“Simon,” Maria said, her voice very far away. “AmI your mate now? A…realone?”
And gods, the way he looked at her. The pain flaring across his eyes, blood still streaming down his body, his face so haggard, so…tired.
“What do you ken?” he asked her. “Are you?”
Was she. And Maria’s throat was thick with something she couldn’t name, her eyes wide on his bruised, bloody face. Was she?Wasshe?
“I — I’m yourprisoner,” she heard her distant voice say. “We have a contract. I’m barely — barely allowed out of yourroom.”
Something flashed in Simon’s eyes, dark and angry, and he abruptly staggered away again, limping faster down the corridor. And had Maria said the wrong thing, surely not, it was true, but —
But it was too late, and Simon was turning, lurching into a room. Into a familiar room, the clinic with the beds, with the scarred, ugly healer orc. Efterar.
Efterar had leapt up to his feet, visible surprise flashing through his eyes — but when he strode over toward them, he wasn’t looking at Simon’s bruised, bleeding form. In fact, it was as though he hadn’t even noticed Simon at all, and instead, his eyes were fixed to — Maria.
Or, rather, to Maria’s belly. Where they held, unblinking, for far too long, before rising to her face. Speaking of satisfaction, of warmth, of everything changed…
“Why, congratulations, Maria,” he said. “You’re going to be a mother.”
27
She was going to be a mother.
The words sounded foreign, laughable, impossible. Ringing and resonating through Maria’s brain, her belly. And suddenly her hands were on her waist, clutching tight against it, while something fierce and desperate began rattling, racing, raging inside her ribs.
She was going to be a mother. After so many years, so much longing. Amother. To a tiny, sneezy, pointy-earedorcling.
And somehow, her dazed, screaming brain wasn’t protesting at that. Not at the fact that her son — herson! — would have claws, and fangs, and grey or green skin. That her son would be… an orc.
No. No, it was protesting at something else. At the huge, bloody, blank-faced orc standing beside her. The orc who’d asked her that question, only a moment ago.Are you?
Are you?
And wait. Did that mean — Maria stared at Simon’s hazy, unreadable eyes — he’d already known about their son? Since…when?
Since… that morning, her brain supplied, bleak, true. Since he’d made that odd comment about her scent — and then he’d finally agreed to take her with him while he’d worked. Keeping her close. Keeping hersafe.
Because now — Maria’s hands clutched at her waist, while a swift, sickening comprehension swarmed her thoughts — it wasn’t only about her. Because even ifshedidn’t really count — even if Simon hadn’t succeeded in making her his own —
Her son surely would be.
And Simon hadsaid, that day, what felt like years ago. He’d said.Should I fail to win this fight for my place as Enforcer, I shall lose all. My mate, should I have one. My son.
Thisson. Here.Hers.
Maria’s stomach was violently churning, the room whirling around her, and it took all her effort to stagger for the nearest bed, and sink heavy down upon it, her face buried in her hands.
Gods curse her, how had she not realized. How had she not seen. If she bore Simon a son, their son would become just another pawn in this horrible Enforcer game. More collateral. Something to be envied, plotted against,stolenfrom his dead father’s hands.
Simon’s son would never be truly safe.Never.
Good gods, what had shedone.
Someone was speaking, distant but close — Efterar, Maria realized, as she blinked up at him with swimming wet eyes. And Efterar was asking, she vaguely registered, if she felt ill, if she would like him to help her sleep for a while —
“No, no, no,” she babbled, waving her hands. “Please don’t, I’m perfectly fine, we came here so you could help Simon, he’s quite horribly injured,please.”
Efterar made a sound much like a snort, but accordingly turned away again, and began asking Simon a list of terse, irritated-sounding questions. Things like what Joarr had drugged him with this time, what kind of blade had he used, had he had any help, did any of these blasted Skai realize that repeated kicks to the groin could cause permanent reproductive damage…
