Chapter 197

Chapter 197
Augustus's POV

The candlelight flickered against the stone walls of my private chambers, casting dancing shadows across Lina's sleeping form as she lay curled against my side. My hand rested protectively over the gentle swell of her belly, where our child grew stronger with each passing day.

Without conscious thought, my palm began tracing slow, lazy circles across the curve of her abdomen through the thin silk of her nightgown.

A soft sound escaped Lina's lips—not quite a sigh, but something warmer, more melodic. It took me a moment to realize she was laughing, her shoulders shaking with barely suppressed mirth as she pressed her face deeper into the pillow.

"You're laughing," I observed, my voice still thick with the remnants of sleep. I shifted slightly, propping myself up on one elbow to better see her face in the golden candlelight. "What amuses you so much at this hour, my dear?"

She quickly turned her head away, allowing her golden hair to fall like a curtain between us, but I could still see the flush creeping up her neck.

"Nothing, Your Majesty," she whispered, her voice muffled against the silk pillowcase. "I wasn't... I mean, it was nothing at all."

"Lying is such an unattractive habit," I murmured. My fingers, which had been contentedly mapping the contours of her growing belly, suddenly shifted course with predatory precision. "Perhaps I should help refresh your memory."

Before she could react, my hand found that sensitive spot just above her hip where I'd discovered she was impossibly ticklish. Her response was immediate and electric—her entire body went taut as a startled cry tore from her throat.

"Ah—! Your Majesty, no—!" The words tumbled out between helpless peals of laughter as she tried desperately to twist away from my questing fingers. The sound filled the chamber, bright and unguarded in a way that made something tight in my chest loosen unexpectedly.

"Please," she gasped, tears of mirth streaming down her flushed cheeks as she struggled against my gentle assault. "Your Majesty, I beg you... have mercy..."

Her breathless pleas reminded me that she was no longer the fragile creature I'd once known. The child she carried had brought changes that I needed to respect. Immediately, I stilled my hands, my palms coming to rest flat against her sides as I began to rub slow, calming circles against her ribs.

"Easy," I soothed, my voice gentling. "Breathe, beloved. Just breathe."

She looked utterly beautiful—hair mussed from sleep and laughter, her skin flushed pink in the candlelight, tiny beads of perspiration dotting her nose, tears of mirth clinging to her dark lashes. The dragon in me roared its approval, and my golden eyes contracted to vertical slits as ancient instincts warred with rational thought.

Slowly, deliberately, I began to lower my head toward hers, my arm tightening around her waist. When my lips finally found hers, the kiss was gentle but unmistakably possessive, a claiming that brooked no resistance.

But Lina's body went rigid the moment our mouths met, her hands flying up to press against my chest in a futile attempt to create distance. A muffled sound of distress escaped her throat as she tried to turn her head away.

"Mmm... no, don't..." she whispered against my mouth, her voice tight with something that might have been fear or reluctance.

I released her lips but didn't retreat far, using my strength to turn her until she was facing away from me, her back pressed against my chest. This position felt safer somehow, less confrontational, while still allowing me to hold her close. My arms encircled her carefully, one hand coming to rest protectively over our unborn child.

"The physician said..." she began hesitantly, her voice barely audible. "He warned that during pregnancy, certain... activities... might not be advisable..."

Her words hit me like ice water, and I couldn't suppress the frustrated sound that rumbled from my chest. "That doddering old fool. Half of what he says is superstitious nonsense. Perhaps I should summon him here and have him explain his reasoning face to face."

I felt her tense at the suggestion, could practically hear her pulse quickening in alarm. She turned her head as much as she could manage in my embrace, her green eyes wide with something approaching panic.

"No! Please, you mustn't," she said urgently, her hand covering mine where it rested on her belly. "Your Majesty, you are the Dragon King—your word is law, and your promises are sacred. You said you would honor your commitments, that you would be a man of your word..."

The reminder stung more than I cared to admit. I studied her face for a long moment, taking in the mixture of hope and wariness in her expression, before releasing a long, defeated sigh.

"Very well," I conceded, though the words tasted bitter. "I gave you my word, and I will honor it. But you must give me something in return—some form of compensation for my restraint."