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“She chose this.”

“She didn't know.”

“She knew enough.”

“She didn't know what our children would do to her.”

Draugr spoke quietly. “They're not doing anything to her.”

“She's screaming.”

“She is giving birth.”

“Same fucking thing.”

Roman gripped the back of my neck. “Listen to me.” I looked at him. “Bryn is alive.” That phrase again. The same fucking anchor Draugr had used after she was shot. Bryn is alive. “Your children are alive.” My breathing slowed. “She is surrounded by people who know what they're doing.” I swallowed. “And you are not helping by planning your future as a monk.”

Lucien snorted but I glared. Roman almost smiled but then another cry came through the door. I stood so fast Roman barely moved. “Fuck.”

Draugr rose this time. Finally. “Viking.”

“What?”

“You've faced armies.”

“Yes.”

“Demons.”

“Yes.”

“Ceasar.”

“Yes.”

“Sunlight.”

“Yes.”

He nodded toward the clinic. “And this is the thing that breaks you.”

I looked at the door. “Yes.” I had no shame, none because the woman behind that door mattered more than every war I'd ever fought. Time became meaningless, minutes, hours, I didn't know. I paced, I swore.

Threatened Dragan every time someone opened the door. Roman eventually made me drink blood. Lucien handed me coffee but I threw it away. Volken picked it up and drank it. Draugr told me approximately seventeen times to sit down and I told him approximately seventeen times to fuck off. Then the room went quiet, too quiet.

I froze. “No.”

Roman stood. “What?”

“Why is it quiet?”

He listened but there was nothing. I moved toward the door but then a sound split the air, a cry. It was small, sharp. I stopped breathing, everyone did. A baby, my baby. My knees weakened, then another cry joined it. Two, fuck…two.

Lucien grabbed my shoulder. I didn't even tell him to get off. “Two,” he whispered.

Volken laughed. Roman closed his eyes. I stared at the door. My children, my children were alive but then fear crashed back. Bryn. “What about Bryn?”

Nobody answered. I slammed my hand against the door. “DRAGAN!”