Page 322 of Born of Blood and Ash

That was a damn good question because when exactly had thoseembers of life truly become a part of me, changing what I was on such afundamental level that they couldn’t be removed? The night I’d recklesslybitten Ash’s thumb and tasted that tiny drop of blood? The very same night we’dfirst had sex? My heart started pounding. If that one drop of blood hadirrevocably changed the biology of my body, making me a little bit more Primalthan mortal, could that also mean that a child could be created?

Wait.

I’d seen more than one.

I’d seen two.

Twins.

I thought of the prophecy. A first daughter… And a seconddaughter. But that didn’t sound like twins—

“But I saw cubs,” I said out loud. “Cute, little,fluffy cave cats. I didn’t see two toddlers frolicking in the fucking weeds.I’m not…”

My throat tightened, and my legs suddenly worked again.Shooting to my feet, I raced into the bathing chamber. Not to vomit. My stomachwas settled. Mostly. I went to the mirror and yanked up the bottom of my tunic.I held the royal blue material beneath my breasts and stared at my lowerabdomen. My head cocked to the side.

It looked the same. Soft. Concave at the naval and thenslightly rounded. I turned sideways, seeing nothing—

“What am I doing?” I asked, a shrill giggle parting my lips.Would I even see a difference in my body at this point?

I didn’t know a whole lot about pregnancy, but I’d beenaround enough pregnant maids at Wayfair. The answer was no. I wouldn’t. Myfingers tightened around the soft material. But could I really be far enoughalong that I would…what had Odetta called it when we’d happened upon the young,rosy-cheeked Emmeline, one of the chambermaids in the hall, clasping a bucketas she heaved?

“Pay her no mind,” Odetta had warbled, urging mealong when I stopped. “She’s just having a bit of the morning qualms.”

I hadn’t any idea what that meant. I couldn’t have been morethan ten or so at the time. Curious child that I was, I’d asked. Odetta hadsaid that she was with child, and as sure as the sun rose each morning in Lasania, roughly seven or so months later, she had givenbirth.

Emmeline hadn’t looked pregnant, but she had also been of awillowy frame. However, there had been others with body types similar to minewho hadn’t appeared as if they were with child for many months. So, that meantnothing.

Which wasn’t exactly a relief because, in this situation,nothing could mean everything.

I couldn’t be pregnant. Not after everything I’d gonethrough in Dalos. Not after being struck with eather, and the Fates only knew how many arrows. Not afterthe fight with Kolis. He’d broken bones. He’d tossed me around like I was thatdoll Jadis played with.

Not after what I’d done.

I stared down at my stomach, remembering how nearly everypart of my body had been bruised…except for my lower abdomen, almost as if thatpart of me had been shielded. That sounded ridiculous.

“I can’t be.” I jerked my head to my reflection.

I didn’t really see myself. I saw those cubs. I sawthem as clearly as I had during stasis, except they changed in my mind now,becoming two mahogany-haired little boys with golden-bronze skin, onesilver-eyed and the other…with eyes of silvery-gold—

What in the fuck?

I sucked in a shallow breath that went nowhere. Why in allthe realms was I seeing little boys? It was official. I was losing mymind. Either way, I needed to know if I was…if I was pregnant, and I needed toknow now. Right this fucking second. Or I would definitely go insane, and Ashwould have to put me into stasis. But how could I find out? In Lasania, there were people, usually older women in Croft’sCross, to whom many went. Even the nobility. But I wasn’t exactly sure how theycould tell anyone anything. Then again, many went there for the teas thatensured there wouldn’t be a fruitful union, too. Regardless, there wasno way I was going to shadowstep my ass into Lasania.

I didn’t think I could ever return there.

My mind raced. Those women people sought, wasn’t it saidthey worshipped at Temples of the Primal Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Fertility?There was no way I would ask Maia, but could Aiossomehow—?

“Sera?”

I was so caught up in my panic, I didn’t feel Ash’sapproach. I squeaked, dropping my tunic and whirling toward the entrance.

A second later, he filled the doorway. His dark,reddish-brown hair—his mahogany-hued hair—was swept back in a knot atthe nape of his neck. Several strands were loose and tousled, though.

“Are you all right?” he asked, concern filling his voice. “Ifelt your…panic.”

“Uh…”

His gaze swept over me as if he were checking for injuries.The only one he’d find was to my brain. “It was so thick it nearly choked me,”he continued.

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