"Everyone ready?" Nanoka asks.

It was well into the night by the time Shimmer finished giving birth, so I ended up just sleeping in Shyla's bed. But it seems Nanoka was watching out for that. A bit creepy, but after the last few days, I can't really complain about her watching over me.

Now it's time to see which Goddess got to my baby first. It would be funny if a Goddess other than Dragon or Phoenix got to her.

"Yes," I say. I hope I can get through the day normally. I should have a day or two before anyone else gives birth, probably Esiyae. It seems my magic was enough to keep her alive, so I'll have to decide if I save her again. I could turn her into shadow three.

No, I shouldn't. It's better that she just dies. She's too hateful to leave around my babies.

"Then off we go," Nanoka says. The world shifts around us, and we end up in Space's temple.

*** Shimmer ***

Why do we have to go to the Goddess of Space? My little girl is a phoenix. How is it that my Goddess isn't the first to see her? Does she still not trust me? I'm her mate. I blessed us with this little champion, and I'm ready to do more. I haven't tried anything.

"Well, hello 'Princess'" booms through the empty space. Pressure washes over me. Enough to force me to my knees if...

"Yes," the Goddess of Space says. "You are already there. Silly thing. This is what it feels like to be in the presence of a goddess who has control over her powers. What Luck and Destruction will force you to do if you aren't careful around them soon. You get to see just how much handle-holding we normally do around you. Of course, Alzi, my wife, is a special case. But you are not. Now, I know what Alzi thinks, but I need to know if she is correct. She's been hurt too much by those who should've loved her. From her Aunt to those that said they loved her in, even some in the temple of Love."

I'm naked. My little girl is still wrapped in her blanket in my arms. But I have a body while meeting a Goddess. She even showed herself to me. The world is still the white background I expect, but Space is here next to me.

Every step she takes towards me feels like an earthquake rocking me. Yet I don't move, can't move. I have to sit and watch the Goddess come up behind me and wrap me in her arms, one around my neck, the other on my hips.

"Did you ever plan to hide the kid from Alzi?" the Goddess of Space asks.

"No. She's my mate. I could never take a child from my mate. The plan was always to raise it together."

"Why didn't you put her before the family?"

"I couldn't. You must know how a marriage works for nobles. There's too much mana around to disobey the rules."

"Yet you got pregnant," the Goddess of Spaces accuses.

"You know what I mean. The family goals. I have to do everything to reach the goals. It was a request that I go. If I outed myself as a phoenix, I wouldn't be able to do anything to help Alzi. The Queen would've taken me away. I. I wanted to stay by Alzi."

"Protecting Alzi would've been important to reaching the crown back then. Alzi was the key after all. You knew she made it trivial for you all to reach the crown. You knew Elora was right about Alzi being a champion. You knew Alzi was special enough to hand the throne to the family."

"It helped us reach the goal faster. Elora will be the next Queen if she lives through this. It turned out to be the fastest path."

"Don't play games with me, bird. Do I even need to move my arms to kill you? Think I need to be near you to pluck your feather out? War hurt Alzi, but she had no plan to kill her. Alzi wouldn't be alive if War really wanted to end her. Don't get fooled by how tame we all are. Thin rules are all that keep us from killing anyone we want. Rules nobody will care about if I killed you. You aren't important enough."

"I..."

"I don't give a damn. Answer the question," the Goddess of Space says. Her arms tighten over my body.

"I failed! Ok, I fucking failed. Is that what you want to hear? Is that what you need me to say? I failed to assess the danger Alzi was in. I failed to understand what Alzi meant to others. I thought she was special to me and my people and not others that much, ok. I messed up. Are you going to kill me for that? I wanted her to be happy. I tried, but it was Elora who had to do that. Elora made the decisions. Are you going to kill me over a mistake and marry Elora instead of finding some way to make them all marry me? I did my best, and I messed it up. How was I supposed to know how easily they would get into a Princess's manor? How was I supposed to know they would break the rules of war so easily? I didn't know! I tried. I love her."

"You should give that little speech to Alzi. See if she cares about it," the Goddess of Space says. "Of course, I may just kill you. I helped you all in that war. Brought you all to the perfect place to defend and slowed your enemies down. Yet you couldn't even keep Alzi safe. You claim to be Alzi's mate, yet haven't had sex with her."

"I am her mate. Don't question that."

"Yes," another voice booms out. "Don't question mates among my people. Shimmer understands what that word means to me. Now, why are you the first to see MY champion, Space?"

"Because they came to me," the Goddess of Space says. "Not you, Phoenix. Besides, the child is as much a dragon as she is a phoenix. A good neutral third party was needed. It is amazing what happens when you're nice to the important woman. When you help her and show her you care about her. When you genuinely want her to succeed. It's something you may want to teach in your temples."

"Release Shimmer and return this to normal," the Goddess of Phoenix says. "You've made your point with her. She knows her place now. Bring Alzi up, and we can have a productive meeting."

"I suppose," the Goddess of Space says.

The world changes yet again around me. The pressure disappears, replaced by a normal living room. Just my baby is missing.

*** Alzi ***

Shimmer freezes for a moment, then I'm taken up, back in Space's living room. I'm even sitting in her lap holding my child. Shimmer's sweating on the floor while Phoenis, I'm guessing, is standing behind the couch, arms crossed and frowning.

"My child," Shimmer whispers.

"I have her," I say. "She's safe." It is a bit cramped with her. Space is getting along in her pregnancy, along with me. But I'm happy to make it work.

"Now, what is there to discuss?" Space says. "You've proven that the girl is your champion. What else is there?"

"Simple," Phoenix says. "Alzi, I made a deal with Dragon. I would like you to get pregnant from one of my phoenix, full or part."

"Maybe," I say. "If I feel like it. You'll have to deal with Phoenixes getting pregnant."

"Phoenixes?" Phoenix says. "That is all? Not even your mate. Just in general. Come on, Alzi, how could you do that?"

"I didn't choose Shimmer; she picked me and didn't care to ask. Don't blame me for her mistake."

"You're taking responsibility for Zarzi. She did the same thing. Moving without asking. You didn't understand there and just moved forward. Shimmer walked around the castle as your slave. She showed her love and devotion. Elora has done worse to you, yet has a route to your heart. Shimmer is ready to be by your side. To be your mate. You've done it to your Mother and treat her correctly. You know it will make you feel better to accept her. Treat her like you did when you visited her lands. Look at her. She accepts you."

I really shouldn't be fighting with a Goddess. But why does she have to do this to me? "What is the deal? Why do I have to have another child with another phoenix?" ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel[f]ire.net

"We both get a child to claim," Phoenix says. "I had to claim this child to keep others from taking it. So Dragon wants her child."

"I already promised the Queen another kid, so everything is fine. I do appreciate the excuse to sit in my dear's lap, but we have things to do. We'll find time to take our daughter to your temple. Don't worry. Now, I think everything has been confirmed and settled."

"Getting bold already," Phoenix says. "Try to keep it from getting you killed. As Shimmer understands, Goddesses can kill you if you give us enough of a reason to reach down and do it. Give Shimmer a real chance."

"Phoenix, you know that anyone tries that with Alzi and they'll find themselves like Sex, starved for attention if they don't end up like Poison. Don't threaten my Love. She's safe. Shimmer, not so much."

"Please, Alzi. Think about it. Demanding is too far. I'm sorry. I just don't want to upset Dragon. If you get a phoenix pregnant, or let on that you are pregnant, just have the kid in Dragon's temple so she can claim the child, please. Is that a fair ask?"

"I can do that," I say.

"Thank you," Phoenix says. "Sorry for coming on strong. I am used to demanding things. I'm not normally working with those outside my control. Have a nice day." She burst into flames and just disappeared. Probably helped along by Space.

Shimmer is still on her knees, confused about the world, I'm guessing.

"Well, sorry, but we don't have time to keep this meeting going. The baby will be coming soon. I'll pull you up when labor starts. And I did confirm that Shimmer always planned to let you raise the child. We should be fair to her."

"Thank you," I say. "It makes it easy to have everything go through you."

"Happy to help my dear. Have a nice day. There shouldn't be any more surprises. I'm not Future, so I'm sorry if I'm wrong. Shimmer, get ready to hold your child again."

"Yes, Goddess of Space," Shimmer stammers out.

We return to the temple and move to make sure Shimmer keeps hold of the kid. Her arms do loosen a bit, but never enough to drop the child.

"That seems like one business deal done," Nanoka says. "Time for some rest, Shimmer. You've been through a lot."

With them gone, all that is left is for me to work on being a healer that doesn't need to fuck her patients. Or at least fuck less of her patients. Some of these women come in here with just a scrap of life left in them. Getting them pregnant is the only efficient way to keep them alive.

Lucky girls. If their mind recovers.