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“What about your pills?” Niall Harding asked. “Why didn’t they work last night?”
“They haven’t worked for a while,” I said when Margo bowed her head.
Amelia looked guilty. “She can’t suppress it any longer. If he tries to harm anyone, she won’t be able to stop herself from using her power. Vira warned us, and everything Margo says backs it up, in my opinion. She must be absorbing death.”
Mrs Harding looked sharply at Amelia. “You’ve been so busy pushing her to use her power that you never tried to help her stop.”
Amelia lowered her gaze. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to do more.”
“Stop!” Margo held up her hand, steady now. The entire room grew cold, despite the heating. Her eyes were closed, but when she opened them, they were blue.
“Oh, this is creepy,” Jeremy blurted. “Is she doing the thing?”
“Margo?” I said anxiously. “Is Eli here?”
She looked around the room, her eyes eerily wide. “No.” She doubled over with a moan. “It’s the baby.”
Jeremy leapt to his feet. “My baby?”
“No.” Margo looked right at Perdita, her breath visible. “You have to do something. Right now.”
“I feel fine,” Perdita said, but she still looked pale.
“Not you, the baby,” Margo gasped, clutching at my arm. “There’s something wrong with the baby.”
And then she passed out, face-first onto the table with a sickening crack before I could react.
Everybody moved at once. Nobody doubted Margo anymore.
Panic droveme to pace up and down the hospital corridor while we waited for news. As soon as Perdita had been examined, she’d been sent straight to the delivery room. Regardless of due dates, the baby was arriving early. The hospital staff had long since given up trying to stop pack members from hogging space as we waited for answers.
“The baby was in distress,” was the canned reply we received whenever we asked questions.
Byron sat on a chair, looking calm and unconcerned in his attempt to keep the rest of us level. Everybody cared about the fate of an Evans’ baby. The pregnancy was too important, a sign of the future, of everything that could go right or wrong.
I hadn’t realised how much dependence there had been on Perdita and Nathan having a healthy pregnancy and baby. If things went wrong at such a late stage with a harbinger in town, it would be seen as a bad omen at best. Even I knew that. There was so much at stake.
I slipped into the seat next to Byron and murmured. “This wasn’t Eli, right?”
“Margo would have known,” he said, and I decided to find that reassuring. “She was quick to warn us. Did you notice? There was no build-up. She was fine one second, warning us the next. And in a controlled manner. She’s getting better at this.”
I wasn’t so sure. Margo had been out for a full minute before she came to, wondering why everybody was rushing around. She had barely any recollection of what had happened. She had texted me since we left to assure me she felt better. I wouldn’t believe that until I saw her looking strong and healthy with my own eyes.
A couple of hours later, Nathan came skidding into the hallway to find us. His cheeks were flushed with colour. Everyone rose to their feet, waiting with bated breath for news.
“Everyone’s fine,” he panted. “The umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck and that caused distress. Everything else went perfectly, thanks to Margo.” He grinned. “We have a little girl. I’m adad.”
The wind went out of me, and I had to sit down. Already. The baby was already here, and it was a girl. Tears filled my eyes as the rest of the pack members celebrated and congratulated Nathan. Somebody asked about seeing the baby.
Nathan held up his hands. “Only family today. They need a lot of rest. Go home, take care of yourselves, and we’ll be out of here in a couple of days at most. She’s so strong, already eating well. You wouldn’t know she had come early. Even the nurses are amazed. When we get home, you can spoil her, but for now, let them both rest.”
People began to slip away. I made to follow them.
Amelia gripped my shoulder with a loud tut. “You’re such an idiot sometimes.” She pushed me ahead of her, towards Nathan. Jeremy and Byron followed us.
Nathan draped his arm around me, drawing me ahead of the others. His eyes were shining with happiness.
“Congrats,” I said shyly. The word didn’t convey a feeling strong enough.
