Read On a Clear Winter Night: An Irin Chronicles Short Story for Free Online Page B

her to coax the babies into the world, but they were escaping her. Ava wasn’t in a coaxing mood anymore. Coaxing passed her by about an hour ago. She was approaching two hours of near-constant contractions, and while the babies were in no distress, she was .
    “Okay, kids, time to get out of there.” She pushed herself up and felt Malachi bracing her hips and shoulders. “Thanks, babe.”
    Because he was a wise man, her mate continued tracing spells down her arms and didn’t say one word.
    He said you would know when to use them.
    Well, apparently Azril, the angel of death, knew her kids were going to be a handful. Maybe it was inevitable that children born from the union of two mortal enemies were always going to be trouble. She was ready for trouble. She was also ready to have her children leave the building.
    Ava took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she breathed out the ancient words. “ Agatavyah boh. ”
    Astrid stood up straight. “Ava, what was that?”
    “Spell.” She gritted her teeth and placed both hands on her belly. “Hold my hips,” she told Malachi. “Lift them up a little.”
    He did and she groaned it out again.
    “ Agatavyah boh! ”
    “Ava.” Astrid was starting to look concerned. “I don’t know that spell, and I’m not sure you should be using it. You don’t know what it could—”
    “Stop,” Candace said, speaking forcefully for the first time. “Look at her belly. Do you see?”
    Ava couldn’t see, but she could feel it. There was a painful roll and twist, and a small complaining whine in her mind.
    Enough of this nonsense, the distinctly male whine seemed to say. Let me out of here.
    “Oh.” Astrid reached down and felt for the babies. “Someone pushed his sister out of the way. He’s ready to come.”
    “So it is our daughter who was the stubborn one.” Malachi finally spoke. “How very interesting.”
    “Oh my god, shut up!”
    There was a great burning pain and Malachi pressed silver-lit arms around her. Their mating marks flared to life, lifting Ava past the pain, her mind arrowing in on the small soul being born into the world.
    An angry cry and a triumphant shout from Candace. “Well done, Ava!”
    A squirming warm body was placed on Ava’s chest as Candace threw a blanket over the baby boy. Malachi was laughing, and he didn’t stop, even when her body tensed for another strong contraction.
    “Geron,” Malachi whispered. “Hello, my wise boy. What a good boy you are.”
    Ava closed her eyes and took a moment to glory in the sound of her mate speaking to their baby boy.  
    Her son!
    She started laughing, too. She laughed and she cried until the vise in her belly tightened again and a mutinous little voice batted against her mind.
    Ornery little baby…
    Vasu’s words came back to her. “ …ayatah agatavyah if they are being stubborn. ”
    Well, of course her daughter was being stubborn.
    Ava cradled baby Geron to her chest, holding his tiny squirming body on her breast as she spoke firmly to her daughter.
    “ Ayatah agatavyah , Matti.”
    Another rolling turn.
    “Oh, that stinker,” Astrid said. “She turned faceup.”
    “Come on, kid. You don’t have a choice in this.” Ava pressed a firm hand to her stomach and mentally pushed her daughter with every bit of magic she controlled. She pictured the tiny stubborn girl exiting her body. Pictured her safe and sound and crying angry tears next to her brother. “ Ayatah agatavyah, Matti!”
    And there she was. Ava barely heard the delighted laughter of Malachi behind her or the happy clapping of Candace. Astrid was grinning and wrapping up Matti when she lifted her and Ava met her daughter’s eyes.
    Her little face was scrunched and scowling, but her eyes were fixed on Ava’s face. Deep amber-gold eyes, and a shock of thick black hair. Ava could only shake her head and laugh. There was no more pain, no more exhaustion. She was riding high on adrenaline, magic, and pure joy.
    Astrid put the