Page 58 of Bewitched

“You see, it is of no use trying to hurt me. My powers make me invincible. Soon, when I rule Kasculbough, that will be invincible, too.”

“I don’t understand this. You weren’t pregnant when I saw you in my courtyard yesterday.”

“There are some things about witches that can’t be explained or figured out, so don’t bother to try.”

Two guards ran up the tower stairs and stopped at the door, as the midwife watched with wide eyes from the shadows in the back of the room. When the soldiers were about to enter the chamber, King Osric raised his hand and stopped them. “Wait there,” he commanded his men before looking back at Medea. “I would like to make a deal with you, witch.”

“My name is Medea,” she snapped. “Don’t forget it. If you call me witch once more, I’ll have your brains exploding out of your head next. Do you understand?”

“Medea,” he said with utmost respect, talking softly and gently. “I’m sorry. “Can you tell me; will your children be as powerful with magic someday as you are?”

“More so, I’m sure. However, I will know more about that in the next few days.”

“Few days? You will be able to tell that soon?”

“If my child is like me, she’ll grow quickly.”

“How quickly?” he asked, cocking his head, seeming interested.

“Well, I aged one year for each day that passed, until I reached eighteen.”

“Amazing,” he said, his eyes becoming even wider. The smile started to return to his face. “Tell me, how fast can you have these babies?”

“Well, I don’t know for sure. This one was only conceived last night.”

“Really.” The King got a big smile now and chuckled lowly. “I can see us raising a whole army of boys, or mayhap even girls together. It won’t matter as long as they all have magic. They’ll be our warriors. We’ll seize Evandorm and Sethor both. Together we will be the sole rulers of all of Mura.”

“We?” she asked, making a face. “I can do that all by myself, if I so choose. Why would I want anything to do with you?”

“You’ll need a man to help you conceive these soldiers,” he pointed out. “That will be my job.”

The thought made her cringe. “You wanted me killed,” she reminded the man.

“Nay, I didn’t. I swear, that is not true. Who did you hear that from?”

“I heard it directly from Rhys Blackseed’s mouth, and he is your best and most loyal knight.”

“Blackseed,” he growled. “Those brothers are all liars. They’ll say whatever they have to in order to get what they want.”

“What do you mean?” She looked down at her baby and smiled. She really was cute, like the midwife said.

“It was Rhys Blackseed’s idea to kill you. He told me that you were a threat and he’d take you out if I made him my heir.”

“What?” Her head snapped up. “I don’t believe you. He said it was your idea and that he turned you down.”

“Hah!” The King laughed heartily. “Did he say that before or after you figured it out?”

That made her stop and think. Could Rhys have just said that because he knew she’d discovered the plan and he was trying to save his own ass?

“He probably also told you some lie to get you in his bed,” continued the King, making more sense than she wanted to admit. “I’m guessing that whelp is his, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Rhys is the father, and my baby is not a whelp!” She slammed him against the wall without even touching him. The guards ran in with weapons drawn, so she used her powers to send them against the wall as well.

“Sire, she is powerful,” shouted one of the guards from the floor. “We need backup.”

“Don’t get her mad,” said the other guard in a soft voice.

“Guards, take the other two men out of here. I want Medea to be able to rest,” instructed the King.