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For a few ot things ain

"Oh," she said "Wow"

Kiyo’s grip on the forhtened, and for a second, I feared he’d crumple or rip it Instead, he let it fall to the floor and strode toward o I felt Jasmine shift - not away, but closer to me

"Are you sure?" he asked, in a low, deadly voice

"About which part?" I snapped "That I’nant? Or that it’s yours?"

"Both"

I felt ry and defensive "Yes Both"

Silence fell Then:

"When are you getting rid of it?" he asked

"Christ You get right to the point"

"You know the point!" he exclaimed "You knohat it’s always been! You’re sure? You’re really sure you’re pregnant?"

I’d had the sa her answer "Yes The tests are very accurate Besides, why else do you think they’d scheduleon the floor He ht ith animals, but he’d still knohat a CVS was

Jasave him a wide berth, and retrieved the paper "What’s achorionicvil-vil - "

"It’s a test to detect defects," I said I gave Kiyo a pointed look "And gender"

"It’s a waste of tiued He sed and atteenie, you know the danger You can’t waste another day If anyone finds out - if anyone in the Otherworld - "

"I know, I know! Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I somehow missed the constant rape attempts - and actual rape - based on that prophecy? Damn it, I know better than you what it et an abortion until I knohat it is If it’s a girl or a boy"

"And then what?" he asked "You’ll keep it if it’s a girl? You always said you weren’t sure you wanted to have kids"

"I’ A baby - world conqueror or not - had never been on enda "But I have to know"

His expression darkened, the coaxing gone "It’s better if you don’t It’s better to keep it all anonynorant Just have the abortion and be done"

Jas back and forth as she watched my verbal volley with Kiyo "Geez," she said "You don’t see the sa His cold detachritted his teeth "I never said I’m not upset"

"But you’re not just upset about what this means for the prophecy," I pointed out I studied hi "You don’t entirely believe it’s yours anyway"

"Do you blame me?" he asked

"It’s yours," I said adamantly The last time I’d been with Dorian, we’d had kinky oral sex Maybe I hadn’t known about antibiotics interacting with birth control pills, but I knehere a guy had to conant "I knoithout a doubt"

This gave Kiyo pause, as though he really were truly pondering the reality of losing his child "I told you: I never said I’ot to be dealt with How could you have let this happen?"

"Oh, nice," I said "It’s my fault If you’re so into caution, rotto"

Jaset it," he said tightly "And forget your CVS Just get the abortion while it’s still easy You can’t be that far along"

I shot up "While it’s still easy? Like you know! You’re not the one who has to go through it!"

"Why are you fighting me on this?" he exclaimed in disbelief "You always said you’d do this Do you want the prophecy to come true? Do you want to have a son who leads armies here from the Otherworld to conquer and enslave?"

"Of course not! You know that"

"Then stop wasting ti it doneyou don’t have to do it here"

"Oh? I can check in at the Otherworld’s Planned Parenthood clinic?"

"No," he said wearily "But there are potions Maiwenn could help Along with healing, she can work all sorts of other ic"

"I’m sure she can" I couldn’t hide the bitterness in my voice "And I’enie - "

"Look," I interrupted "Here’s how it is I don’t like your attitude I don’t like you dictating this toI know the consequences, okay? And you knohere I stand on the prophecy But I just have to knohat exactly is in me first Two days We just wait two days for the test"

"And then how long until the results?" he asked "More tierous"

"But what if it’s a girl?" This caenie can have it? You’re always going on and on about hoesome Luisa is Wouldn’t you want another one - especially with, like, your actual - sort of - girlfriend?"

"It’s not - " Kiyo bit off his words and turned back to er diffuse as they softened I felt his love and knew all of this was co true "Two days," he said at last

"Two days," I repeated "And then I’ll do the right thing" I wasn’t exactly sure what the "right thing" would be if I was having a girl, seeing as motherhood still didn’t really juht now What mattered was that I had the choice

Then, abruptly and without warning, Kiyo wrapped his arIt was the first tiether, and they tore so inside of me "But I’ tears spring into ’ll be okay"

When he released me, I finally really comprehended that Jasmine had witnessed all of this The dra she could find on TV Her face was a blankabout all this? For so long, she’d wanted to be the one to have the heir I supposed she should be all for an abortion Yetmaybe she was so keen on our father’s prophecy that she didn’t care who had his grandson, so long as she could ride the poith us

"I need you to stay with Jas in bed "I wish she hadn’t found out about this Maybe I’ with the information I could have Volusian watch her like he is now " I usually suht watches " But I’d feel better with you there"

Kiyo drew the covers up around us "Where are you going?"

"Where do you think?"

He groaned "Eugenie, you can’t go back there until this mess is settled If they find out - if anyone finds out - well All hell will break loose, froainst it"

"I have to," I said "I realize now thatapart fro ed h I couldn’t risk any nancy from that intense communion I’d just do the bare ic I need to keep an eye on the Rowan Land’s transition"

I feared his reaction, particularly after his earlier outburst Instead, he brushed a kiss to my lips "Be careful Be quick"

"I will" I pushedhiether I was terrified of as happening, terrified of what IBut noith Kiyo on ether, and I suddenly wanted to connect with him and feel his love around me

He responded instantly to the kiss, one of his hands tipping my head back in order to consurippedan to take over Then, abruptly, he stopped and pulled away

"What’s wrong?" I asked I started to say he didn’t have to worry about getting nant, but that joke seeI’ain, but this ti day Just not up for it tonighteven though you’re as sexy as always"

The lightness in those last words seelad he couldn’t see my frown in the darkness I had just been rejected becausebecause why? Having sex during pregnancy wasn’t harht that I was carrying Stor him off? Whatever the reason, I didn’t buy that he "wasn’t up for it" We’d been pressed hip to hip o, and his body had ht was the least of h neither of us spoke, I knew he slept as badly as I did We tossed and turned, ourto each other as our individual worries We both had bloodshot eyes oke

I headed off to the Otherworld as soon as I could after breakfast - well, after what passed as breakfast for me My appetite was still low Jasmine wasn’t happy when I denied her request to come withfor her to put up ht