As I hurried farther into the great library, the usual sense of awe filled me over this room, which contained all of the knowledge of the worlds. When I reached the center of the space, I finally understood why it was so chilly in here today. Mera wanted snow.

“Angel! There you are!” my goddess of a best friend snapped, as she appeared between some shelves. Her red hair was messier than usual, piled on top of her head, with green tinsel threaded through the strands. She looked festive… and a little crazed.

As she dashed toward me, I tried to figure out how she was moving so fast for someone in her very pregnant state. I shouldn’t be surprised, though… I’d learned to never underestimate this particular being. She’d started life as a shifter before evolving into a goddess. A goddess who’d tamed one of the most formidable and scary beings in our worlds.

Shadow Beast.

Truth be told, no one could ever tame him, but Mera had definitely softened some of his harder edges. The beast and I had always had a tenuous sort of relationship, but thanks to Mera, we actually considered ourselves more friends than frenemies now. She was also the reason I used words such as “frenemy” these days because why the hell not? I was embracing this new side of myself, a side that did not carry the burdens of the ancients.

“Hello,” Mera tried again, waving her hands in front of my face. “Are you here to help me set up or what?”

I chuckled, unable to help myself. Since learning she was pregnant, she’d been extra fiery. “Are you actually getting crankier? How long until the baby is due?”

Mera sighed, all but sagging against me, her frame too fragile for someone who was technically indestructible. “Fucked if I know. Shadow keeps telling me it’s best if we don’t discuss how long and just enjoy the experience.” She trailed off into a ton of curses and colorful phrases regarding the Shadow Bastard, finishing with, “Easy for him to say since he’s not the one growing a demon spawn, or experiencing these insane cravings. Or dealing with my insane mate. You know that today is the first time in eight months he’s left my side? He keeps growling at anyone who steps near me like the caveman beast he is, but today he had to head to the Shadow Realm because it just couldn’t wait. And he left me with six fucking bodyguards. SIX!”

The moment she’d said “six,” I was hit with an urge to run and run fast. There wasn’t much in this world that scared me, not after everything I’d seen and done, but one of those six bodyguards was one of the few beings to knock me off-kilter.

Reece of the desert lands.