Episode 177: Babies (Indigo)

Indigo thought she’d found the perfect painting metaphor for knowing she was about to die, about to lose her Elliot.

She wasn’t even being dramatic about it. No one would guess, except probably Spence and Zero. It would just be another painting on another wall somewhere around the palace.

The metaphor?

An alpine mountain scene, a crisp, beautiful day. A family of squirrels playing on the slopes, unaware that above them a pebble had shifted. She painted the little shadow to show that the pebble, the infinitely small gathering of snow behind it, had begun its descent down the mountain.

The gathering tide of snow would overtake the little squirrel family. Even if they felt the rumblings and ran for cover in the trees, the snow would overtake the trees. Nowhere was safe.

It encapsulated her feelings. Waiting, helpless, for the avalanche to strike.

Perhaps she was being a little dramatic, but she decided that in these circumstances drama was within her rights.

She heard the door click open behind her; a moment later, Zero’s lips found her neck as they had done a thousand times before. She turned her face easily in his embrace and met his lips.

“Indy,” he breathed against her mouth. “Can we talk?”

If that was how he wanted to spend what might be their last hours together… “Talk?” she teased. She pressed her lips against his, hungry for more, for distraction.

He pulled away. “Aadya is inducing today and I suspect Talise will too.”

Ah. “You’ll be busy,” she stated. She found the little seed of annoyance inside herself and squished it. They had a right to want their babies safe, even if she couldn’t protect hers, even if the act of saving their babies took Zero from her when she needed him. “That’s a good idea,” she managed. “Especially for Aadya.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “I will be around – Aadya will be delivering in the room across from my office.”

That was a change. After losing Daphne, she must not be taking any chances.

Indigo opened her mouth to say something – she hadn’t figured out what to say yet – when the door to the art room opened again. “Ms. Indigo?” Nell called into the room.

Damn. What did he want? “Nell,” she greeted, to cover for the thoughts she knew he’d heard. She didn’t want to be rude, she just wanted to be…alone, with Zero, unencumbered by life.

“I have procured a carriage for you,” he said, and he moved his arms in a sweeping motion toward the door. Something large and metal and electronic made its way through the door, pushed by Konrad.

“This,” Nell announced dramatically. Indigo guessed drama just ran in the family. “Is an artificial womb.”

Konrad smiled and reached into his pocket. “And this,” he said, withdrawing a small vial, “is a loyalty-based dragon elixir.”

Indigo didn’t understand. She glanced at Zero, hoping he did, but he studied the metal carriage with a bemused expression. She turned her focus back to Nell.

“If you will accept one of us, we would like to help you protect yourself and your son. Also, I’m sorry for eavesdropping.” Nell bowed while he spoke, because sweeping motions apparently weren’t dramatic enough for him.

Dragon. Konrad hadn’t died when Nell tried to kill him.

“Aren’t all elixirs loyalty elixirs?” she asked, to buy time.

“This one isn’t sexual loyalty, it’s more of a kingdom loyalty,” Nell explained.

She should at least be grateful for that. She had no interest in ever sleeping with her own brother and only a little interest in ever sleeping with Konrad.

No, it wasn’t interest, it was curiosity. Gancanagh were rumored to be significantly bigger than your average guy, and good in bed too. But since she had a husband who was significantly bigger than average, good in bed, and an all around amazing person, and had the benefit of mutual love interest with her…it was about 1% curiosity about Konrad and 99% ew no.

She looked at Zero, mostly so she wouldn’t have to look at Nell after having that atrocious line of thought.

“If you want to try it, I will do everything I can for him,” Zero promised. He approached the metal thing and looked it over with a scientific eye.

Konrad explained that this special elixir would make her kingdom-loyal, Dragon-loyal, but wouldn’t require fealty. She also wouldn’t have to bleed into the vial and drink her own blood, although she did have to drink either Nell’s or Konrad’s blood.

There was that 1% of interest. Besides, she was already loyal to Nell. She didn’t need an elixir to strengthen that connection.

Once she’d drunk it, Konrad retrieved a second vial and offered it to Zero. “And a regular elixir for the two of you, if you’d like.”

Zero took it from him. “Thank you,” he said. He rested his hand on the curved outer shell of the portable womb. “What does this machine require?”

“Stable power and observation,” Nell said.

“And someone to guard it,” Konrad added.

Yes, a guard would be good. Especially if Elliot was now a Dragon baby.

Her only regret was that she couldn’t retroactively Dragon Spaden and Mallory and Sawyer and Silas.

Well, she could. She’d tap Nell for that tomorrow, maybe.

Indigo tuned them all out while they made arrangements for a rotating group of guards who already knew their family, and selected which room, which generator, for the external womb.

She rested her hand on her belly. It was a chance, for Elliot.

If it worked, Elliot would survive.

If it didn’t work, it would be Zach all over again, as far as Zero was concerned. She needed this to work.

Maybe later, just for a bit, she’d ask Aadya for some luck magic. Just for during the surgery, to encourage things along.

Zero didn’t need a repeat of his Zach guilt.

Zero squeezed her hand once he’d said arranged everything with Konrad and Nell. “Relaxing while we prepare everything, or helping?”

She was surprised he had to ask, but he was stressed. He was probably just giving her the choice, the opportunity to hide if she needed to.

She loved him for it. “You know I won’t be able to relax.”

Together, the four of them set about arranging a room for little Elliot to grow in. Indigo had rarely felt so loved and supported. When she needed them, the people she loved most were here for her.

Was there anything better?

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