Page 45 of His Highness's Hidden Heir

Ulmer was already nodding and walking away with his own phone pressed to his ear.

“The doctor will be there shortly,” Magnus assured her. “How long have you been having contractions?”

“On and off all night. They kept going away so I kept trying to go back to sleep. My water hasn’t broken and it’s not that bad—” She drew a small breath.

“Is that a pain? Ulmer!” he shouted.

“The physician is on his way to her room,” Ulmer said, peeking around the door. “I’m speaking to the pilot.”

“I don’t want to have the baby if you’re not here,” Lexi’s small voice said in his ear.

“Is that why you didn’t call the doctor? Lex, I don’t want that, either, but I don’t think that’s up to us. If it happens, it happens.”

“I know, but...” She took a shaken breath that almost sounded as though she was fighting tears. “It’s fine. I’ll figure it out.”

He suddenly recalled her sayingEveryone I’ve ever known has let me down.

“Lex, I’m leaving right now,” Magnus told her, impatiently waving at Ulmer who was trying to direct staff to pack. He didn’t need his damned toothbrush! “I’ll be home before—” He couldn’t lie to her, much as he wanted to. “Before dinner.”

Would the baby arrive by then? Would she have to deliver alone?

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

“Don’t be sorry. I shouldn’t have left.”

“But that presentation—”

“Will be given by someone else. I’ll see you soon.” He kept the phone to his ear while Ulmer helped him with his jacket.

There was a long space of dead air, the kind that another couple would have filled with words likeI love you.

That infernal buzz, the one that warned him of an upheaval arriving in his life, started to coalesce, but it was cut off as she spoke.

“I think the doctor is here.”

“Can you get up to let him in or—”

“He came in. Hi. I’m sorry to bother you,” he heard her say before she added, “Bye, Magnus.”

“I’ll be there soon,” he promised, but she had ended the call.

He received updates every hour. She was definitely in labor. A midwife was staying with her and keeping her comfortable. Katla checked on her, but things were progressing slowly. Lexi’s water broke so she had a shower. She was taken to the hospital.

It was excruciating and he wasn’t the one in labor!

Finally, the plane landed and they sped through the streets to get to the hospital. Magnus hurried to the maternity wing where the palace physician gave him a worried look.

“Her labor isn’t progressing. She’s been stuck at three centimeters since she arrived. We’re monitoring the fetus for stress. The baby is fine, but I’m concerned about the princess. She’s hasn’t accepted any pain relief, only the TENS and she abandoned it because it wasn’t helping. She hasn’t slept or eaten since last night.”

“Then feed her.”

“But if surgery becomes necessary—”

“Why would she need that?” he asked with alarm.

“The baby is larger than average. She would have struggled regardless, but when it comes time to push, I’m not sure she’ll have the strength, now that she’s distressed and exhausted.”

“Let me talk to her.”

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