AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I went too far, didn’t I?” She rubbed her forehead weakly, feeling sicker than before despite having an empty stomach. “Spit it out and let me drown in my misery.”
Brie frowned at her. “I think you and I both have very different ideas in mind right now,” she said. “Justwhathave you been up to with that man?”
“What do you mean?” she shot back defensively. “Can you just tell me what’s going on?”
“You, Captain Violetgrass, are pregnant,” she scolded, “How is this even possible?”
Aria’s heart dropped to her stomach immediately, falling so deep that it made her sick once more. She lurched off to the side to vomit again, coming up with only water as she coughed out a stinging burn in her throat. To say she was surprised was an understatement. She was stunned beyond comprehension.
“I don’t understand,” she said breathily as she straightened up for air. “As Fairies, we can’t conceive unless…” her heart fell. “Oh goodness.”
Brie’s face fell in horror. “No…Aria, this is impossible. This has to be a mistake. Maybe it’s someone else’s.”
Aria could only shake her head miserably as a painful pang shot through her stomach, one of such intense hunger that she felt she could swallow a whale whole. Yet she also felt incredibly nauseous. With a careful hand, she touched her abdomen where a gentle ache bloomed, and with whatever power she could muster, she guided her energies to feel within herself. There was no heartbeat yet, but she trusted Brie would know.
“What should I do?” she asked Brie worriedly. “I can’t…I just…how thehellishemy fated mate out of all people? His mate died ages ago!”
“I’m as confused as you are, but this mission needs to end right here, Aria,” pleaded Brie. “This is becoming a more complicated and precarious situation the more time passes.”
“I can’t risk causing the others any trouble,” Aria insisted. “They’ve all come so far!”
Brie looked conflicted and stepped away from her to pull on her cloak, covering her ears properly under her hood. “It’s your call at the end of the day, but I just want you to be able to come back home. This pregnancy isn’t a joke.”
“Mother would collapse if she knew the truth of my circumstances.”
“Having an evil Elven king as a mate would appall anyone,” Brie said agreeably, but that wasn’t what Ariameant. She even felt defensive of Travus and wanted to tell Brie off but remained silent.
“Would it be so bad if I couldn’t come home?” Aria wondered aloud in a hushed voice. And Brie glared at her from under her hood.
Aria frowned at her. “You know the pressure of being the Fairy Guardian is getting to me.”
“It should!” she scolded. “You’re the only one anyone trusts completely, Aria, even the Faes. What will become of them if you stay here?”
There was suddenly too much to grapple with. Being Travus’s mate and carrying his child was a large enough shock for the day, and now she was nearing the possibility of escaping the castle and being replaced by the real Princess Mierna when the agreement was fulfilled. Deep down, it didn’t make sense for Travus to be with anyone else but herself. They had an understanding with each other that simply couldn’t be replicated with anyone else. It was genuine, honest, and tolerant of both the best and worst parts of each other.
It was the most truthful and accepting relationship she had ever had, with anyone.
Yet, she knew that she had to put others before herself. The guilt of being unable to protect her father wasresurfacing, and the thought of not attempting to create the ideal world that he wanted was also tugging at her.
She remembered the people that came to her father’s grave once the Fairies had left. Outside Travus’s castle wall, the vision was halfway complete with all the nations banding together to protect each other. Only the Faes were left, and she owed it to Hector as well for all the help he’d given her.
Now, she’d need his help once more. She couldn’t bring her child into a world where they wouldn’t be accepted because of how the world stood as is. One that hated Elves, outcasted Faes, and exploited Humans.
She had to run.
Chapter 19
Why it was taking Mierna, and the healer so long was beyond him, but when he went to check the medical room, neither of them were anywhere to be found.
A sting in his heart had him running down the hall and to the foyer where Arthur sat patiently. In anger, Travus grabbed Arthur by the collar and lifted him off the ground, pulling his terrified face close.
“Where is Mierna?”he demanded. “Are you trying to take her away?!”
“What?No!” he cried out. “Where would she even go? Going back to Nexis would completely blow her cover and dishonor her if the truth came out!”
He dropped Arthur on the chaise lounge and marched around the castle, trying to grab Mierna’s scent in the air and following it. With quick and large strides, he covered enough distance to catch up to the cloaked woman who was closing in on a back door. To his surprise, she’d managed to knock out all the guards that were patrolling the section,and he passed their snoring bodies and reached out for her arm.
She thwarted the tips of his fingers and ran, her hood falling off to reveal the familiar pale blue hair he’d grown to adore.
