Page 6 of Tarnished Queen

“My baby.” My mouth feels like someone shoved cotton in it. I lick my lips and try again. “My baby… I’m pregnant. Is my baby—”

“We won’t know until we get you to the hospital,” the woman says. “But that is good to know. For the X-rays.”

When I shake my head, it feels like my brain is sloshing against my skull. “Did I—Where did you find me? Did I fly out of the car? I’m unconscious. Or, I was unconscious. Does that mean—”

I can hear a beeping noise becoming more insistent, and the man gently pats my wrist. “Take deep breaths and try to stay calm. We think you hit your head on the dashboard, which is why you were unconscious. Right now, there are no visible bruises to your abdomen. But you do have minor scrapes from the windshield shattering. In terms of your pregnancy, that is the best news you could hope for.”

Hope sparks inside of me, but I know better than to cling to it. Hope is a dangerous thing.

“Where’s Xena?”

“The friend you were in the car with?” the woman asks.

“Some fucking ‘friend,’” I scoff weakly.

The man doesn’t seem to hear me and pats my hand again. “She is in another ambulance. She might even wind up at another hospital, just depends where they route her. You can ask when you arrive and they’ll keep you updated on where she ends up.”

I just hope she ends up in a grave.

I’ve never been a violent person, or even a particularly angry one. Given all the shit I’ve been through in my life, I think that’s quite the accomplishment.

But Xena Simatou has earned my wrath.

If I ever see her again, I’ll kill her myself.

* * *

“Do you see that heartbeat?” The ultrasound tech points to the fuzzy screen on the portable machine. “Your baby is perfectly fine.”

The glowing little flicker is the literal light at the end of a seriously gloomy tunnel.

“Thank you,” I breathe, squeezing the rails of the hospital bed until my knuckles turn white. “Thank you so much.”

The woman smiles. “I didn’t do anything. But I’m glad I could give you good news.”

“It’s been too long since I’ve had some,” I admit. “This is… this is everything. Thank you.”

She nods and starts wheeling the machine towards the door. “A doctor will be in to talk with you soon. Good luck with everything, hon. Take care of yourself.”

“I’m trying.” My voice cracks, and I fight back the tears until the door is closed.

As soon as I’m alone, relief overwhelms me. It’s a wave, all-consuming, blotting out everything else. The only thing I can do is stifle my sobs and wait until it has run its course. Until all the pent-up emotion in me has drained out.

My baby is still alive.

Elise is safe.

I’m uninjured.

The only question mark left is Nikolai. The last thing that matters is finding out where he is.

I don’t know much about the kind of tactical games he and the Greeks are playing, but if Xena was kidnapping me, it would make sense for her to have had a distraction ready. Another part of the plan running in the background to keep Nikolai busy.

Which would explain why he hasn’t called me yet.

He hasn’t called because he’s busy,I tell myself.Because he’s wrapped up in fighting or organizing his men. It’s not because he’s dead.

I say that firmly one more time for good measure.It’snotbecause he’s dead.

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