Page 139 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

“I would do it again,” I nonchalantly reply. “I know he is the prince, but I don’t want to marry him. He should understand and go find someone else to be with. Skylar would love to be with him and stand by his side. She is built for that but I am not. I have no desire to learn either.”

“You… What… Foolish,” Avira mutters under her breath before looking back at me. “You need to go back to him and say yes!”

I shake my head. “I can’t. I’m not going to.”

“He bruised her neck,” Mother whispers, her hands placed around her stomach as she winces in pain.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Do you want me to go get the midwife for you?” I take a step closer to Mother.

“I am fine,” she quietly replies, but I can tell otherwise.

“So what if he bruised your neck. You deserved it. You don’t get away with telling the prince no. You have to understand that now or else your marriage is going to be hard on you,” Avira explains. “But if you go to him and tell him you made a mistake, he will have mercy on you. I’m surprised you only got one bruise and not several or some scars.”

“I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to marry him,” I forcefully say, clenching my hands by my side.

Avira walks up to me, mere inches from my face. “You are going to regret this,” she whispers. “Mark my words. You will regret saying no to him and to me.”

Mother screams, gaining both our attention as she grips her stomach. “Get the midwife!”

CHAPTER 42

Panic goes through me as I stare at her. What am I supposed to do?

“Get the midwife!” Mother screams again.

I look back at Avira to find her already gone and I clench my teeth. Of course she leaves when Mother is in labor. Why would she stay?

“I’ll get the midwife and more ice to melt!” I reply as I pick up the bucket and run toward the front door.

I pause and turn back to Mother. “Do you need anything before I go?”

“Midwife.” She takes a deep breath.

Nodding, I rush out the door and run down the street, straight to the midwife’s house.

“I need a midwife!” I yell as I knock on the door. “My mother is in labor.”

The door opens as Maria is standing there, a smile on her face. “She’s finally in labor?”

Before I can answer, Mother screams. We hear it clear as day. Maria’s eyes go wide.

“Your mother is definitely in labor. I’ll grab my things and head right over,” she replies and looks at the bucket in my hand. “You are going to get more ice from the river? Good. You do that but take your time. From the way your mother is screaming, there are still several minutes in between her contractions. She isn’t quite ready yet, but don’t take too long.”

Right. Hurry, but don’t hurry. I can do that.

“Once you get back, you can stay close, but you don’t have to stay in the room unless your mother wants you there,” she gently says. “I can tell how panicked and uncomfortable you are. I can deal with everything, you can just be nearby, so if I need anything, you can help out.”

I let out a breath and nod. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

She smiles. “I can see that. Now, go get the ice.”

I speed-walk past the houses and straight for the forest, on a mission to get the ice. The sooner I do, the sooner I can do something else that will get my mind off the fact that I’m about to be an older sister in a couple of hours.

I make it to the stream in record time, fall to my knees, and start to place ice in the bucket. Kieran was here earlier, breaking it up for me, or one of his friends was.

“I thought I might find you here sooner or later.” Kieran’s voice fills the forest. “How are you, Sweets?”

My hands shake from the cold and nerves as I stare at him. How am I?