"Our secret to getting children is a blood sacrifice every nine years," Gudrun piped up from behind them. The volvä waggled her brows at them.
"Really? What kind of blood sacrifice?" Kian asked curiously.
"Don't tell him that. He will believe it," Elise complained.
Gods, the things he had done to protect and preserve his people weighed heavily enough on him. He didn't need to think blood sacrifice was the way to go to make more babies.
"It's a joke, my prince. The real secret is the land. You look after its fertility, and the land will look after you. You and the fae have only just realigned your magic to the earth, so it needs time," Gudrun replied. She looked Elise over. "Something tells me it's already working."
The witch winked at them and twirled away into the crowd. Elise was going to murder her.
"Hmm, a blood sacrifice might have been easier." Kian frowned at her. "What's that look about? She was only joking. And I would never consider such a thing...unless there was no other choice. I mean, technically, it could work if it was the right spell."
"Fuck. Stop. You are not sacrificing anything or anyone. I forbid it, Kian," Elise said and grabbed his hand. "Come with me."
Kian followed her to a quiet place in the trees surrounding Layla's house. Elise took a few breaths, fighting back her sudden nausea. There didn't seem to be anyone in hearing distance which was good. The fae were the absoluteworstgossipers, and that wasn't even including her nosy family members.
Kian crossed his arm. "Elise, I really wouldn't sacrifice anyone without your permission. You seem more upset than usual about?—"
"I'm pregnant," Elise blurted out. She rummaged in the bag over her shoulder and pushed the pregnancy test at him. "It's really early, and I wanted to be absolutely sure before I told you. But no blood sacrifices, okay? They aren't needed."
Kian stared at the test in his hands and then back at her. There were a few moments in their relationship where she had seen him too shocked to speak. He looked at the test again and back at her, his golden eyes wide.
Elise put her hands on her hips. "Oh my god, if you don't say something soon, I'm really going to start freaking out. I've been freaking out since I missed two periods. I know you have wanted kids forever and I wasn't ready, and you never pushed me. I stopped taking my pill about six months ago because I thought that maybe I was, and now I'm scared you're not ready, or that if I lose it, you will hate me, and I'm just so goddamn emotional."
She was crying, and she really, really didn't want to be more of a mess than she already was.Stupid hormones.
Kian pulled her into his arms and held her close. "I would never, ever hate you, my love. I'm just... I can't form the right words. I'm so terrified, happy, and in love with you. I don't know how to express it. Please don't cry, my heart. Don't cry."
"But you're crying," Elise pointed out.
Kian reached up and touched his wet cheek. "I...I am. Elise, you are pregnant."
"Yes," she sniffed. "But I don't want to tell anyone else for a while in case something happens. And I swear to all the gods, if you start acting like an overprotective dick bag more than usual, I will lose my shit."
"We can't have that," Kian said, his laugh caught in a sob. "I agree with you. This can be our secret joy for a while longer yet."
"Because you don't want to give people false hope, I get that," Elise said.
Kian cupped her cheeks. "That's not the reason. So much of our life has to be shared because of who we are. We need some things to be for us until they can't be. Whatever happens, if you give me ten children or none at all, I'll always love you, Elise. You are first in my heart, no matter what happens. You are my everything."
Elise was crying again as she pulled him closer to kiss him. "And don't you forget it."
"Never." Kian lifted her up in his arms, and she wrapped her hands around his neck. She breathed in his scent of fir and smoke and kissed him with all the love and frightened hope she had in her heart.
Elise pulled back from the embrace. "And you have to tell Oberon, not me, because he will cry like a lot. And then try and do something crazy like grow an enchanted forest around me so nothing can harm me. He'll be more overprotective than you."
"You're wrong. Killian will be the cryer," Kian said, making her laugh. "But you're right about Oberon and the enchanted forest."
"I know. They are all going to be more overprotective than you," Elise said. She tried to think about how her father would have reacted to her being pregnant. Probably worse than all of them put together. It made her miss him more than ever.
Kian kissed the tip of her nose. "You gave us all hope when we were cursed, Elise, and now you give us hope again. You are never going to stop being a wonder, my love."
"I might remind you of that when I'm big as a house and have cankles," Elise said, her heart aching with so much happiness.
"I will rub them for you," Kian promised. "I'm so happy I kidnapped you."
"There is my psychopath prince," Elise said, kissing him again. "You better not teach our kid any of your bad habits."
