Page 4 of Bonded Ever After

Rubbing my face, I sigh. “I’m fine though. My body’s just probably tired after my long trip in Neverwood, or maybe it’s trying to prepare me for the one I’ll be taking in a week.”

Beva doesn’t look convinced.

I smile. “It’s okay. I’m fine, alright? Let’s just focus on you and your big trip.”

She hesitates for a half a second, but then returns my smile and glances at her half-packed bags on the ground. “I just can’t believe it. The Council could give me my flight details any day, and then I’d be off to University of Horizon. Even now, my parents are there exploring the institute, waiting to help me get settled when I get there.”

Allowing her parents to go was a favor to me from the Council. Other than Teth’s parents and Beva’s parents, it was extremely rare for families to get to see the outside just because their students were leaving. The nice thing is that neither Callum nor I call in favors often, so the Council tends to listen when we do.

She stands up in her outfit. “So, what do you think?”

I grin. “It’s a winner!”

She squeals, which tells me she’s really excited about leaving, even if I didn’t already know it. She’s just not a squealer. “I just can’t believe I’m getting to go. That I’m going to be safe.” Her words get quieter at the end, and she looks thoughtful.

I dig my nails into my leg gently, trying to hide my sadness. “You’re never going to have to worry about the Council or Security again. It’s a brave new world out there!”

Nodding, she heads back to the closet. “Let me show you another outfit.”

I hold myself stiffly, not wanting to fall asleep, even though sleep tugs at me.Maybe I’ll just go home and take a nap after this. I’ll feel less weird about it when I don’t have an audience staring at me wondering if I’m about to grow another leg or something.

“There’s also this new perfume I bought,” she says. “It’s something different than my usual. It’s mostly rose, jasmine, and lily. It was a little expensive, but I decided to treat myself.”

A minute later, she comes out of the closet in a new outfit, one with tight pants and a loose, floral t-shirt. I’m about to say something nice about it when the scent hits me. It’s like being shoved face down in a field of flowers while someone buries you in more flowers. My stomach rumbles, turns, and then I’m running for her bathroom.

I barely manage to raise the lid before I’m hurling my breakfast into the bowl. Within seconds, Beva is behind me, lifting my hair and saying comforting things I can’t quite make out as I continue to unload my breakfast, maybe my dinner from last night, possibly even my meals from the past month. It seems to go on without end for an impossibly long time before I’m left dry heaving.

She secures my hair with a hair tie, then goes to the sink to scrub the perfume off her skin. I appreciate it, even though the smell doesn’t seem to be triggering me anymore. Wiping my mouth, I flush the toilet. Then she offers me an extra toothbrush and gives me a minute to clean up.

Embarrassed, I eventually head back into the bedroom. She’s waiting on her bed looking lost in thought as I slowly approach her. The floorboard creaks as I move, and she glances up, seeming relieved.

“You’re okay!”

I nod. “I’ll survive.”

Sinking down on the bed, she pats her lap and I lay down with my head on her legs. Her fingers run through my hair, slowly massaging my scalp, and I relax just a little bit. I need a moment of calm to fully settle my stomach.

“Have you ever thrown up before?”

I search my memories for a minute, even though I don’t need to. “No, we don’t puke.”

“You don’t get sick?”

“No,” I say.

“Could it be food poisoning?”

I hesitate. “I don’t think so. I haven’t had anything new.”

She says nothing.

“It’s got to be something. The exhaustion, the puking, it’s got to be all tied together.”

She releases a slow breath. “Don’t kill me, okay? But I have to ask…”

“What?” I frown.What could she have to ask?

“Could you be pregnant?”

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