I felt a surge of adrenaline that the pregnancy usually sapped out of me, but this was different. This was the ultimate payoff.
As I walked, I felt Rakan's presence like a dying ember behind me. He probably thought this was the moment I'd turn around and demand he explain himself, or perhaps he expected me to acknowledge him as the father of the 'Queen'.
But I didn't give him so much as a twitch of my tail.
"Harok," I said, glancing back at the old bear who was still standing there in a daze, clutching his worn-out tools. "Don't just stand there. My husband, Noah, will introduce you to Oryn and show you the forge later. We have a material here that's harder than any stone you've ever carved. You'll love it."
Harok's eyes widened, a spark of the old craftsman's fire lighting up his tired face. "Harder than stone?" he rumbled, almost to himself.
"Much harder," I promised with a wink.
