“Okay,” I meet her eyes, putting an arm around her. I guide her over to the bed and I move a suitcase out of the way so we can sit down. “Tell me.”
“I did something. Something you’re going to be angry about,” she says hesitantly. Some tears dampen her lashes, and I move the hair out of her face. “I had a plan. A way to makesureyou didn’t leave me behind.”
“Clover,” I sigh, my body tensing with concern. “What did you do?”
“I fixed the problem. The reason we can’t be together,” she says, wiping her eyes. I reach for a tissue and dab away the tears, my concern growing with every word. “I went to a doctor. The best one in Concord City.”
“Tell me you didn’t,” I growl, my hand going to her stomach. Panic hits so hard I stop thinking. I tear the front of her dress open, needing to see for myself, and she jerks away, clutching the ruined fabric around her waist.
“I didn’t have the surgery! I just went to the doctor,” she shouts, slapping my hands away and pulling the torn fabric around her waist. “There’s another way.”
“When I got down on one knee, I knew what it meant. Do I want you? More than I want my next breath. If we can only ever be together in the ways we have been so far, then I’d rather have that than not have you at all.”
“You can have me any way you want me,” she whispers meeting my gaze.
“You didn’t have the surgery, though,” I let my confusion leak into my voice, glancing at her stomach again. “Did you have some other kind of procedure?”
“Not exactly,” she hems. “Just an injection. I jabbed myself a month ago, and from what I can tell, I’m still here.”
“An injection?” I snarl, looking at her arms. “What kind of injection!?”
“Calm down. It’s perfectly safe. It’s from a clinical trial that was conducted before the revolution. Not only did I read every page of the research, but I also had Lady Frax’mo put me in touch with the best reproductive specialist in Uzrirgard.”
“Lady Frax’moknows about this!?” I snarl, my voice getting louder.
“That’s the opposite of calming down,” she chides, still holding her ground. Ironic, since a queen should never cower, but Ihaven’t made her one yet. “When I explained what it was to Lady Frax’mo, she was more than happy to help. In fact, we may be… friends. Sort of. I’m not sure. But regardless, it’s safe. Your best scientists confirmed it. They said some of the stem cells might even make my skin so healthy it glows.”
“Your skin does have a different color,” I admit, trying to force my anger to recede. “I thought you were getting more sun.”
“I don’t tan; I burn,” smiling through her tears.
“Okay, what does this… injection do?”
“Well, according to you, humans have weak wombs. Too weak to ever carry your baby,” she explains, staring into my eyes. “But when we get married? Mine will be the strongest one in Uzrirgard. That’s not an exaggeration.”
It’s my turn for my lips to tremble when I try to speak. “But that still doesn’t mean you would be strong enough, and it’s not worth it, just because of some prophecy,” I mutter, shaking my head. “It still takes a toll. And if something happened to the baby…”
She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I know you’ve been through this more times than anyone should ever have to. I haven’t counted the tombstones, but I know even one is too many,” she sighs, pulling my hand to her stomach. “I’m not asking you to believe in a prophecy. I’m asking you to believe in me. If I’m going to be your queen, you have to. I need you to.”
I look down at my hand on her stomach, emotions rushing through me. Some are violent. Some are horrific. Some are as tender as the woman beside me. I blink when I feel my own tears, keeping them away.
“Okay, little human girl,” I sigh. “If there’s one thing in this world I believe in, it’s you.”
“Thank you,” her voice is breathy as she wipes her eyes again and leans against me.
I hold her in my arms, processing everything. Coming to terms with what it means. I’m in my final days, but there are plenty of them left. Enough for me tolive.
An heir would silence all the orcs who believe Uzrirgard will fall when I take my last breath. Turn their panic into adulation. My kingdom isn’t ready to leave prophecies in the past. Maybe after a few more generations of peace, things will be different.
“This injection…” I say, glancing down at her. “How long does it take to work? Do you have to keep taking them?”
“No, I only had to take one. It takes a month to start working,” she replies.
I blink a few times. “You said you jabbed yourself a month ago?”
“Yes,” she laughs. “I told you I had a plan to make sure you didn’t leave me behind.”
“Quite a plan,” I admit, everything clicking together. “So, we can… right now?”
