Silas would have to be entirely out of his mind to want a cub. That thought hit Emma all at once, and for the first time in days, her shoulders eased. "I understand now, Silas." No pregnancy or cub. Just an overactive imagination and way too much stress. It had all been a false alarm, though it clearly rattled both of them enough to count as a lesson learned. Silas' voice was subdued and laden with guilt. "Emma, I apologize. I really messed up this time. I swear it won't happen again." Emma scratched an itchy spot on her scalp and felt a small, firm bump about the size of a pea. She thought, So that's what he meant by the vine. "It's okay," she responded gently. "I'm not upset, just concentrate on the fight. We'll be here waiting for you. If you come across Lucien, let him know I'm home and waiting." There was no point blaming him now.Silas was in a war zone, sneaking a quick video call, thanks to his position behind the lines. Lucien, meanwhile, had fallen silent at the front. Silas hadn't seen him in days and could only contact him through coded channels. A soldier appeared to summon him soon after. He gave Emma a few last words and ended the call. The room fell quiet. Emma finally released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Marcus sighed deeply, his shoulders relaxing. Thank the Beast God,Ms. Tibarn isn't carrying my cub. Emma's gaze drifted to the mirror on the bed. On impulse, she placed one of Silas' blossoms on top. She mused, Perhaps the flower can do what the hair couldn't. The bloom floated briefly, then drifted down until it pressed against a strand of her hair. Kieran's face brightened. "See, Ms. Tibarn? Our Aquadome relics never fail." The test hadn't been wrong—it was the target that had been off.Emma nodded, relieved. "You gave me this mirror. What will the mermaids use now?" Kieran chuckled. "No worries, Ms. Tibarn. The Merfolk still have one left." That settled it. After all the commotion, exhaustion began to creep in. She yawned and waved them off. "You two go. I need to rest for a bit." Marcus spoke up instantly, "I'll stay with you, Ms. Tibarn." Kieran didn't argue. He knew better now. Without permission, he had no right to challenge Marcus. Emma didn't respond. Her eyelids were already heavy. Even a false pregnancy could mess with her body enough to knock her out cold. She reclined, struggling to pull the blanket over herself before she fell asleep. Marcus slipped in beside her, pulling her gently into his arms. He tucked the blanket over them both and stared at her calm, sleeping face. His throat tightened. If she isn't pregnant… maybe I can…His thought broke off as her breathing deepened. The dream came again. That same glowing orb floated toward her, the one that had chased her through sleep nights before. "You again?" Emma tensed, ready to run. "Mommy!" The voice was soft, like a cub calling from inside the light. Emma froze. The glowing sphere shimmered, reshaping into a tiny, naked baby with a translucent flower blooming atop his head. His skin was pale with a pinkish glow, and the little flower shimmered in rainbow hues. He grinned up at her. "Mommy, I finally found you!" He looked almost exactly like a miniature Silas. Without thinking, Emma reached down and caught him as he jumped into her arms. "You're saying… you're my cub?" "Uh-huh!" The tiny cub nodded eagerly, the flower on his head bobbing along. "I'm not pregnant," she stated flatly. "It was a false alarm. I can't grow fruit." At once, his eyes welled up. "I appeared the day Daddy left, having just woken up a few days earlier. Now, I exist only as a faint glowing orb—able to linger solely within your dreams." His tiny voice quivered as he spoke, "If Mommy doesn't keep me, I'll fade away soon." He grasped her hand tightly, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Mommy, please don't abandon me, okay? I promise I'll behave! I can protect you, make flowers for you! Maybe I can even help you become stronger!" Emma stared at him in shock. It's not even fully formed… and it can already talk? And cry too? Watching him sob tore something open in her chest. "I'll behave! Please keep me, Mommy! I can help take care of my little brothers and sisters, too! Just don't throw me away!" She couldn't process it. Is this little one really mine and Silas'? That fragile, pleading tone pierced through her like a heartbeat. It was too adorable to describe, too vivid to be a dream.