Page 231 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
Her voice had turned cold and vicious, and when another contraction ripped through Kat, Bree smiled. “So I had to go elsewhere. This could have all gone so differently.”
“That babe is going to be here any minute, Bree,” Rayell said suddenly, her honey eyes fixed on Kat. “Where is Miara?”
Miara?
That traitorous bitch.
Had she been feeding Bree information this entire time? Every time they had an appointment, she reported it?
But it all fit. She was the one who’d given him the flask, saying it was from Cienna. She would have known how close Kat was to giving birth. Maybe she’d been having visions all along and not said anything.
Bree frowned, looking down at Kat as she stood. “I don’t know,” she said curtly. “Go find her.”
“You go find her,” Rayell retorted. “I’m not beneath you, Bree. This is your godsdamn mess.”
Bree straightened, glaring at Rayell. “Fine,” she said tightly. “Keep him restrained.”
Rayell rolled her eyes. “Someone’s going to have to deliver a babe if you don’t go find the Witch.”
Axel could tell Bree wanted to say something in response, but she turned, striding from the room, her heels clicking. Kat cried out again, throwing her head back, and Axel could only look on, utterly helpless.
Until he wasn’t being restrained anymore.
Cade was cursing as he pulled the knife from his shoulder and tossed it aside, the string of words so vulgar, Axel nearly laughed. Then he realized Rayell was moving towards Kat, and he lunged for her. She was faster though, moving to re-wet the cloth and pressing it to Kat’s brow.
“There isn’t a lot of time,” the Night Child said. “I waited until she was on the precipice before telling Bree to go.”
Axel was frozen, trying to figure out what was happening. “We’re on your side here,” Cade growled, shoving Axel forward. “And I’m sure as fuck not delivering your child.”
“I can’t deliver him,” Axel said, slowly dragging his eyes back to Kat.
“Well someone needs to,” Rayell snapped. “Because this babe isn’t waiting anymore, and I promise you she’s coming back with more than just Miara. Valter will be with her.”
“Someone tell me what my father has to do with this,” Axel demanded, lurching to the bed as Kat cried out again.
“The short version is when you refused her, she made other plans. Your father is currently in hiding in the Underground. Recouping after these last months. They’ve made a deal,” Cade answered, standing near the door with his arms crossed. “She delivers your child to him, and he will give her the Underground.”
“And you are okay with this?” Axel demanded.
“Of course not,” he retorted. “Why do you think we’re helping you right now?”
“Axel,” Kat cried. “I can’t wait. He’s— I can’t?—”
“Okay, okay,” he said, rushing to the other side of the bed. He smoothed her hair back, pressing his lips to her brow. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll?—”
She thrashed, her head shaking back and forth. “Now,” she panted. “I’ve been in labor for nearly a day. He’s coming now.”
“I don’t know what to do,” he said, looking from her face to her contracting belly and back. He’d been wrong.Thiswas the most helpless he’d ever felt.
“Fae births are long,” Rayell said, climbing onto the bed behind Kat. “She’s nearly at the end. They take hours to progress, and by the time they get to this point, the mothers are exhausted.”
“But her power,” Axel tried.
“The…tonic,” Kat panted. “She had one.”
Miara had told them about that. How females drink it to stifle their magic so they don’t lose control of it during birth. This had all been planned from the beginning. Bree had been prepared with one.
“Axel!” Kat cried.
