For so long, Caspian had rallied against his feeling. He had denied them. He had even grown angry at them. Now that he was starting to understand how wrong he had been, he realized the fool that he was.
Caspian had not wanted to marry Thalia, and he had not wanted to fall in love with her. But he had done, he knew it now, and as wonderful and freeing as that realization should have been, it brought only pain and misery and utmost despair.
Caspian lost his chance at happiness, and now he was destined to be alone. Worse, he deserved it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Thalia was sitting in the garden when she spied Damien hurrying from inside and straight toward her. She smiled toward him, not noticing at first the urgent look on his face.
The reason she did not notice it was because her mind was elsewhere. For once, and this brought her little real relief, it wasn’t thoughts of Caspian that plagued her.
Something is wrong, I know it is, I just don’t know what… nor am I brave enough to seek a doctor or ask for help because if I am right then I don’t know what will happen.
She had been feeling off all morning… and the evening before that too. It was her stomach that did it, a squirming, churning feeling that swarmed from within and slowly crept up her body so that she was cold and shaking even as she sat directly in the sun. Common sense told her that it was because of Caspian, that it was the dread that sat within that had her feeling this way. But she knew that was a half-truth at best.
There was something wrong with her unborn child. She was sure of it.
“Thalia!” Damien hurried toward her, still waving for her attention. “There you are! We have been calling for you.”
“Oh?” She put on a brave face, pushing away the sickness that swarmed over her body. “Is something the matter?”
“No, nothing like that.” Damien reached her. “But someone is here to see you.”
She brightened, if only for a moment. For a week now, Thalia had wondered if Caspian would come for her. She had prayed that leaving him on his own might unlock something inside of him, forcing her husband to finally reflect on his feelings for her and admit them once and for all. She still loved Caspian, and if he was finally willing to admit it too, she saw no reason that they couldn’t forget what had happened.
Unfortunately, she saw on her brother’s face that it couldn’t possibly be Caspian who had come. If it had been, she doubted that he would have come for her on his own. Likely, Caspian would be by his side.
“Who is it?” She swallowed back her disappointment.
“It is Lady Seraphine,” he said. “What is more…” He bit into his lip and looked back toward the manor.
“What?” Thalia asked. “What happened?”
“You should come…” He held his hand out for her to take. “It is best if she tells you herself.”
Curiosity peaked inside of Thalia. She looked toward the manor as if expecting the answer to dawn. Her stomach still churned, her body was still running cold, and her legs were weak. Thankfully, she was able to take her brother’s hand and lift herself to standing.
And then, refusing to acknowledge how off she felt, she followed her brother inside, wondering all the while what on earth was going on.
She found Laurent and Rosaline waiting for her in the sitting room, but they weren’t alone. Sitting on the couch between the happy couple was Seraphine, and the moment she saw Thalia walk into the room she was on her feet and rushing toward her.
“Thalia!” she cried with relief.
“Seraphine, what are you – oh!” she gasped as Seraphine wrapped her in a tight hug.
“I did not know if I should come,” Seraphine said as she continued to hold her. “But I knew too that I must. You deserve to know what has happened. You all do.”
“It is good to see you,” Thalia said as she peeled herself free from the excitable woman’s embrace. “And in such good spirits.”
“It is no wonder,” Rosaline said with a smirk. “I am half inclined to do a little dance.”
“That I would love to see,” Laurent chuckled.
“Oh, quiet you.” Rosaline slid across the couch and planted a kiss on Laurent’s cheek.
“What is going on?” Thalia looked between the two sisters. “What am I missing?”
Seraphine took Thalia’s hand but looked at her sister as if for permission. Rosaline nodded once, giving it.
