I ushered the females down the stairs and told them to spend some time out of their home for a few intervals because it would be a trying time for Nicah. They all agreed, and when they left, I hurried back into the homestead and up to the bed chamber where the pained-filled screeches were coming from. On the small single bed was Nicah, and she was writhing in pain. She was bare from the waist down. The silver-haired male the females had mentioned was young. He barely looked like he had entered malehood. His wild eyes darted to mine, and he snarled.
I growled back, not backing down.
I am Prince Ezah of the Maji, I sent to his comm. Stand at ease this second.
The male’s eyes widened, and he did as I commanded, but he still couldn’t help snarling at me, even if it was only a light noise. It was obvious as the day was long that he had asserted himself as Nicah’s protector, and in such a vulnerable state, he took everyone as a threat to her, even Levi, but she paid him no mind.
She comforted Nicah and told her encouraging words, but Nicah’s eyes kept jumping to Vorah, as if she was terrified he would up and leave the chamber … leave her. I moved closer to the bed, keeping my eyes on the female’s face instead of her naked lower half.
“Hello, Nicah. Do you remember me?”
“Yes,” she sobbed. “It hurts. It hurts so badly.”
Levi whimpered, and that made me feel like my insides were crawling.
“Oh, my prince,” she cried to me. “Please help her.”
Hearing the fear in her voice made me want to destroy anything that would ever cause her pain.
“Let me check her, and we’ll see how far along she is into the birthing process.”
I placed my hand on Nicah’s bare stomach, closed my eyes, and focused. Blue pain receptors lit up Nicah’s body, and my heart went out to the young female for dealing with such great pain. I honed my lissa and was surprised to find Nicah was ready to bring her young into the world. Her waters had already released and her young was already making her way down the birth canal. I began to offer pain relief, and I felt Nicah’s body relax as her discomfort subsided.
“Oh, the pain is leaving me.”
“Momentarily,” I answered, keeping my eyes shut so I could remain focused. “You will be ready to push very soon. I am taking away the pain of this surge, but the next few you need to feel as you prepare to birth your young.”
When I stepped back, Nicah felt pain once again, but she would have a few more moments of relief until the worst of the pain hit as she began to feel the urge to push. I moved over to Vorah’s side.
“Help the female when she pushes.”
“I don’t know what to do!” Vorah blurted. “I cannot help, my prince.”
“Calm,” I all but snapped. “You cannot panic when a female births a young one. She needs you to be strong for her. She needs to draw strength from your energy. Do you understand me, Vorah?”
“I do. I understand, my prince.” Vorah’s body trembled. “But I feel like I’m going to lose my stomach contents. I am scared for her.”
He truly looked terrified, and I tried to be understanding of his reaction to the female’s situation. Nicah’s eyes kept seeking him out, and Vorah looked at her like she hung the moons. I did not know what their relationship was, but it was certainly a lot more than friendship.
“Don’t fear for your female.” I placed a hand on Vorah’s shoulder. “I am a healer. I will aid her in any way I can, but you know I cannot take away all the pain of birth. The offspring might be lulled into a deep sleep, and that could put the young and her mother in danger.”
“Okay, okay.” Vorah straightened. “Just tell me what to do, my prince.”
“Be your female’s rock.”
“She’s not my female,” Vorah said lowly. “We are new friends.”
“Do you care for her?” I asked. “Answer honestly, like a male.”
Vorah glanced at Nicah for a fleeting moment, then he looked back at me and nodded firmly. “She carries another male’s young, a human male. I asked her about him a few days ago, and she ended our walk and talk when I did. I think she was and still is in love with him. I don’t know very much about the human way, but I think she was mated to him. I cannot have her heart if she is already mated.”
I leaned forward, aware of Levi’s eyes on me as she stroked Nicah’s arm. The young female was breathing through another surge of pain that held her body in its stronghold. I liked knowing Levi’s eyes were on me. It made the male in me growl.