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The song inside him got really loud, and Brayden jumped, staring at him. “He’s so ready.”
“Yes.” He shifted on the sheets, his heart pounding a bit. “I think you’re right. I—I’m scared, mate.”
“My mate? Never. You’ve seen births so many times. I know it hurts. But I’m here with you, and so is your mom.”
“And our son is going to ride the winds.” Harden could believe in this, hold onto it with all his heart.
“With Seren. It’s going to be the most amazing thing.” Brayden smoothed his hair back from his forehead.
“Yes. With our Seren. I saw her today. She’s perfect.”
“She is.”
Mom came bustling in, finally, humming, carrying a bowl of hot water. “How are you, son?”
“Good? He wants out.”
“Better that than scared to leave, hmm? Means a shorter labor.”
Oh, he liked that thought, so much. “Then out he should come.”
“That’s the spirit. You? Were happy. Warm. Sleepy. You wanted to stay.” She gave him a mock glare. “You took forever.”
He shrugged and smiled. “I knew I would never be safer?”
Brayden barked out a sharp laugh. “Funny.”
“Ha ha.” Mom came to wash his face and hands. “You were out there with the animals. Brayden, wash up as well.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Brayden followed her orders like a good little soldier.
Harden breathed through another wave of cramps, hands on his belly, feeling the muscles ripple and jerk under his palms.
I am going to be the best father I can be, little one. I swear it. Suddenly he gasped, his son’s song like a vast hum, filling him from his toes to his braids. “Luca!”
Brayden ran to him. “Harden, are you—”
“Our son’s name is Luca.” He held Brayden’s gaze. “Our son’s name is Luca.”
Suddenly he wasn’t scared anymore.
The expression on Brayden’s face went from worry to utter love and happiness. “Oh, what a perfect name.”
“He thinks so too.” Harden laughed for a second, and then stilled, let the contraction pass over him. When it was over, he swung his legs out of the bed. “I don’t think I want to stay in bed and lie here. I want to walk around.”
“We’re all terribly stunned to hear that revelation,” his mother said. “The ysidri walk it out. Why wouldn’t you?”
“Are you saying you didn’t?” He took the arm Brayden offered him and stood.
“I absolutely walked with you. I probably walked ten miles trying to get gravity to pull you out.”
Brayden burst out in a short bark of laughter again. “I swear you two together are like watching the best kind of sitcom.”
“Explain a sitcom to me,” Mother demanded.
Brayden tilted his head. “A sitcom is like a fast, funny story. Just a quick one, though, and the whole point is to make you laugh.”
“Why sitcom?”
