“Ahhhhh!!!”
I screamed once more, pushing at the urging of the midwife, while my most trusted lady, Odelina, who’d come with me from Chryse when I left to marry Aelius, bravely held my hand while I squeezed it until her bones creaked.
“One more, my Queen! Push!” the midwife called, and my face crumpled as I let out a deafening scream, pushing with all my remaining strength.
The agonizing pressure finally stopped, and I collapsed back onto the bed. The wailing cry that filled the room had me looking up desperately, wanting to see my firstborn.
The first thing I saw was the telltale glow indicating the gods’ chosen heir, and my breath caught. The next thing I saw was that, aside from the glow around him, he was shining brightly. Silver starlight emanated from him, confusing and alarming me thoroughly. Our heir should have inherited the power of sunlight.
I was already worried enough about what would have to happen next. The confirmation of his status as heir alone was enough to make me want to weep. I couldn’t handle yet another thing to worry over.
“Let me hold him,” I demanded, struggling to sit up.
“You still have another child to deliver, Aurelia.” Odelina reminded me gently, using a cloth to wipe the sweat from my forehead.
“I think there’s time. Just for a moment.” I reassured her, squeezing her hand quickly. I turned to the midwife, blinking when I noticed she was standing, holding my babe and staring down at him with a shocked expression.
“Give him to me. Let me hold my heir.” I demanded again, though my voice cracking didn’t help. Only Odelina knew what was going to happen, there was no way for the midwife to understand my desperation to hold him.
But the midwife only looked up at me with wide eyes, stammering, “It’s—it’s?—”
“What?” I snapped, my exhaustion and the physical pain still humming through me, on top of the emotional pain of birthing my child only to have to part with them immediately. I didn’t have time to deal with this woman’s stammering nonsense.
“It’s a girl,” she finally whispered, watching me with huge eyes as what she said finally hit me.
“What?” I barely got the word past the lump in my throat. “But—but I saw the glow. The gods chose them as heir.”
I looked up at Odelina, who looked back at me, nodding slowly, confirming I hadn’t imagined it. “They did, Aurelia. Your daughter is the heir.”
“No woman has ever been chosen before,” the midwife said, staring down at my daughter with wonder.
“Give her to me. Now,” I told the woman, who looked up quickly and flushed before moving to hand her over to me.
She placed the wriggling girl in my arms, her fists batting outward as I shushed her, rocking her slightly. Tears came to my eyes as she opened hers, and wide blue eyes stared back at me.
Aelius’s eyes. As blue as the sky itself.
Aelius, herfather, who would kill her according to the Oracle. I knew Aelius’s wish for a male heir. He was traditional, believing women were unsuited for power—thus keeping even his queen out of council sessions. No wonder the gods feared his reaction.
Why a woman? Why now? They said she was important, but why did she have to be a girl? Just to make things more difficult for her? It seemed so unfair. Now, she would have to be raised far from the mother who loved her.
But my little girl just giggled up at me, completely unaware of what was to come. The spell the Oracle gave me had one intent: to hide her from any who would dare look for her. I watched the wisps of starlight emanating from her.
So different from any heir of Day before her. In so many ways.
I didn’t know what this power meant. Asteria had clearly blessed her, instead of Hyperion. I had no idea why or what would come of it, but the gods clearly had their reasons, and they weren’t for me to guess.
Pain hit me then, and I realized the other child was coming. I quickly handed my baby girl to Odelina, who took her carefully. I nearly sobbed when I saw her back for the first time.
There, in the middle of her tiny upper back, was a soulmark. The rays of the sun expanded from the top of an upside-down crescent moon, while stars dangled underneath it. Another thing she would lose with what would happen next. I mourned for the future, for what could never be.
All thanks to Aelius.
I let my anger fuel me, and with a scream, I pushed. When the little boy was put into my arms, I smiled down at him—just as the gods had clearly smiled down on me.
I would be forced to give up my daughter, but the time would come for her to return. And until then, they’d provided me with a warrior, one who would help me prepare for his sister’s coming.
I moved him into the crook of one arm and took my little girl with the other. Basking in this single moment where I could have both here, safe in my arms.
