Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Yes, definitely time to talk to Sora.
Luka lost no time in doing so. He shifted to human form and went directly for the medical tent near the center. Sora was not alone inside the tent. Nikki for some reason was there too. They had their heads together, both conferring over something…magical…in the middle of the table. Well, Luka assumed it was, as it smelled like magic. He couldn’t begin to identify what they were doing.
Nikki rubbed both hands together, gleeful in a demented way. “I’m so excited for some arson. I’m going to need some cloth and gunpowder. Not for any particular reason. Also, for my information, none of the dragons here are flammable, right?”
Not for the first time, Luka thanked his lucky stars Nikki was Gunter’s problem. “Uh, can I intervene before you make things go kablooey?”
Nikki turned, eyeing Luka narrowly. “Is it important?”
“It is, yeah.”
“Then I suppose. What’s up, buttercup?”
Luka dropped into an empty chair, feeling tired enough to want something of a break. “I’m worried about Amaru. He’s not sleeping.”
Sora put a hand on the table, leaning his weight against it as he faced Luka with an expression of concern. “Still? I alerted Vasily to the problem.”
“And we’ve tried. Honest, we’ve tried. But unless we wear him out with sex first—”
“Ooo-la-la,” Nikki murmured wickedly.
Luka ignored the commentary. “—he doesn’t sleep. Sometimes even if we do, he doesn’t sleep. He catnaps. I’d hate to suggest giving him some potion or pill to force this, because I have a feeling that’s going to go over about as well as trying to medicate a cat, but…it’s worse if he doesn’t sleep. Right?”
“He does need to sleep.” Sora frowned at the ground, clearly thinking hard. “I can offer suggestions on what potions to give him, if it comes down to that. A natural REM cycle is far more beneficial, though.”
That was what Luka feared. “I mean, he had a hell of a catnap, so I guess I understand him wanting to be awake. But still.”
“Have you two considered that maybe something else is the problem?” Nikki glanced between them, brow quirked in a pointed way.
Luka didn’t get what Nikki was alluding to. “What?”
“Think about it.” Nikki’s hands rose to illustrate the point. “Even in sleep, there’s a sense of sensory deprivation. Amaru was in that deprivation for five hundred years. No sounds, scents, nothing to ground him to the world. That had to be hell to take. Especially toward the end, when he was more aware but still trapped in sleep.”
Oh. Shit. Luka hadn’t thought of it in those terms before, but Nikki made a good point. “Is that why he’s fighting it so hard?”
“In a sense, sleeping has traumatized him.” Sora was now staring at the ceiling, thinking hard. “It does make sense. I would suggest things that give him sensory feelings, even in sleep. Something like a weighted blanket.”
Nikki nodded in fervent support of this. “Yes, yes, that’s a good one. Also other things. Like a white noise machine.”
Luka whipped out his phone and started taking notes. “Weighted blanket, white noise machine, what else?”
“Cooling sheets are great. Especially with three of you in the same bed, it’s bound to get hot, right?”
At that, Luka snorted, amused. “Two ice dragons in the bed, Nikki. Not like you, who’s sharing space with a fire dragon.”
“Oh. Okay, so maybe not the sheets.” Nikki put a finger to their lips, still thinking.
Sora’s head finally dropped back down as he suggested, “Certain elements would be good, too. Say, put some moonlit water into a diffuser and let it run through the night. Moonlit water has a great calming effect. It’ll naturally help Amaru settle. Buy an essential oil diffuser machine, those work great for this.”
Luka noted that down. “Anything else?”
“Read to him,” Nikki offered. “Amaru’s way behind on pop culture and stuff. Vasily’s voice especially has almost lulled me to sleep on occasion.”
“He does have a great bedroom voice,” Luka agreed wholeheartedly. “That’s great. I’ll make sure to pick up some books.”
“No technical manuals,” Sora warned. “He’ll stay awake to listen. Well, I guess you can buy him some, just don’t use them for bedtime material. Something else that’s low-key.”
“I can find some, don’t worry.”
Nikki came around the table to hug Luka around the neck. “You’re doing such a good job being a good mate.”
Surprised by this, Luka awkwardly hugged back. “Uh, thanks?”
“I know you dragons are honestly unsure if you’re doing okay in the beginning, so I like to throw validation at people now. You’re doing good, Luka. Amaru’s got some issues he’s struggling with, but that’s to be expected. You noticed there’s an issue, you’re doing what you can to help him through it. It’s all anyone can ask of you. Okay? Don’t feel like you’re failing him.”
Luka sank into the hug more. He honestly had needed to hear that. It was hardwired into a dragon’s psyche that if a mage was suffering, a dragon had to somehow fix it. Not being able to correct his problem immediately had made him jittery. Nikki’s reassurance meant the world. “Thanks, Nikki.”