Chapter Fifty-Nine
The Caged
There is sweat beading on my forehead as the cramping in my abdomen grows in intensity.
My eyes open to the darkness of the room.
It’s hot, sweltering. The windows are open, but the lack of wind is just making me feel stagnant.
I groan as I force myself up, my hair plastered to my neck with sweat.
I glance over at Nithe passed out next to me.
He’s sweating just as much as I am. He has kicked the blankets off, leaving him just in his undershorts.
What happened? I remember feeling this pressure, this need to scream. Almost as much as I needed to that very first day. But this was different, this was darkness begging for destruction.
This wasn’t light.
I look away from him and push the thin sheet off my legs.
My shorts and camisole are doing little to keep me cool.
My swollen belly is starting to push against my clothing.
I am going to need more soon, so I can stop stealing Nithe’s I thought I would be able to go the whole pregnancy without needing new clothes, but that isn’t happening.
I slide off the bed, the floor warm. I groan against another wave of cramping, grabbing the bedpost to steady me.
Gods this hurts. I never knew pregnancy was supposed to hurt.
I feel something wet on my thigh and I look down, as best as I can, over the swollen bump.
Something deep is running down my thighs. Something black.
No.
“Nithe.” I call out as another wave of cramping erupts through me. “Nithe!” I cry louder this time.
“Little witch, what is it?” He murmurs sleepily. I drop to my knees as I fight to inhale a deep breath. “Elaenor!” I can hear him fighting against the blankets before sliding on his knees over to me.
“Something is wrong with him.” I stammer as I feel the sweat dripping down my neck.
“Guards!” He yells out and I whimper against another cramp.
“ Ni .” I cry.
“Fuck!” He yells before scooping me up and standing. He kicks the door open and starts running down the hall. “Guards!” He yells again and I can hear the clink of armor.
“Your Grace!”
“Wake Master Lenus. Now!” He screams as he continues down the hallway.
“Nithe, what the hell– Elaenor!” Emery’s shrill voice cuts through the fogginess in my head.
“Elaenor?” Scarlett says from somewhere. Oh gods, this hurts. Nithe ignores them as he barrels down the hallway. I can feel my body jostling as he runs down the stairs.
“It hurts.” I whimper and he tightens his arms around me .
“I know, I know.” He says breathlessly. Another door is kicked open and then I am being set on a table.
“How long?”
“Not that long.”
“Okay, I don’t have time to give her any pain reliever, she needs to push.”
“No, it’s too soon.” I cry, trying to pull out of his grasp.
“Shh, it’s okay.” I can feel Nithe lift my arms as he settles in behind me, pulling me onto his lap. My legs are lifted and placed in stirrups. “This is going to hurt, but I am here. I am right here.”
“No, it’s too early!” I cry out. I can feel poking and prodding against my vagina and I flinch.
“She’s bleeding a lot, this isn’t good.” I scream as I feel the scalpel slice into me, spreading me open.
“Why is her blood black?” I hear someone say, but I can’t listen. I can’t think.
“Push, Your Majesty.”
“No. No!” I scream against the pressure. The pain . I’m dying. I think I’m dying.
“Come on, push.” Nithe’s lips press to my temple as he wraps his arms around my chest. I scream as I bare down, pushing with everything in me. The pressure is debilitating, the pain of my skin ripping open.
“Keep going.” I can hear Master Lenus speaking, and I keep pushing. “Almost.” I dig my nails in Nithe’s forearms as I push. “The head is out.” I don’t hear crying. No.
“Nithe, I don’t hear crying.”
“Keep pushing.” The scream barrels out of me as I feel the release of pressure. The master cuts something and then turns around, taking the baby with him.
“No.” It’s silent. It’s too silent. “No, no, no.” I shake my head. “Ni.” I whimper, my eyes too weak to open .
“What is happening, Lenus?” He turns around, a tiny bundle of black goo covered infant wrapped in a blanket in his arms.
“I am very sorry, Your Majesty. It appears your son did not survive.” He says softly.
“No. Don’t.” I cry as he walks over with the too small bundle.
He bends down, placing him on my chest. His skin is thin, and I can almost see the veins running below it.
The black veins. He has a small sprinkle of black hair on his head, his eyes closed.
His tiny nose and tiny lips, this can’t be true.
He can’t be gone.
“I am so sorry, little witch.” Nithe says behind me.
“I am so sorry, little one.” I parrot with a whimper and press a kiss to his forehead.
His skin is hot, bloody. The sobs barrel through me and I can feel Nithe’s arms tighten around me.
I glance up at him and see the tears lining his eyes.
He presses a kiss to my forehead and just holds me as I say goodbye to my child.
The only piece of happiness I had in my life. The only piece of hope.
This baby was supposed to be the thing that brought me back to life.
I don’t know how much time passes, but I stay on the table.
Nithe stays behind me, holding me as I cry.
Lenus left us at some point, but Erik stays posted at the door, keeping anyone from entering.
He refuses to look at me, but I don’t mind.
I just want to be alone. Alone with my son.
Alone with the last piece of me that was good.
“We need to take him now, Your Grace.” Lenus speaks and I jump.
“Please, I need more time.” I beg, meeting his dark eyes.
“We have to, Your Majesty. I am so sorry.” I press my lips to his forehead, his tiny, tiny forehead. I pull back and he takes the tiny bundle from my arms. As soon as he is lifted off of me, I cry. I cry so hard I can’t breathe through the snot in my nose and my throat.
“Elaenor.” Nithe holds me tightly. Holds me as I cry. As I scream. As I lose my mind. “I am so sorry, Elaenor.”
“How? How did this even happen?” I cry as I dig my nails into his arms. I can’t think. I can’t breathe. All I see are his tiny lips. His tiny hands.
His tiny, dead body.
“I don’t know. I don’t know.”