Total pages in book: 362
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 347293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1736(@200wpm)___ 1389(@250wpm)___ 1158(@300wpm)
Luckily, I was able to find her in the kitchens, speaking with Valrie. They were talking about bringing in additional cooks—something Rhain had discussed with me. Gods, that felt like eons ago—but I suspected she also wanted to be close to the throne room.
“How did the meeting go?” she asked as I led her down the hall.
“As well as can be expected. Phanos is a no but claims he will not support Kolis either,” I told her. “Maia is on board.”
“Wow,” she murmured.
I glanced over at her. “Surprised?”
“A little.” Her brows pinched. “But I haven’t spent much time with her in a very long time.” She looked at me closely when I all but pulled her into the library. “Is everything okay?”
I closed the doors behind me and then faced her. Smiling, I did my best to act normal. “Yes.”
“Are you sure?” She moved deeper into the cavernous space, her pale lavender gown swishing at her ankles. It didn’t matter how many wall sconces were turned on, the light only ever cast a dull glow over the rows and rows of books and little else. But Aios was like a fiery torch in the dimness. “Besides the fact that I wouldn’t expect you to be after…what happened, your smile says otherwise.”
“What’s wrong with my smile?”
“Nothing,” she was quick to say. “It’s just a bit large.” A pause. “Unsettlingly so. Just like Bele’s when she’s faking it.”
My lips flattened. “Everything is fine,” I said for what felt like the hundredth time in the last twenty minutes. “I just wanted to ask you something in private that has nothing to do with the Primals or the meeting.”
Curiosity etched into her features, and she sat on one of the long, crimson-hued couches. “I’m all ears.”
I opened my mouth, but I wasn’t sure how to ask the question without coming right out with it. “What I’m going to ask is going to sound really random,” I began, passing the rolling ladder, my stomach twisting into knots. I glanced at the portraits of Ash’s parents and then quickly averted my attention. Why had I chosen this space out of all the many, many empty chambers? Sadness dusted it and everything in it.
“Sera?” Aios’s brow creased. “I think I prefer the unsettlingly large smile over this.”
I frowned. “What is my face doing now?”
“You look rather…panic-stricken.”
Well, I was starting to feel rather panic-stricken now that I didn’t have the meeting to distract me.
I walked behind the couch across from Aios and willed my nerves to settle. I didn’t need Ash picking up on my emotions. “In the mortal realm, there were these older women who worshipped at Maia’s Temples and were often sought for specific reasons.”
A lock of red hair cascaded down her arm as she cocked her head to the side. “I know of whom you speak. The Matrons.”
“Yes. Them.” I made another pass behind the couch. “They were able to answer certain questions. How? I don’t know. But I assume they were taught by Maia or gods from her Court.”
The crease between Aios’s brows spread to her forehead. “You would be correct.” She tipped forward, watching me. “Why are you asking questions about this?”
My heart thudded. “I’m not even sure—I mean, I am. What I want to know doesn’t have anything to do with them.” Pressure started to build in my chest, causing me to draw in a deeper breath. Stopping, I grasped the back of the couch. Keep it together. The last thing I needed was for Ash to run out of the throne room in search of me. “Are you able to tell if someone is with child?”
Aios’s lips parted. They moved, but I didn’t hear any sound. It could’ve been the blood pounding in my ears because, all of a sudden, sound came rushing back. “Surely, you don’t mean…?” She hesitated as if saying the words aloud would make them real and she had to prepare herself. “Do you think you’re with child?”
“What?” I laughed—or screeched like a large bird of prey. “No.”
Aios stared at me. “Then why are you asking?”
“Because…” I dropped my forehead onto the back cushion and groaned. “Obviously, I’m asking for myself. And, honestly, I’m probably just overreacting. But you see, I’ve been nauseous lately, and I think I’m late.” My fingers pressed into the cushion as something occurred to me. “I’ve been really emotional, too. I want to cry over everything and anything, and that isn’t me. And I’m actually really late. That could simply be because of stress. A lot has happened.” Forcing myself to lift my head, I looked over at Aios. “Are you able to tell me if I’m overreacting?”
Aios’s mouth snapped shut, and she blinked rapidly. “I can.”
My heart felt like it fell onto the floor. “Then you know?”
“Yes. No.” She gave me a quick shake of her head. “I mean, I don’t know simply by looking at you, but you were right when you said a lot has happened. You’ve been through a lot of stress, both physical and emotional. That can do all manner of things to the body.”