives me a sharp chirp, then his gaze draws to the water, he makes another sound that she didn't recognize.

"He wants to leave." Koa says, and I immediately latch Ryuu to my chest, "No, I've only spent a minute with him; it's not fair." I couldn't help the burn in my eyes. I know it's how he must grow, but good goddess, I didn't want to let him go.

My lip trembles. After twelve hours of labor I only got to spend a minute or two with him. I sniffle, "I'm starting to hate Dragons…" I chuckle with a bittersweet smile, of course I didn't mean it. Letting Ryuu go had to happen. 

"Okay," My voice cracks. I dip my upper-half into the water and Ryuu dives under. I could still feel his tiny heart beating against my chest. Something surfaces from the water, a tiny white scale. I scoop it up in my hands and start to cry again. I wanted out of the water. 

Koa helps me swim back with whatever strength I have left. And when I get a hold of the edge, Nye picks me up like I weigh nothing and carries me in his arms. My stomach could eat me alive, but the exhausted got a hold of me first, and I passed out in Nyes arms thinking about Ryuu, praying he'll come back to me.