The sky was still dark, only a faint blue glow barely showing beyond the window. Axelius lay on his bed, but not properly. His head hung over the edge, upside down, eyes fixed on the glass window like he was waiting for something that refused to come.
He lazily raised his finger and tapped the crystal embedded in his ring. With a soft shimmer, the crystal detached and appeared beside the bed, reshaping itself into the small, fist-sized egg that hadn't changed for years. He let out a groan, "Arghh, it's still not hatching?"
Without waiting, he tapped the ring again, and the egg turned back into its crystal form and slipped into the ring like it had always belonged there.
From the bathroom, Owen bounced out, freshly washed and full of sarcasm. "That's because you're not a good father. I told you, you should warm it. Like how a hen sits on her eggs."
Axelius sat up, ruffling his hair in irritation. "Hey, I already tried that."
