The Darkness of Shadoewynne: Book 3 of the Shadoewynne series

by Penelope Kein

“About what?” I sat down next to him with my back to the pond, so I would watch his eyes as he thought.

  “About my ability to be a father, about David’s ability to be a father, about what will happen to the baby if something happens to us. You. Mom and Dad.”

  “I think you and David will both be wonderful fathers. We can plan for the baby if something happens to all of us, but I truly think that is unlikely. Why are you worried about your mom and dad?”

  “The baby will be next in line for the succession, after me. They will want to train him or her, and I’m afraid that they will try to take over the baby’s education, and maybe even try to insist they live at the castle with them.”

  A chill ran through me. That was another thing that hadn’t occurred to me. Travis was so normal, I often forgot he was a prince. Then resolve ran through me. “They will have a fight on their hands if they try that.” My voice was harder than I intended, and it came out almost a growl. With effort, I made the rest sound mostly normal. “Besides, didn’t Kait handle most of your training? He can do the same for the baby, and it won’t be any different.”

  Travis’s eyes came up to mine, and a small smile tipped his lips. “Thanks, Babe. But, no, Kait only handled the fight training. I had many, many tutors for actual schooling.”

  Fuck. “Well, we will figure it out. We have a while before the baby is born, and we will have awhile to figure out education before we have to start.” He pulled me in for a slow kiss, then we went to find David and Kait again.

  Chapter 21

  They were still in the lobby, engaged in what looked like a serious discussion, which they cut short as we walked up. Kait jumped up and attempted to help me sit on the couch where he had been.

  I smiled up at him. Hopefully, it lessened the blow of what I needed to say. “I love you, Kait, but if you insist on treating me like I will break for the whole pregnancy, I will kick you in the balls. At least wait until I get to the point where I actually need help to sit down. I’m not fragile and I will not break.”

  He turned a little red as he leaned down to kiss me on the lips. “Looks like I need to go buy a jock strap, guys. I’ll be back.” I laughed and grabbed his arm as he pretended to turn to stride away. He looked down at me in surprise, which just made me laugh harder. Apparently, he really was going to go get a jock strap.

  “Seriously, Kait, you would rather armor up than let me have a little independence?” He crossed his arms and refused to answer. I sighed. “Can you at least wait until I ask for help?” He raised an eyebrow before he sagged a little and nodded.

  “I will try, but I’m not promising much.”

  The butler walked up again and bowed, speaking to the floor as he did. “The King and Queen are waiting for you in the private dining room.”

  “Thank you, Alan.” Kait inclined his head. I felt like a bad person for not asking the man’s name weeks ago. We had been here for over a month, and I just learned his name. Bad Evalia.

  Kait held out a hand to me and I snorted before saying in my most sickly sweet voice, “Thank you, sweetie.” I let him help me up, even though I really didn’t need the help. He rolled his eyes at me before putting a hand to my back as we strolled down the hallway to the private area. David and Travis flanked us on either side. Trepidation grew in me as we walked. It felt like we were heading to a hearing instead of just to see Travis’s parents. It seemed he had gotten into my head with his comments earlier.

  When we reached the heavy double doors, we paused, and I took a deep breath before stepping forward to open the door. David jumped in front of me to swing the door inward before I could. I rolled my eyes at him as well. “Thanks, David.” I couldn’t help the sarcasm that all but dripped from my voice. He ducked his head and shot a glance at Kait. Great.

  “Congratulations!” Orn’s deep voice boomed through the practically empty room.

  Angel stood up, and came over to us. “Congratulations! Let’s let the men talk, we can have some girl time.” She practically dragged me out of the room. Okay, then.

  She laced her arm through mine as we walked to the next room over. We shut the door behind us and found seats on opposing loveseats. She leaned toward me. “Guys aren’t interested in the details of pregnancy like us girls are. I figured you would need someone to talk to about it. How are you feeling?”

  “I’ve had off and on morning sickness. I’ll be hungry so I eat, then it all comes right back up. But honestly, the worst part is how they all suddenly started acting like I’m breakable.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, Orn was horrible about that. I say, enjoy it while you can. They won’t have time to wait on you hand and foot like that once the baby is born.”

  Hm, she had a point. “Yeah, but it's still kinda frustrating. I’ve spent the last couple of months learning my powers to build my independence. Now, they are taking it all away from me.”

  She patted my hand. “Don’t think like that. Think of it as a way for them to show their love.” She paused and watched me out of the corner of her eye for a moment. “Kait especially needs to be involved. He has always wanted to be a father and he never thought it would happen for him.”

  I nodded. “He told me.” I took a deep breath and made sure my barriers were up and strong. “Who was your doctor? Or did you have a mid-wife? Did you give birth here or on Earth? How did you choose where?”

  She laughed. “I had a mid-wife and I stayed here. Orn’s job won’t let him leave for long periods of time and it was just easier to stay in one place rather than travel back and forth. My mid-wife was Alijah, who is an employee at the castle. I brought her with me, in case you wanted to use her.”

  I shook my head. "Kait decided, without discussion, that Eir should be my mid-wife, if she answers the call. I appreciate the offer, and if Eir doesn’t answer, I would love to see her.”

  “Honey, you need to tell Kait if his decisions bother you.”

  Waving my hand, I said, “We’ve discussed it now. But it was after he had sent the message. He is just so infuriating sometimes!”

  “They all are, sweetie.” Her voice was dry. She patted my hand again. “Enough of that! Tell me about how you found out you were pregnant and how the boys reacted.”

  “Theres not much to tell.” I explained the dizziness, the napping and the morning sickness, then using my magic to check. As I had been all afternoon, I focused on that small flutter inside me. It amazed me that something so precious was growing inside me and it felt almost like a dream. I going to wake up at any moment. It wasn’t until she responded that I realized I had spoken out loud.

  “I felt the same way during both my pregnancies. Until the day they were born. Then it became all too real, and then I realized how unprepared I was. Luckily, I had a household full of staff to help me. Do you want that too?”

  “I don’t know. A big part of me says this baby is mine, and we will raise it alone, but another part is screaming that I don’t know what I’m doing and can use all the help I can get. I mean, Kait is probably the only one with any experience with babies.”

  “Yeah, no, as far as I know, he has no experience either. Well, you have time. How’s the mission here going?”

  “A technician David has been working with in the lab here made a great discovery today! Now, all we have to do is wait for them to do whatever they are doing again, and we will hopefully be able to track it back to its source.” I quickly explained the theory and what we were hoping to do. “Angel, Kait said that before I came along, he was mainly working at base, and was rarely involved in the individual attacks. Not that I don’t trust him, but is that true?”

  She thought for a moment, making a pretty moue with her mouth as she did. “Yes, I think it is. He had a war room in the castle and I think he was there most of the time. At least, on the rare occasions I needed him, he was there.” She leveled her gaze at me as her voice hardened. “He wouldn’t lie to you. Nor would he break a promise. Why are you asking?”

  “He’s f
orbidden me from joining the fight when we figure out where the bastard is and said that none of us are going. Like I said, it’s not that I don’t trust him, but what he told me was not what I’ve seen so far. He has been in the thick of it since we met, but he also said that was because I was trying to be in the fight as well, which is true. They were after me and I would not hide. I want to fight, but I can see the sense to sit this one out.”

  The door creaked open behind us, and Eir entered the room as we turned to look. She bowed to Angel, then to me. “Congratulations, Evalia. I came as soon as I received the message. I will gladly be your mid-wife.”

  “Thank you, Eir. I don’t want to be rude, but we need to discuss payment first. Will this be another favor I owe you?”

  She sat on the couch next to me, then turned to watch me. “I think not. In fact, I see a mutually beneficial resolution of the favors you and Kaitsja owe me.”

  My hackles rose, but I attempted to make my voice as light as possible as I answered her. “You do?” I failed miserably and ended up sounding constipated. Angel snorted.

  A corner of Eir’s mouth ticked up. “Yes, I do. You will allow me to train your child as my successor. I will handle all the schooling, both magical and otherwise, until they reach the age of maturity. At that point, I will return the child to you.”

  I could feel my face flushing as her words sunk in. “Absolutely not! You are not taking my child from me!”

  “May I remind you that you agreed to submit to my terms when and where I called them in. This is my demand.”

  I jumped to my feet as I pointed a finger in her face. “You can go to hell! I said it once, and I’ll say it again, you are not taking my child!”

  The doors flew open, and the guys, including Orn, marched into the room. Kait put himself between Eir and me, while David whispered to me, trying, unsuccessfully, to calm me down.

  “Eir, what’s this about taking our child?”

  She sighed. “When the baby is born, I will call the favors in. You will give it to me to be trained until they are an adult. Then, I will return the child to you.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “No.” She raised an eyebrow. “I believe Evalia has already told you, you will not take the child from us.”

  “You will forfeit your life and Evalia’s for the child’s?”

  That slowed me down and brought my mind back from the rage. “What?”

  “Remember, to deny me the payment I ask is to agree to be my slave for life. Either way, you will not be a part of this child’s life.”

  My heart sunk, and I wilted back down onto the couch. My arms hugged my stomach, where the fluttering heartbeat was. “Eir, I beg you. Please, anything but taking my child!” She just raised an eyebrow. “We need time, Eir, please leave.”

  “I will wait in the lobby for you. Regardless of your decision regarding the training, I will stay to be your mid-wife.” She turned and strode from the room.

  Once the doors had closed behind her, Kait sunk to his knees in front of me before brushing the tears from my face. I wasn’t even aware I had been crying until he smeared the wetness away.

  “Princess, we will figure this out. One way or another.”

  “How, Kait? She’s determined that we will not be raising the child. How can I trust her as my doctor if I’m afraid she will steal the child away?”

  “Sugar, we can go to Earth to live. She won’t come there.” David broke in, anxiously looking at the door as he spoke, but Kait started shaking his head as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

  “No, she will come find us. We would live on the run, and that is no way to raise a child. We have to find a better solution. Maybe we can talk sense into her.”

  “It didn’t seem like she would listen. At the beginning she said it was a ‘mutually beneficial resolution’, so I think she believes we don’t want to raise the child.”

  Kait looked back at me, disbelief written all over his face. “She said that? She had to have known how we would react. We are missing something.”

  “Where’s Travis?” David’s voice had a tinge of panic to it.

  I looked around, but Travis wasn’t in the room. I bolted toward the door, but Kait was there first. We ran to the lobby to find him calmly talking to Eir.

  Their faces turned toward us, both unemotional. I felt the bond, but there was only calm acceptance. “What did you do?” I whispered.

  “What needed to be done.” I sucked in a breath. Was he saying what I thought he was? “I have negotiated an agreement with Eir. She will train the baby at the castle, with us.” Relief had my legs sagging.

  “Evalia, you must let me check you for the darkness now.”

  I bristled at her tone and glared at her. “I mustn’t do anything I don’t want to. I’m not happy with you right now and I don’t think I want you touching me at the moment.” Kait opened his mouth, so I pointed at him. “I will let her later this afternoon. I just need to calm down first. I’m going for a walk.” I stalked out of the lobby, into the opulent gardens. Little fairy creatures flitted around the blooms, oblivious to my anger, or my muttered curses. Eventually, I found a giant pond with an intricate fountain at its center. I sat on a bench, watching the rainbows created by the spray dance through the air.

  I jumped as a person sat down next to me, only to sigh when I realized it was Eir. “I said I needed some time. Why are you here?”

  “To apologize. It never occurred to me that you would all be emotionally attached to the child already.”

  I gaped at her. “That’s absurd. You present yourself as emotionless, but surely you aren’t. I can’t believe that you would think that we would willingly hand over our flesh and blood to you for eighteen years.”

  “Eighteen? No. Maturity is reached at sixteen.” She waved a hand. “That does not matter. I am less emotionally driven than most beings. It comes from an excessively long, lonely life. Without people close to me, or bonds, emotions hold no interest for me. I did not think you would have a problem relinquishing the child to me. I am sorry for causing you undue distress.”

  “I accept your apology. But, I still need time to myself. I’m still pissed at you.”

  She nodded gracefully as she stood. “I will wait for you. The hotel has given me a room near yours and I have told them to give you the room number when you're ready. Ask at the front desk. Please see me today, I want to make sure the baby has not been harmed. Kaitsja said you both heard the heartbeat, so it has been exposed.”

  Without looking at her, I just nodded. Her soft footsteps faded into the distance while I stared into the water. The large fish mouthed at the bubbles on the top of the water, occasionally spiting out the leaves they sucked in. Birds called in the trees, and the little fairies came closer and closer until one landed on my leg, peering up at me with a concerned look. I forced a smile, and she responded with a grin before flitting off to who knows where. The conversation with Eir replayed in my head, driving home to me, yet again, how little I knew about this strange place.

  Finally, I squared my shoulders and stood up, swaying a little as dizziness threatened to overwhelm me. When it faded, I followed the path back to the hotel. It was time to get back to real life. I stopped at the desk and got Eir’s room number before heading up to knock on her door. She answered it promptly, then stepped aside to gesture into the room. Without a word, I headed in and settled myself on the small couch. Her sitting area was smaller than the one in my room, but still big enough for several people. She watched me for a moment before pulling a chair up in front of me.

  “I do not think your activities will have harmed the child. Nor do I think you should stop. I will be here to ensure you and the child are free from any taint, so the danger is minimal. I have spoken to Kaitsja about this. He is not happy, but has agreed to follow my recommendations.”

  I nodded, but didn’t respond more than that. It didn’t seem to bother her as she laid her hands on my head. Her familiar magic coursed thro
ugh my body, settling into my lower stomach for a moment before retreating.

  “There is no taint and the baby appears healthy. How much do you know about what to expect as the pregnancy progresses?”

  “Not much. I know the early symptoms and that’s about it.” I reluctantly answered. I had been hoping I could leave after she checked me. I was emotionally and physically drained and needed another nap.

  “For the next several weeks you can expect to experience what you have been so far. We will discuss things as they come up, and I encourage you to tell me about anything you feel, physically or emotionally. We can determine if it is from the pregnancy or if it is from your work. I wish to see you immediately upon your return after you have healed any animal and we will have a well-check once a month beyond that. I will check on the baby every time you see me, but the once a month visit will primarily focus on the baby. Do you have questions?”

  “Actually, I do. On Earth, they focus prenatal care on medical tests, bloodwork and the like. How is it handled here?”

  “Magically, of course.”

  “I understand that. How do you guarantee my health as well as the baby’s? Check for gestational diabetes, birth defects, sex of the baby, things like that?”

  “I do not know what diabetes is. Magic can detect the rest.”

  “Diabetes is where a persons body doesn’t produce, or use correctly, the chemical that allows the cells to absorb the sugar they use for energy. It can be life threatening and can cause problems with pregnancy.”

  “Oh. That. We can detect it with magic. Anything your technology can do, we can do with magic.”

  I threw up my hands. “Whatever.” A knock on the door interrupted me before I could ask my next question. Eir answered it and Kait looked around her to me.

  “Come on, Princess, we have another sick dragon to tend to.”

  Saved by the knock! “I will visit you when I return, Eir.”

  She inclined her head as I shut the door.

  Chapter 22