Lila’s POV
I woke with a gasp, bolting upright in bed. My heart slammed against my ribs, and I could still feel the remnants of the dream clinging to me like cobwebs. Beside me, Joan stirred but didn’t wake, her breathing still deep and even.
It's just a dream, I told myself. Just your fear manifesting in sleep.
But it hadn’t felt like just a dream. It felt like a window. Like I’d actually seen Jeile somewhere, actually watched her watching me through that terrible crystal globe.
I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart.
And that’s when I felt it.
The weight.
My stomach felt… different. It felt heavier and fuller.
I looked down, and my breath caught in my throat.
My stomach was protruding. Not slightly, not the gentle curve that had just been beginning to sho
