Page 68 of Crownless King

“Ha! No such luck, lady. I know what I know. And I’m never wrong about this matter. So, who’s the father?” Sauria insisted. “The late king, the new king, or someone else?”

She wouldn’t rest without my answer.

“Someone else…” I echoed.

I had no idea what to do, but I knew it was best not to disclose that I was going to have a royal baby. An heir to the throne…

I was going to have a baby.

Another bout of nausea hit me, and I gripped my throat, fighting it.

“How do you know I’m pregnant?” I desperately clung to the hope that she was mistaken. “You didn’t do any tests. Anyone can say shit. It doesn’t mean it’s true.”

She raised a silver eyebrow at my swearing, then giggled like a little girl.

“A lady you are not,” she stated.

“Never pretended to be one.” I leaned with my head back against the tree. “Are you absolutely positive about this?” I dipped my gaze to my belly.

She scoffed at my skepticism.

“A part of what I do for a living is telling women when they’re pregnant. We’re not like gargoyles, you know. Sky fae don’t feel they’re with child right away. Some don’t know it until they start showing.” She gave me a penetrating look, taking in my messed-up state. “I guess humans can’t feel it, either.”

I just sighed heavily in response. My brain refused to function properly.

“What am I to do now?”

“Right.” Her gaze warmed with compassion. “The king wants you gone.”

“He does.” I halted my breath, waiting for the stab of pain through my heart to subside a little before drawing some air back into my lungs.

“Crossing the River of Mists always carries a risk. Even more so in your condition,” she weighed out my options out loud. “Do you want to return to the human realm?”

“No. Not really… I’m not sure.” Did it matter where I went, at this point?

“Can you go back to your lover? The one who got you pregnant? Will he stand up to the king for you to keep you here?”

I blew out a humorless laugh. “He certainly will not.”

“Is he that loyal to the king?”

“More than loyal. He thinks and feels very much the same.”

I didn’t know this woman. There was absolutely no reason for me to talk to her or be honest with her. But right now, I was just grateful to have someone with me at all.

This new turn in my circumstances changed everything. I couldn’t run. I couldn’t be alone. I needed help, any help I could get.

“Maybe he’d change his mind if he knew about the baby?” Sauria’s voice sounded hopeful. “Children are rare and precious. Wouldn’t he want to have a continuation of his bloodline?”

“Every king needs an heir,”Voron had said.

Before that, he’d also said he didn’t care about the continuation of his bloodline. Would all this baby be to him—an heir?

How would he feel about my news? What would he do?

Voron had sent me away not because he wanted to do it. I believed he cared about me and would have kept me in Elaros if he could. But he gave me up under the pressure from the Council and the nobles. That was what really mattered—he gave me up.

The king did what the court told him to do, and the court didn’t want me around. Would me being pregnant change that? I believe it would make matters worse.

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