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I scream as pain wrecks through my lower stomach, and then… then… everything goes black.
Blinking awake, I look straight into a pair of hazel brown eyes. They’re looking at me with so much sadness my emotions clog my throat, and I have to swallow down a sob.
“Dad?” I croak, feeling confused and raw. “But you’re… you’re dead.”
As I lift my hand to touch the person, wanting to make sure they’re really here, he moves back and I frown in confusion. That’s not my dad sitting here at my side. It’s Abel.
“How are you feeling, Acacia?” he asks in a grave tone that matches his somber expression perfectly.
“I’m…” Trailing off I force my eyes shut as I take stock of my body. “I think I’m okay?” It sounds more like a question than a statement.
Abel nods slowly while running his hand through his bushy beard. Huh, that’s new. I didn’t even notice that yesterday.
“You came to tell me that dad… that dad is dead,” I say, remembering how he showed up at Kai’s office and… “But why did you come to Kai’s office?”
Try as I might, I can’t make sense of this. It doesn’t help that my mind feels sluggish, like it’s taking me years rather than seconds to sort through my thoughts. I keep getting sidetracked by new things, such as the light flickering above my head and the low hum coming from the light bulb.
“We have a lot to cover, Acacia. But to answer your question, I came to inform the Ruler that the Drákon Leader was dead.” Abel sighs. “Truthfully, I didn’t know you were there. I thought you were home—here, and that was going to be my second stop before going back.”
I scramble to sit up, but the slight movement causes cramps to reappear, and I gasp in pain. “What’s happening to me?”
Abel’s eyes soften. “When I came here last night while you were unconscious, I drew some blood and tested you for different things. Among other things, I checked your hCG levels. Do you know what that is?”
Shaking my head, I bite down on my lip.
“It’s more commonly known as the pregnancy hormone, Acacia. I believe you’re having a miscarriage.”
My mouth opens and closes several times as I try to formulate some semblance of a reply. Nothing comes to mind, though, and I can only watch the man who I no longer feel like I know.
“The implant,” I force out through gritted teeth. “How?” I immediately want to take the question back, because I know how one becomes pregnant. I also know that no birth control is one-hundred percent effective. So yeah, with the amount of sex I’ve been having, I guess it’s possible.
Gods, this is why I’ve been so tired. So moody. Hell, why certain foods have smelled revolting rather than enticing.
Wait… I’ve felt that way for a couple of months, haven’t I? Yeah… yeah I think since sometime in January. No, before that. I had to leave the New Year’s Eve party because I wasn’t feeling well.
A whimper escapes me as I realize that all the signs have been there for months. Individually, I never thought much of them. Together, however, there’s no denying I should have known. Not everyone has morning sickness or sore breasts, it’s beyond stupid and reckless to ignore what my body was trying to tell me just because I didn’t have those specific symptoms.
I had a life growing inside me. A little me and either a mini Gus, Liam, or Kai. And I didn’t nurture it. I’ve been drinking coffee, and occasionally, alcohol. I haven’t been taking care of myself. I’ve been… reckless.
“I don’t understand,” I cry. “Why didn’t I know? I would have taken better care of us.” My hand flies to my flat stomach, one that doesn’t bear any hints of being however far along I would have been.
Abel inhales deeply, his hazel eyes shining with unshed tears. “I’m so sorry, Acacia. It’s my fault.”
I bark out a sarcastic laugh. “No.” I vehemently shake my head. “You’ve always looked after me, Abel. Taken care of both me and Gus. There’s no way this could be your fault.”
“Do you remember when you were in my care after the entire council and yourself were poisoned?” he asks, ignoring what I just said. When I nod slowly, he goes on. “As you might recall, Nikolaos had left very specific instructions. One of which was to remove your implant in case he wasn’t around anymore.”
“What?” I scream.
The door bursts open, and in runs Kai, Gus, and Liam—the latter clutching one of his beloved blades. Gus has his gun pointing at Abel, and Kai is… unlike the other two, my husband isn’t carrying a weapon. Yet, the way he’s clenching his hands tells me I’m looking right at his chosen weapons.
“What did you do to her?” Kai sneers.
“Back up,” Gus barks.
Before the Drákon doctor has the chance to move, Liam runs at him. In the blink of an eye, my consort has him pinned to the floor while pressing the knife in his hand against the soft skin of Abel’s throat.
I try to move, but the pain flaring in my gut has me whimpering into my fist. This shit hurts so badly.
