Chapter 26

"You do know that they’re going to try and kill her now, right? They’ll find every way possible to get rid of that baby!" Sophie’s eyes were sharp with warning as she looked at Jake, pressing the seriousness of the situation.

I sighed as I rose from the bed. We were back in our room now; Sophie had insisted on speaking to us both before heading to bed herself. "I think it was bound to happen, Sophie. Better for them to hear the news straight from their king than through rumors," I said, keeping my tone steady, though I felt my nerves fraying.

"I understand that," she replied, "but it would have been better for this news to reach the people only after the pregnancy had gone through a few more moons. Maybe even eight whole moons. The risk would have been so much less." She held my gaze, her eyes full of genuine concern, and I suppressed another sigh because she was right. I could sense that she wanted to protect me, but she knew the reality as much as I did.

Jake’s face hardened, his ey