[This post is from Leinth’s point of view.]
“Was he out there?”
Neve nodded in response to Leinth’s question, slowly sitting down across from her at the small table in the tent where they’d been sorting through salvaged books. Leinth quirked a brow at her, studying her face for a few long moments.
“You seem tired.”
“I am tired,” Neve said, propping her chin up on a hand. “I’m always tired. I have a feeling that’s going to be my default state of being until these two are at least fifteen.” She ran a hand up and down her distended belly. Leinth smiled faintly.
“That’s possible,” she agreed, setting aside the stack of notecards she’d been writing on. They’d resorted to old-fashioned card catalogues to keep the books straight, but they were still trying to inventory them all before putting them into any sort of real organization. It was a project that Neve and Marin had spearheaded with help from Leinth, Jacqueline, and some of the others, one that Leinth had found particularly relaxing—and enlightening, all things considered.
Truth be told, though, she likely should have spent a little less time getting wrapped up in reading mythology books and a little more time actually helping catalogue what they’d salvaged.
Neve stared at her for a long moment, lips thinning. “Was it like that for you?”
“What?”
“Being pregnant. Were you tired all the time?”
Leinth smiled weakly and shook her head. “It was a long time ago, Neve. I barely remember what it was like.”
The words were a lie, though one that came easily but not without a flicker of remorse, of pain. She had discovered her pregnancy after Seamus had been given to the Hunt and she had made her own escape from her father’s court and a thousand eyes that would have been watching. That had been the easier part of it all.
Keeping herself and the child safe afterwards—that had been the harder part.
But sometimes, hard things are necessary.
“Oh,” Neve said softly, then sighed. “Well. At least I’m close, right?”
“There is that,” Leinth said. She reached across the table and squeezed Neve’s arm.
Neve smiled and she smiled back, giving her arm another squeeze before letting go.
“All will be well,” Leinth promised, her voice soft.
“I hope you’re right,” Neve said.
Truth be known, Leinth hoped she was, too.
