Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 443

Talia’s POV

“We’ll double your dose tonight,” Leslie said. “Just for tonight, take twice as much as usual, both times, and get to bed early.”

“Is that safe? For them, I mean.”

“It’s safer than the alternative. The herbs help slow down what the babies take from you. If they’re going to take more tonight, the tonic has to be stronger too. It’s the best we can do with the time we have.”

That night, I drank the double dose, just like Leslie said. It tasted even worse than usual. Nolan sat on my bed and watched me finish the second cup, trying not to laugh.

“Don’t even start,” I warned him.

“What? I didn’t say anything.”

“You were about to. I can see it all over your face.”

“I wish I could show you what you look like. Your face is priceless,” Nolan said as he took the cup from me and offered me ice cream. “Like a kid forced to eat vegetables.”

“It tastes like swamp water. Like Leslie boiled something dead in a swamp,” I said. I ate the ice cream, glad for the sweetness that finally covered up the bitter taste.

“She more than likely did,” Nolan said, shrugging.

I rolled my eyes and took another bite, grateful as my stomach finally calmed and the bitter taste of the tonic had begun to fade.

“I’ve got something for you,” Nolan said as he set the cup aside. He opened the drawer in the nightstand and put a small cloth bundle in my hand.

I unwrapped the bundle and found a dark green stone. It glowed in my hand, warm and soothing.

“It’s beautiful,” I said as I lifted it toward the lamp, watching the light shine right through. “Where did you get this?”

“Alpha Landon,” he said with a grin. “He sent a letter to Solon and me this morning. He heard about the pregnancy and wanted to check up on you. He sent this. They just found these stones in Lonefur. They are the first in three generations.”

“It’s like Leslie’s, but it’s green,” I said.

“This kind of Ember is blessed with luck, especially when it comes to pregnancy. It can help calm your mind and keep the babies stable.”

“You asked him for this, didn’t you?”

“I did,” Nolan said. “I saw how much Leslie’s helped her. I didn’t think Landon would find something just for you so quickly.”

“Nolan, thank you,” I said, kissing him on the cheek.

Then, from somewhere down the hall, a baby cried.

I followed the sound. The crying grew louder, then split in two. It was not just one baby. It was two, both crying out of sync.

A big window looked into the nursery. Two cribs stood side by side, each holding a baby. Their faces were bright red as they cried as loudly as they could. One looked almost like me. The other looked like a mix of Nolan and Solon.

“Those…those are my babies,” I said as I put my hand on the glass.

Then I heard the noise behind me.

Suddenly, the hallway filled with people, all moving toward a door at the end of the corridor. I prepared to push through the crowd, but I phased right through them. As I got closer, I heard crying again. I stopped at the room and pushed the door open.

Inside the room, Solon leaned against the wall, covering his mouth, his eyes red from crying. Della had collapsed on the floor, crying in Marco’s arms. “You said you could help! You said…” she sobbed.

Leslie stood close to the foot of the bed, arms hanging by her sides, looking defeated and mortified.

Nolan took my hand in both of his and bowed his head, since he was crying so violently that the bed shook. Then I realized what I was seeing.

The twins were born, healthy and beautiful. And I was dead.