#Chapter 227: The Interruption

I woke with the strange awareness that something inside me had clicked into place, like the inner framework of my body had finally aligned. My hearing sharpened, my skin grew sensitive in the stillness, and I could feel the weight of Richard's palm resting heavily on my belly. Beneath that, there was a thrum of hybrid energy that pulsed up toward me and echoed in return. I lay still for a long time, watching the sunlight stretch through the shutters as the baby shifted beneath my ribs, slow and steady. The resonance didn’t need to be summoned this time, it existed on its own, soft and steady like breath. When I shifted slightly, Richard stirred beside me. His voice was hoarse from sleep. "You alright?" "Yeah," I said, brushing a hand over my stomach. "I think something’s changed. I feel more... anchored, I guess. Like everything in me finally lined up." He pushed himself up on one elbow, looking me over. "To the baby?" "To everything." We moved to the balcony without anothe