Page 9 of Dark Island: Rescue
Tula glanced down at herself at the way the cover-up draped over her midsection. To her, the swell was obvious, impossible to miss.
"I look like I've gained five kilos," she muttered. "It's very noticeable."
Sarah's expression softened. "It's in your mind. Have you actually gotten on the scale?"
Tula hesitated, then admitted, "Two. I've gained only two kilos, but it looks like five."
"That's nothing. It could be water retention or a few extra servings at dinner. Besides, the water will hide it." Sarah squeezed her ankle gently. "Stress eating is to be expected after the trauma of the rebellion."
Tula had to admit that sounded like a good excuse. "Yeah, I've been snacking on too many sweets," she said aloud. "It seems like the only thing that can calm me down these days." In fact, she could use the trauma from the rebellion to explain the changes in her mood as well. "I can't stop thinking about what could have happened, how close we were to…" She trailed off on purpose. "You know. What we were all terrified of happening."
Sarah nodded. "These enhanced soldiers are monsters. I hope Lord Navuh decides not to continue with the program."
There was no chance of that. According to Areana, a new scientist had arrived on the island to continue the work.
"Tula!" Tony called from the far end of the pool, where he was practicing flips with Elias. "Come and see what I can do!"
Ever since they'd had that fight about his cowardice in acknowledging her pregnancy, he was making an effort, which meant that he was hovering. He brought her water without being asked, fetched extra pillows for her to rest against, and kept shooting her concerned glances when he thought she wasn't looking.
It was sweet but also suffocating.
Tula couldn't tell him that, though. Couldn't explain that his attention, however well-meaning, felt like just another thing to manage, another performance to maintain.
"I can see you from here," she called back, injecting false brightness into her voice. "I'm impressed."
Grinning, he returned his attention to Elias.
Tula allowed the smile to slide off her face and shifted her gaze to Beulah and Liliat, who were competing near the deep end to see who could hold her breath longest. Immortals could remain submerged for impressive amounts of time, but levels of skill varied between immortals as they did between humans, and they were even more competitive.
Tamira floated nearby, her eyes closed, her face tilted toward the ceiling. She looked peaceful, but it was all an impressive act. When she thought no one was looking at her, the haunted expression returned to her eyes.
These females were Tula's sisters in everything but blood. How could she leave them behind?
The guilt didn't let up. She was choosing her unbornchild over these females who'd been her family and friends for millennia.
Was she being selfish? Or was it the most natural thing in the world for a mother to choose the well-being of her child above all?
"Tula?" Sarah said, bringing her back to the present. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah. I was just thinking."
"About?"
Tula looked at her friend, at the concern in her eyes, and the guilt felt like acid was flowing in her veins.
"Nothing important." She slipped off the edge and removed the cover-up, tossing it on the deck behind her.
The cool embrace of the water was a relief. She ducked under completely, letting the water close over her head, muffling all sound. For a moment, she could pretend the world had shrunk to just this—the gentle pressure of water, the play of light through liquid, the muted sounds of movement.
Then her lungs demanded air, and she had to surface.
She swam toward the cluster of women in the center of the pool—Sarah, Beulah, Raviki, Tamira, and now Liliat, who'd surfaced from her breath-holding contest with a triumphant grin.
"I definitely won," Liliat declared.
"You absolutely did not," Beulah protested. "I was down there for at least thirty seconds longer."
"Thirty seconds? Try ten at most."
