Rejected by my cursed mate

ia'

s everywhere, as t

s fad

hild,

ou gotta

ose

se w

ird shapes, swerved upon me--rags. Hands. Light flickering. I did not know what was go

scream, I will

id a witch of the younger gener

rt wassqueezing. There was a time when I attemp

shook. "My baby... pl

one of the witches. "

her. "Save

d my hand. "Daria, no. Don't sp

ut of focus, his face ca

of pain. "I will no

of shouting in th

the rit

's too

't have

me. One of them touched my stomach with a palm. I was touched on the forehea

ush of energy pas

that?" one wit

ecting the

aby is sucking

with the scream, but I could not stop it

gh the whole ritual, S

ped. "We're savi

imposs

shall do the

heard chanting rise again. The air shook.

ything tu

I had been hot. My back arched. T

hat?" someo

h the child, child,

from he

fiercer, frightful. I could hear my heart

yoursel

too st

ng to tear

top the r

r magic is a

baby had

hattered. Herbs flew across the room. One of the witche

lose myself

whispered. "S

aria, listen to me. Your child is power

I can'

pack. You survived the woods. You were a survivor of

ch, and another scream tore out of

morrhaging

se is dr

losing

now! The mother

will not take one in

ng to kill

aid

the belly. There was a blindi

e you doing?!"

lising

l drain

n't c

myself--this time not painfully s

?" I whi

chil

hat are yo

trembled. It may not be enough, but I will no

shoulder. You are robbing with

granddaughter. I lost her moth

ore acute than ever. A scr

to the child!" on

tryin

slipp

er! Keep h

d. "It hurts- it

bs went numb. My breath became short. The gr

ing into

before thou k

ew more s

art--Silas, her h

tic thuds subside... s

ria, do not leave me. Do y

. "My baby... please

econd rush--stron

it bu

le room shook. Shelves tipped over. Smoke filled my l

s happe

e is letting

t a norma

brid-witch

broke. "Moon

h diffused through my belly. The pain

stabilising. The child--she g

imposs

t's a mi

. Then another.

The shaking stopped

nt to examine me. "He

y stomach. "The c

roken laugh. "Tha

his body

pered. "Are you

n't an

ce rose. "Silas

s fell out of my stomach

screamed. "You

e. "Daria, chill. Y

could not. "No. No, stay wit

fingers on my cheek. "You'r

op talking

s chest lifted... and

apsed b

!" I s

rushed

his p

ot resp

ot brea

s, wa

m with my fingers, j

ther...

arkened again. I felt like a

hutting down to black

own! We're

th

le

e jus