Page 31 (1/2)
1
YELENA
Valek blinked at me “You’re what?”
I drew in a deep breath and held up the glass vial filled with h the white liquid inside “Pregnant I think”
“Before we celebrate, love, let’s go over your logic”
Surprise pierced lanced at hi the moon potion to prevent this”
He took the vial froers in mine and pulled me close “Of course it would be a cause for celebration Well, a quiet celebration” Valek gave me a wry smile—we both had so many enemies, it wouldn’t be smart to announce my condition to the world
My anxiety eased a bit
“Nohy does that vial mean you’re with child?” Valek asked
“Healer Hayes told me to take the potion after Ibledso I’d be protected for another year But I haven’t yet, and it’s been” I calculated in my head It’d been six weeks since I’d last had my blood cycle “I’m teeks late” My stomach churned with distress—talk about the worst possible tinant
“A lot has happened to you in the last four weeks Maybe you’re late because of the stress”
Valek had a point It had happened to et of an assassination atteo, when I was shot with an arrow that I suspected had been filled with a poison that blocked rip at a sudden notion “Could the loss of nant?”
“If that was the case, wouldn’t Irys know that’s a side effect? You said she was as baffled as Bain was about why your ic is blocked”
He was right If nancy, the Master Magicians would be aware of that Disappoint for a poison or substance that explained my current predicament without success for the past month
Correctly reading ht be possible I’ic Maybe Junior takes after his dear old dad”
Ignoring the Junior comment, I asked, “In that case, wouldn’t I be immune, as well?” That protection would have been ic had sliced right throughht now
Valek shrugged “We’ve encountered so ic over the years, this rinned “Ti that tiet you while you’re with me”
I was ed to escape after attackingthe Curare vine in a hothouse lass When a person was pricked by Curare, it caused full-body paralysis, which was an effective and nonlethal weapon, since the victim could still breathe
When Owen had been captured in Ixia four years ago, the Commander assured the Sitian Council, Valek and ician had negotiated a deal with the Commander to manufacture and produce Curare for Ixia’s army
A nice little arrange to other interested parties, and it upset the Coling operation Too bad the Commander failed to inform Valek
of who had really been in charge of the operation
We’d all had our share of nasty little surprises in the past week
“What if Owen shows up?” I asked
The htened as fury flared in his sapphire-blue eyes “Don’t worry about Owen Janco and Onora will be traveling with us”
I understood his anger Owen also knew Valek’s weakness Because he was iic, a null shield cast around him would trap Valek as if he’d been imprisoned in an invisible cell It was just a icians, and those who could erect a null shield bubble would have an easy way to stop the infamous Ixian assassin
“Speaking of traveling,” I said to lighten the , I need that bath”
The hard lines on his angular face softened “I’ll show you the way” Valek let go of my hands
“Uh-huh Mighty nice of you”
“I aim to please” He leered, but it soon turned into a more contemplative expression
As I gathered my clean clothes and soap, Valek picked up the vial of moon potion
“What about this?” he asked
“If stress has delayed me, then I should drink it afterward like Healer Hayes instructed”
His brow puckered “How long does it last?”
“A year, but I usually take it about a month before the year is up just to be safe”
“Is it a hundred percent effective?”
Odd questions, but I humored hi it for eight years noithout a problem” Until now
“Oh” He set it on the top of the dresser “What if you wish to have a child sooner?”
“Don’t you know all this?”
“No We use different substances in Ixia”
“In that case, there is another potion called starlight that reverses the effects of the moon potion”
Valek stilled “How fast?”
“I think it’s within hours I’m not sure Why all this interest?”
“Just curious”