"That won't do!" They all shook their heads. "This was specially sent to you by the High Goddess! If you don't want to eat it now, just leave it here and have it whenever you feel like it."
Lily Bai: "Whatever you want."
That afternoon, Sean Shaw came home and saw the flat peaches. He asked where they came from. Lily Bai explained that Ezra and Chacha had gone to Peach Blossom Haven to get them.
Sean picked one up, peeled it with a spell, cut it into cherry-sized pieces, and fed it to her.
"I don't want to eat. You have it." Lily Bai shook her head listlessly.
"I know you're grieving because your mother is gone, but her spirit in heaven wouldn't want to see you like this!" Sean said. "Try to pull yourself together, okay?"
Lily Bai shook her head. "My mother left with a smile. Mostly, I just bless her. I really hope she meets my Divine Father again. I just feel drained all the time!"
"Then eat a little more to replenish yourself." Sean brought the flat peach to her lips. "Come on, have a bite! Good girl."
Lily Bai couldn't help but open her mouth and took a bite.
The familiar sweet flavor actually whetted her appetite.
Just as she was about to swallow, a wave of nausea surged up and she suddenly threw up.
Sean was startled and quickly asked what was wrong.
Lily Bai finally finished vomiting, feeling puzzled herself.
Then she checked her own pulse, used a spell to examine herself, and froze on the spot.
"What's wrong?" Sean asked. "Why did you throw up?"
A huge wave of happiness bubbled up in her heart. She looked into Sean's eyes and slowly said, "I'm pregnant."
She'd been so busy with her mother's affairs that she hadn't noticed—she was already two months along.
Sean stared in shock for a long moment, then scooped her into his arms, laughing like a little kid.
"Two," Lily Bai added.
Sean: "Two what?"
Lily Bai: "Twins. Dragon and phoenix."
Sean stopped laughing and asked suspiciously, "You're not messing with me, are you?"
Lily Bai: "Believe it or not!"
"Really... really?" Sean grew nervous.
"Why are you so nervous?"
"I'm afraid... it'll be too much for you..." He glanced at Lily Bai's belly. "And I'm worried you'll get too tired... I heard they need to absorb a lot of the mother's Divine Power to grow."
Lily Bai said, "Actually, the dad can help too!"
"How?"
Lily Bai whispered something in his ear.
Sean's eyes instantly lit up. "There's really such a great trick?"
Lily Bai smacked him.
...
A year later, Lily Bai gave birth to a pair of dragon-and-phoenix twins.
The two little dragon babies looked exactly alike and were adorably cute.
Every day, Sean Shaw would finish court business in the Celestial Hall at lightning speed, then hurry home to see the kids.
His favorite thing was to walk in the garden with Lily Bai, each of them holding a baby, telling them stories...
Divine Lord Tanya Quinn had a daughter—a mischievous little phoenix.
Her personality was just like her father's—fearless and wild.
For some reason, she was obsessed with their two little dragons and always had Bobby Bai bring her over to play.
Divine Lord Tanya Quinn joked that one day, one of the boys should become her little phoenix's Imperial Consort.
Adrian Drake and Luna Lian’s son was born earlier than Lily Bai’s twins. He was already ten years old—a quiet, reserved boy just like his mother, and he spent almost every day playing with the younger dragon and phoenix children.
Adrian would joke that one day he’d snatch up the Little Princess as his daughter-in-law...
There was also another child about the same age who hadn’t taken human form yet—the lively and clever son of First Prince Brandon Xiao by his Consort.