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Across the river, at Havers&039;s clinic, Layla finally had to get off the examination table and wander around the little room She had lost all track of tih she had been staring at the four walls forever - and would be for the rest of her natural life upon the earth

The only part of her that re was that it relentlessly churned over what that nurse had saidthat this was a e That in all likelihood, she had conceived -

When the knock she&039;d been waiting for finally came, it was unexpected and made her jump

"Come in?" she said

The nurse who had been so kind enteredbut appeared changed She refused to meet Layla&039;s eyes, and her face was frozen in a mask Draped over her arm was a bolt of white cloth, and she thrust the fabric forhile looking away And then she dropped to a curtsy

"Your grace," she said in a shaky voice "IweHaverswe had no idea"

Layla frowned "What are you - "

The nurse shook the robing, as if trying to get Layla to accept it "Please Put this on"

"What is this about?"

"You have Chosen blood in you" The nurse&039;s voice quavered "Havers isdistraught"

Layla struggled to conancy? "What - I don&039;t understand Why is hehe&039;s upset because I aht you werefallen?"

Layla put her hands over her eyes "Ion what happens" She did not have the energy for this "Would someone just tell me what the test results are and what I need to do to take care of , still trying to hand it over "He can&039;t come back in here - "

"What?"

"Not if you&039;rehe cannot be in here with you And he should never have - "

Layla jacked herself forward, her te "Let me make myself perfectly clear - I want to talk to the doctor" At the deht to knohat he found out about et in here now"

There was nothing shrill in her voice No high-pitched hysteria - just a flat, powerful tone she&039;d never heard coet him," she commanded

The nurse lifted the drapery up "Please Put this on He&039;s"

Layla forced herself not to yell "I&039;m just another patient - "

The nurse frowned and squared her shoulders "Excuse me, but that is not accurate And as far as he&039;s concerned, he violated you during the exam"

"What?"

The nurse just stared at her "He&039;s a good male A fine male who is very traditional in his ways - "

"What in the Scribe Virgin&039;s na?"

"The Primale can kill hi the exam? I consented - it was a medical procedure I needed!"

"It does notunlawful"

Layla closed her eyes She should have just used the Brotherhood&039;s clinic

"Youfrom," the nurse said "You are of a hierarchy that we don&039;t come in contact with - andheart and a body that requires help That&039;s all he - and anybody else - needs to know The flesh is the same"

"The blood is not"

"He must come see me - "

"He will not"

Layla refocused on the female And then put her hand upon her lower belly For all of her life, up until now, she had lived on the side of the righteous, serving faithfully, discharging her duties, existing within the prescribed parameters that were dictated by others

No more

She narrowed her eyes "You tell that doctor he either coo to the Primale and recite word-for-hat happened in here"

She deliberately shifted her stare to theher internal exam

As the nurse blanched, Layla felt no joy at the leverage she used But there was no regret, either

The nurse bowed deeply and backed out of the roo that ridiculous fabric on the shallow counter by the sink

Layla had never considered her Chosen status as either burden or benefit It simply was all she had known: her lot cast, the fate that she had been given h breath and consciousness Others were clearly not so phlegmatic, however - especially down here

And this was just the beginning

Then again, she was losing the pregnancy, wasn&039;t she So this was the end

Reaching out, she took the white fabric and wrapped it around herself She didn&039;t care about the physician&039;s delicate sensibilities, but if she covered herself up as they&039;d asked, maybe he would focus on her instead of what she was

Almost immediately there was a knock on the door, and when Layla answered, Havers entered, looking like there was a gun to his head Keeping his eyes on the floor, he only partially closed the his arms over his stethoscope "If I had known your status, I would never have treated you"

"I caly, a patient in need"

He shook his head "You are a holiness upon the earth Who am I to intervene in such a sacred , and tell lasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose "I cannot divulge that information to you"

Layla opened her mouth Shut it "Excuseand the Primale are - so I will speak to him when I can - "

"No! You ested a disdain she iined he usually reserved for prostitutes And then he spoke in a low, vaguely threatening voice "You are not in a position to de"

Layla recoiled "I have come here of my own volition, as an independent female - "

"You are a Chosen Not only is it unlawful for me to harbor you, but I can be prosecuted for what I did to you earlier A Chosen&039;s body is - "

"Her own!"

" - the Primale&039;s by law, as it should be You are uniiven How dare you co to be a simple female - you put my practice and my life at risk with such duplicity"

Layla felt a wild rage tre in her body "Whose heart beats within this chest?" She pounded on herself "Whose breath is drawn here!"

Havers shook his head "I will speak with the Primale, and only him - "

"You cannot be serious! I alone live within this flesh No one else does - "

The physician&039;s face tightened in distaste "As I said, you are but a vessel for the divine mystery in your womb - the very Primale is within your flesh That is ly, I will hold you here until - "

"Against my will? I don&039;t think so"