Page 54 of Redeeming the Angel

“I doubt it.”Nik’s shoulders slumped and she sighed in defeat.“But I don’t know what I’m going to do.I might run away.I might find some way to force our parents to accept that I love Del and no one else.Or he may convince them.He had a vision of a sorcerer discovering the spell of immortality.”Unease flickered in her copper eyes before she turned back to me.“He is seeking eternal life as we speak, and he’ll be back in only a hundred years.”

“A hundred years?”I gasped and stopped pacing.“But he’d miss—I mean, are you going to bear his child or have someone help you divest the seedling?”

Just like faelin and humans who’d reached the higher ranks of mages, one could divest themselves of a seedling before it even grew into an embryo.And if they somehow weren’t able to do so immediately, they could still terminate the pregnancy if they didn’t wish to let a fetus grow into a baby.The selfish part of me that bonded with all babies hoped that Nik wanted a baby.

“I will nurture the seedling.”Nik lifted her chin stubbornly as if she expected me to argue while I sighed with relief.“Though I worry that Mother or Father may try to have someone uproot it.”

“They wouldn’t!”I was so horrified at the notion that I nearly shouted.Quickly, I got control of myself and lowered my voice.“I can’t see them considering doing something so awful.Taking such a choice away from you like that.Besides, isn’t Del a member of the Shellandrian royal family?”

“Yes, he’s a duke…” Nik took a deep breath and confessed something that made my jaw drop.“We wed secretly in Shellandria six months ago, so I guess that makes me a duchess.”

“You’re only telling me now?”I seized her shoulders, feeling hurt and betrayed.“I could slap you for keeping that from me!”

“I wantedeveryoneto know when our wedding in Medicia is approved.”Nik’s voice cracked with heartache at her betrothal being refused.“Now I don’t know what to do.”

“Tell them that you already wed and that you are bearing a child who is a royal of two nations,” I said firmly.“They’llhaveto accept him and your child.”

Nik shook her head sadly.“If I did that, I’d have to explain why my husband is to be gone for the next hundred years.If Delgarias fails to achieve the immortality that they taunted him about, and Mother and Father know about it, his humiliation will be too much.”

“Well, you’re going to have to do something.The shielding spell only conceals the essence of a pregnancy.It will not hide a swollen belly.”I frowned and placed my hand over my own secret.

“And how long do you plan on concealing yours?”Nik retorted.“We need to find a way to establish that you and your child won’t be going anywhere that you don’t wish.I feel that’s more urgent since you’re the heir to the throne, not me.”

I sighed, feeling defeated for the moment.“Let’s just get our secrets concealed now and figure it out later.”

By the time we finished working the shielding spell on each other, I couldn’t stop smiling and daydreaming about my baby.Sighs of contentment escaped me and my hand constantly crept back down to my womb.

Nik glared at me and scolded as if she were the eldest.“Stop touching your belly and acting so pleased with yourself, or Mother will immediately know what’s going on.”

“Sorry.”I lowered her head, momentarily embarrassed at my baby sister having to reprimand me.But when I raised it to look back at her, my smile returned.“I just can’t stop thinking how wonderful it will be to have a baby of my own.”

Nik froze and a haunting sadness filled her eyes.Guilt flooded me for thinking only of my own pregnancy.I would be having a niece too!I could feel her essence radiating from my sister’s womb.The idea of our children being born together and growing up together made me misty-eyed.

I enfolded my sister in my arms.“I can’t wait to meet your baby too.She’ll be so beautiful, with either your hair or Del’s.Oh, and I hope she’ll have those darling pointed ears.”

“She?”Nik stepped back from the hug.

I shrugged.I don’t know how I knew which sex her seedling would grow into, but I was sure.“I have a strong sense about it.”

“What of yours?”

I closed my eyes and touched my belly again.There was that answering spark, but no sense of what it would grow into.A kernel of worry settled in my stomach.“I can’t feel much of anything, aside from the seedling.Perhaps because I’m too close?”

Maybe Nik would be able to tell.As if reading my mind, my sister placed her hand over my womb and bent down close to my belly.

She closed her eyes and remained there for a few moments before she rose, shaking her head.“And I seem to be too far.”

I shoved away my worry and pulled Nik into my room, where we planned out how to handle our respective pregnancies.Lucian would be busy with his world-building duties until autumn, but just in case he came back, Nik and I decided to avoid home for a while.We told our parents we were going to Earth to rescue more Tribespeople, but really, we travelled around Aisthanesthai.At first, it was great fun, being free from our parents, our responsibilities, and our men.We visited Shellandria first, where Nik was openly recognized as a duchess.We stayed in Del’s home and spent our days getting to know the faelin’s customs and magics.Nik traded for a Shellandrian steel sword and trained with the captain of the royal guard while I covertly researched herbs and mushrooms with healing properties.

Because the faelin were nearly as powerful as luminites, we only stayed a month so we wouldn’t risk any of them sensing our pregnancies.We spent the second month in Piscanos, the seafarers.Most of that time was aboard a ship.I had a wonderful time climbing the rigging and peering through the spyglass at leaping fist and surfacing whales.Unfortunately, Nik started to get seasick, so we left as soon as the ship reached the next port.

The third month was spent wandering, never staying in the same place overnight, for our pregnancies had reached the sixth month, a quarter of the way through, and our bellies had grown to reflect that fact.I felt a burning envy for the humans’ short nine-month pregnancies.

One day we both had a severe craving for blackcap berries, so we went hiking in the Khal mountains.To this day, I don’t know if the hiking caused it, or if I was doomed from the beginning.White-hot pain speared my midsection and I collapsed with a cry.Nik rushed to my side and knelt beside me.The dread in her eyes confirmed my own even before I felt warm moisture soaking my pants.

“My baby…” I whimpered.

Nik released her wings and scooped me up in her arms.Even though she was gentle, every movement was agony.I bit back whimpers as she concentrated on a levitation spell to get us airborne.

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