Out of the Ashes (Maji 1)

It really wasn’t a big deal; my stomach was the only place I had gained any weight, and it wasn’t like it was a huge amount or anything. My stomach just wasn’t flat anymore.

“Thanas,” Surkah whispered. “It looks like an ikon stung you.”

I had no idea what an ikon was, but I knew nothing had stung me.

“Do your lissa thing and see if I’m sick.”

Surkah placed both of her hands on my stomach, and her eyes misted with tears.

“I don’t need to use my lissa to know why you’ve been poorly.”

I raised a brow. “Then why am I feeling so shitty?”

“Because,” she spoke softly, “you’re with offspring.”

I stared at Surkah, and she stared right back at me.

“I’m sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “Can you repeat that?”

She laughed. “You’re with offspring.”

I shook my head again.

“You’re wrong; I am sick.”

“No,” she pressed, snickering now. “You’re with offspring.”

“Surkah,” I deadpanned. “I’m going to smack you if you say that again.”

She cackled. “Why? It’s true.”

“It can’t be.”

“Why not?” Surkah asked, staring down at my stomach like it was a beacon of hope. “This is a gift from Thanas.”

“I had sex with Kol three times, Surkah. Three times,” I stated but even embarrassed with admitting that.

“Three times is enough.” She shrugged. “It only takes one time.”

For a moment, we were silent; then I felt overwhelmed, so I laid down on the sofa and stared up at the landscape painted ceiling.

“Are you sure?” I questioned. “I mean, are you really sure?”

Surkah kneeled next to me, pushed the material of my top back up to my breasts, and placed both of her hands on my stomach once more. She didn’t speak; she just closed her eyes and did her lissa thing. I learned over the past few weeks that Surkah’s healing ability could also scan the body to track illness, locate pain points, and track pregnancy.

“Oh, Nova,” she suddenly cried. “You’re truly with offspring and not just the one.”

I screeched. “What?”

“There are two little ones,” Surkah sobbed.

I sucked in a breath. “I’m pregnant with twins?”

“Yes!” Surkah screamed and pulled me up into a hug.

I didn’t hug her back; I didn’t think I even drew in a breath.

“I’m pregnant,” I repeated when our hug ended. “Holy fuck, Surkah.”

“Two offspring,” Surkah breathed. “Kol has sired two offspring.”

I felt like I was going to be sick.

“Surkah,” I whispered. “You can’t tell him yet.”

She looked at me like I’d grown an extra head.

“I must inform him,” she stressed. “He is my brother and the father to your young.”

“I know”—I nodded—“but I want to be the one to tell him.”

Surkah eyed me. “You will give me your word that you will tell him today?”

“Yes,” I said. “I was going to find him and reconcile with him anyway. I would never keep this from him.”

She smiled then she was silent for a moment.

“You seem shocked at this result.”

Was she serious?

“Of course, I’m shocked.”

“Why?” Surkah quizzed, a white brow raised. “You shared sex with Kol. What else did you expect to happen?”

“I didn’t think I’d get pregnant.” I scowled. “He is Maji, and I am human.”

“I informed you on your first day with us that Maji are one hundred percent compatible with humans—”

“You really aren’t helping,” I cut Surkah off. “I know what you said, and I know sex leads to pregnancy, but we had sex only a twice before the mishap with Ezah, and once more when I brought him back from the edge … I just … I guess I didn’t think it would happen so fast.”

Surkah’s chest puffed with pride as she said, “Maji have strong sperm; your womb never stood a chance.”

I placed my face in my hand and sighed.

“Yay for Maji,” I grumbled.

“Nova,” Surkah said softly. “Please do not be sad. Do you know what this means for our species? Maji and humans, we’re endangered, but now that we know reproducing between us is a fact, we will save one another. This is … it’s wonderful.”

I looked at Surkah, and when I saw her eyes welled up with tears, I gently smiled at her. “Do you think your lissa can tell the gender?”

She perked up.

“I can try. It tracks Maji pregnancy extremely well. I will try for you.”

She did her lissa thing for a few more minutes before she opened her eyes and looked at me.

“A male and a female,” she said, beaming with pride. “You carry both. We’re truly saved.”

I began to cry, and when I realised it was with joy, I cried harder.

“These young are already fully formed. Tiny, but formed,” Surkah said with awe. “At this point in Maji pregnancy, they’re only cells, but your offspring have all their limbs and organs. They’re just very small. I think it will be an eighteen-moon cycle pregnancy, not twenty-four.”

Eighteen months.

“Wait.” I paused. “Maji females are pregnant for two fucking years when they’re pregnant?”

“Yes,” Surkah chirped. “It is why our species is taking a long time to repopulate. Long pregnancies, and many males being born.”

I inhaled and exhaled. “Eighteen Earth months or eighteen Ealra months?”

Surkah devilishly grinned. “Ealra.”

“That’s about two Earth years then.” I groaned. “That’s seriously more than double a regular human pregnancy; it’s nearly triple.”

Surkah shrugged. “It is almost half a Maji pregnancy, so it kind of meets in the middle.”

I snorted but said nothing further.

“I have dreamed of this for many moons,” Surkah said, “but to have you before me and pregnant by a Maji, by my brother is better than any dream.”

“I’m shocked. I’m happy, don’t get me wrong, but I’m shocked.”

“How did you not pick up on the pregnancy signs?” she questioned. “The sickness, the tenderness, the increase of appetite, the swell of your stomach?”

I felt heat creep up my neck.

“I was the only girl in my family, and no one ever talked about babies or pregnancy.”

Surkah patted my hand. “I understand, you were not educated on the subject.”

“No,” I acknowledged, “but you can bet your ass that I’m going to learn everything I can now.”

“You speak so oddly sometimes that it makes my head feel fuzzy.”

I laughed. “Welcome to my world.”

Surkah was about to speak when the door to the living area open and in walked the Revered Father and Hailed Mother. They were laughing and snuggling one another as they walked, but when their eyes landed on me lying down on the sofa, and Surkah’s hands on my stomach, the room went silent. The Hailed Mother broke away first and rushed over to my side, kneeling next to Surkah.