Page 119 of Cages and Crowns
This wasn’t light.
I look away from him and push the thin sheet off my legs. My shorts and camisole are doing little to keep me cool. My swollen belly is starting to push against my clothing. I am going to need more soon, so I can stopstealing Nithe’s I thought I would be able to go the whole pregnancy without needing new clothes, but that isn’t happening.
I slide off the bed, the floor warm. I groan against another wave of cramping, grabbing the bedpost to steady me.Godsthis hurts. I never knew pregnancy was supposed to hurt. I feel something wet on my thigh and I look down, as best as I can, over the swollen bump. Something deep is running down my thighs. Something black.
No.
“Nithe.” I call out as another wave of cramping erupts through me. “Nithe!” I cry louder this time.
“Little witch, what is it?” He murmurs sleepily. I drop to my knees as I fight to inhale a deep breath. “Elaenor!” I can hear him fighting against the blankets before sliding on his knees over to me.
“Something is wrong with him.” I stammer as I feel the sweat dripping down my neck.
“Guards!” He yells out and I whimper against another cramp.
“Ni.” I cry.
“Fuck!” He yells before scooping me up and standing. He kicks the door open and starts running down the hall. “Guards!” He yells again and I can hear the clink of armor.
“Your Grace!”
“Wake Master Lenus. Now!” He screams as he continues down the hallway.
“Nithe, what the hell– Elaenor!” Emery’s shrill voice cuts through the fogginess in my head.
“Elaenor?” Scarlett says from somewhere. Oh gods, this hurts. Nithe ignores them as he barrels down the hallway. I can feel my body jostling as he runs down the stairs.
“It hurts.” I whimper and he tightens his arms around me.
“I know, I know.” He says breathlessly. Another door is kicked open and then I am being set on a table.
“How long?”
“Not that long.”
“Okay, I don’t have time to give her any pain reliever, she needs to push.”
“No, it’s too soon.” I cry, trying to pull out of his grasp.
“Shh, it’s okay.” I can feel Nithe lift my arms as he settles in behind me, pulling me onto his lap. My legs are lifted and placed in stirrups. “This is going to hurt, but I am here. I am right here.”
“No, it’s too early!” I cry out. I can feel poking and prodding against my vagina and I flinch.
“She’s bleeding a lot, this isn’t good.” I scream as I feel the scalpel slice into me, spreading me open.
“Why is her blood black?” I hear someone say, but I can’t listen. I can’t think.
“Push, Your Majesty.”
“No. No!” I scream against the pressure. Thepain. I’m dying. I think I’m dying.
“Come on, push.” Nithe’s lips press to my temple as he wraps his arms around my chest. I scream as I bare down, pushing with everything in me. The pressure is debilitating, the pain of my skin ripping open.
“Keep going.” I can hear Master Lenus speaking, and I keep pushing. “Almost.” I dig my nails in Nithe’s forearms as I push. “The head is out.” I don’t hear crying. No.
“Nithe, I don’t hear crying.”
“Keep pushing.” The scream barrels out of me as I feel the release of pressure. The master cuts something and then turns around, taking the baby with him.
