“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Call her,” I said.
Neither of them moved.
“You don’t get to demand—” Avgust began.
“Elisse,” I said louder.
Her name echoed in the hall, and the sound of hurried footsteps answered. She appeared at the top of the stairs within seconds, and in that moment, everything else disappeared. She looked thinner and paler, but her eyes were still on fire. Iosif tried to stop her, but Elisse didn’t hesitate for a single second and simply ran towards me. Down the stairs. Past her brothers and straight into my waiting arms.
“Elisse,” Avgust warned. “Back away from him right now.”
She ignored him and didn’t slow down until she collided with me, arms wrapping around my waist, face pressing into my chest, and the impact nearly knocked the air out of me. But I held her. God, how I held her. She was real and warm, and her entire body was shaking with violent sobs. I had never seen her crying like this before.
“You idiot,” she breathed against my shirt, clutching it in handfuls as if she was afraid I would disappear.
The words trembled.
“I thought you betrayed me,” I said quietly.
She pulled back just enough to look up at me. “I thought you thought that.”
“I did.”
“But I didn’t betray you. I promise. I never called them there, and I didn’t even want to go with them, and the only thing I have been doing since coming home is asking everyone to take me back to you.”
“I know.”
She swallowed hard.
“I hate you.”
“That’s completely fair.”
Her mouth twitched despite herself. Behind her, Iosif cleared his throat.
“Guards,” Avgust ordered sharply. “Stand down.”
The weapons lowered reluctantly. “Leave us,” Avgust added.
That took longer, considering there were too many of them, but eventually, the foyer emptied, and only the family remained since everyone was out now, all of their eyes on us. And there was me.
“You have five minutes,” Iosif said coolly.
“I won’t need that long,” I replied.
Elisse stepped back slightly, her hands still clutching my shirt. Before I could say anything, her hands moved to my face as she forced me to meet her gaze.
“I have to tell you something,” she said, pausing for only a second before adding, “I am pregnant.”
The world narrowed to a pinpoint.
“What?”
Her confession was followed by an absolute silence filling the mansion. Even the air seemed to stop moving. She held my gaze steadily.
