Page 71 of Dark Shaman: Eternal Hope
Tula stood in front of the mirror, turning sideways as she examined her profile. The loose gown she'd chosen this morning, one of several she'd been favoring lately, was draped over her body in what she hoped were concealing folds. But even the generous fabric couldn't hide what was becoming increasingly obvious. The gentle swell of her belly had grown more pronounced over the past week, and no amount of strategic draping could disguise it much longer.
She'd been so careful for five thousand years, taking every precaution except for turning celibate, but in the end, she couldn't escape the inevitable.
Pressing her hand against her stomach, she felt the firmness there that hadn't existed three months ago. Soon, even Tony wouldn't be able to pretend he didn't notice, because he had to be pretending.
The man held a doctorate, for the Fates' sake.
How could he not realize what was glaringly obvious?
Her breasts were tender and swollen, she was short-tempered and irritable all the time, and wine gave her heartburn. Either he was the most oblivious man on the planet, or he was as terrified as she was, and choosing denial was his coping mechanism.
A knock at her door made her drop her hand and smooth the fabric over her midsection.
"Come in," she called out.
Liliat opened the door but didn't come in. "We're going for a walk in the gardens. Want to join?"
It had been presented as an invitation, a wish to include her in their activity, but she knew it for the ambush it was. They'd been giving her knowing looks and whispering among themselves for days.
Her sisters knew.
The gazebo, deep in the harem's gardens, was the only place where they had any privacy. The trees and distance from the buildings meant that even if there were cameras out there, they were few and easy to spot. Nature wasn't conducive to miniature devices that could be swept away in the breeze or obscured by the slightest movement of leaves.
"I'm coming." She took one last look at herself in the mirror.
There was no point in delaying the inevitable. They all knew.
In the corridor the rest of them waited, their expressions neutral, but she knew them all so well that she could read them easily.
They were concerned for her.
"Where's Tamira?" she asked as they began walking toward the elevator.
"She went to get Areana," Sarah said.
So, it was to be a full intervention then.
In a way, Tula was relieved. Better to tell them all at once than to have the same gut-wrenching conversation twice. And maybe one of them would have an idea she hadn't thought of. Some solution that didn't involve either accepting the unacceptable or taking a permanent leap off the cliff outside the harem and ending her miserable existence along with the life growing inside of her.
The mid-morning sun was already scorching, but the path through the gardens was shaded by the greenery. The air was heavy with the scents of growing things she didn't have the patience to discern, and it made her slightly nauseous.
Everything was making her nauseous lately.
They walked in silence for a while, the only sounds their soft footsteps on the gravel path and the distant hum of construction that never seemed to end these days. The island was still being rebuilt after the rebellion, and according to Hassan, new crews and new equipment were arriving at the island daily.
Tamira and Areana caught up with them just as they reached the gazebo. Areana looked as perfectly composed as always, not a hair out of place despite the humidity, while Tamira looked a bit frazzled, and Tula wondered what that was about.
The gazebo was a beautiful structure, with delicate latticed wood, climbing vines, and comfortable cushioned benches arranged in a semicircle. It was far enough from the harem thatconversation felt safer here, though Tula knew that safety was always an illusion on the island.
They all sat, and for a moment, no one spoke. Unspoken questions hung in the air like the morning humidity.
Finally, Tula couldn't stand it anymore. "You all know what's going on with me, so there is no point in keeping up the pretense."
"Know what?" Raviki asked.
"Don't." Tula's voice came out sharper than she intended.
Areana leaned forward, her expression soft with understanding. "How far along are you?"
