The room froze.
I pressed a trembling hand against my mouth, my heart hammering painfully against my ribs.
No one moved. No one breathed. Even the shadows seemed to pull back in shock.
And judging by the way Aiden was looking at her, devastation and awe battling for control of his features...
“She’s... pregnant?” Aiden’s voice cut through the thick silence like a blade.
His words were slow, almost as if he couldn’t believe he was saying them.
The healer nodded grimly, wiping her hands on a cloth.
“Yes. The child is weak but alive. She’ll need rest, care, and protection.”
Aiden’s body tensed beside me, his fists curling. I could feel the question building inside him before he even spoke it.
He turned to the healer first, then hesitated, looked back down at Mara’s pale, fragile f
