Page 39 of Vipers and Vendettas
I smile a little. ‘What is it showing you?’
‘Just a ton of weird stuff that isn’t there.’
I look down.
‘Scars?’ I whisper.
He looks up sharply. ‘Yeah.’
I wince as I see realization dawn on his face. ‘You’re going to need to take the conjure you’re wearing off,’ he says quietly.
I nod and take a deep breath, letting it down.
I hear his own long intake of breath, his eyes locking onto mine. ‘I’m only going to ask you one question,’ he says very quietly, his friendly manner gone, and the threat of violence hanging heavily in the air at his arctic tone.
‘Did Maddox and his clan do this?’ he asks in a barely restrained manner, a low growl punctuating his words.
My eyes widen in surprise. I could say yes. I’m pretty sure the doc would get me out of here if I told him it was them.
But the thought of telling Theo they’d done something like this makes me recoil from the very idea. I can’t do that to him, to Maddox, or to the rest of them.
‘No.’
He visibly relaxes, the tension melting from his shoulders and out of me by extension. He puts the scanner back over me, pausing at my abdomen.
‘You don’t need to worry,’ he says after a minute. ‘The little guy is fine. Normal. It looks like you’re about fifteen weeks.’
‘Little guy?’ I ask, relieved beyond measure that he’s confirmed that everything is okay.
‘Just a turn of phrase,’ he smiles. ‘Sorry.’
‘I guess it’s a little early anyway,’ I say. ‘The book says you can’t tell until twenty weeks.’
‘Well, yeah, that’s technically true if this was a human ultrasound.’ His grin turns sly. ‘But this is a fae machine. It gives me a lot more information.’
I sit forward in my seat. ‘I’m just glad he or she is okay,’ I say. ‘That’s all that matters.’
‘Of course,’ he agrees.
‘But you know.’
He nods. ‘I know.’ He leans on the desk. ‘Doyouwant to know?’
I hesitate and then nod.
‘It’s a girl.’
I let out the breath I’ve been holding. My little Jellybean is a girl. I laugh as I look at Theo with tears in my eyes. ‘I wasn’t lying,’ I say. ‘I don’t really mind what the sex is, but knowing just makes it a little more real, you know?’
He nods. ‘Yeah, I know.’
I smile at him as I put my conjure back into its place. ‘Yeah, you do know, don’t you? Is Jane okay?’
‘Yeah,’ he says. ‘She’s due soon. That’s why she’s not here. She wanted to see you, though. She likes you.’
‘Maybe once your baby’s born,’ I say.
Theo nods. ‘Definitely.’
