“That is what I do,” she says. “There was something off last time. Very off, something was blocking me,” she adds with a frown. “This was perfect. The way it was supposed to work.”
“Could she have already been pregnant before we did the ritual before?” he asks carefully.
“How is that possible? She went into Heat,” Rosalina asks, shaking her head.
“It’s complicated with her, but that must have been it,” Constantine muses. “You are sure this worked?”
“Yes, completely sure,” Rosalina says. “She was pregnant before?”
“Yes, she lost it a few days ago. Someone cursed her,” he says.
“Cursed her?” Rosalina sits up, looking concerned. “Who?”
“We don’t know. She didn’t know who the father was, and she didn’t tell anyone so as far as she knows, no one knew about it. All we know is that it was black magick.”
“Black magick?” she whispers. “Pure evil.”
“Apparently,” Constantine says. “What do you know of it?”
“You need someone of great power to use it,” she replies.
“Yes, we already know that. A ruler of a Realm,” he says.
“Not just any ruler,” she says. “Who would do this to her?”
“Her father, maybe, if he knew it wasn’t the blessed Faerie child,” Constantine says with a frown. “Her mother, perhaps, but She has no need really.” He lovingly strokes Aefre’s stomach and bends over to kiss her.
“Don’t tell her about this yet,” Constantine says.
“She is going to find out, Brother,” Rosalina mocks.
“I know that,” he snaps at her. “But I want her and our baby safe. It is the most precious thing to me, and I will not have anyone harm it. Or her,” he adds. “I want to try and find out who cursed her and deal with them before she finds out she is pregnant again.”
“You will have a couple of weeks at best,” she says.
He nods grimly.
“I am so excited to be an auntie,” Rosalina says, touching his hand. “I never thought I would have family by blood now.”
“Me either,” he says with a soft smile. “I have to keep her safe, Rosa. Nothing can go wrong with this.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” she says. “Just hurry.”
“I will,” he says. “Thank you.” He squeezes her hand.
“You are quite welcome,” she says. “As is the payment I received,” she adds with an undertone.
“Remember the deal,” he says to her in warning.
“Always. You know what to call her if it’s a girl,” she says and blows him a kiss before she vanishes.
He climbs onto the bed with a huge smile on his face and gathers Aefre to him. He holds her gently and she stirs against him and wraps her arms around him in her slumber.
The Fae Kingdoms, August 2014 – Sebastian
“Are you absolutely sure?” he demands of Drake. He is sitting in his throne in the Light Fae Palace with his mother next to him. Drake is standing in front of him with a wretched look on his face. The bright lights are giving him a headache. All of this cream marble and gold opulence does nothing to ease the strain of this news Drake has just delivered to him.
“Yes, I am sure,” Drake says. “Vito happened to mention it on his last visit home a few days ago, after a few jugs of mead,” he adds.