Oh. I suppose we should have been expecting that, really. I remain silent and let him speak.
He clears his throat when it is clear that I am not going to help him out here and he says, “I urge you, both of you, to overturn this decision of execution. It will be disastrous for our race.”
I stand up straight and say, “It is done.”
“My wife’s life has been put in serious jeopardy,” Xane adds. “I cannot overlook that. The decision stands and appealing to my wife’s gentler nature will not stop this.”
I cast a glance at CK who is looking slightly green with all of this “my wife” being thrown around by Xane, but he straightens his face and gives me his stony look back.
Falcor looks like he is going to protest further, but then he closes his mouth. Xane is standing steadfast by my side as I am with him and he knows that he isn’t going to budge either one of us. I want to give in and tell him that I will overturn Xane’s decision, but it is just something that I cannot do.
“Very well then,” he says. “But you should know that the Aldric’s are already preparing for war. The House of Septimus has given them their backing. If I were you, I would start aligning sides.” And with that he leaves us alone.
“Xane,” I say to him and he can hear the appeal in my voice.
“No,” he says. “Treason is punishable by death.”
“But we cannot have a war going on between Demon houses while we are trying to stave off the Dragons. This isn’t going to work,” I say woefully.
“Don’t worry about it,” Xane says. “I will handle this. You just concentrate on getting him to tell you about your child.”
I nod and slump to the bed. “He isn’t coming. I have tried this morning,” I say after Xane Astraports out to who knows where.
CK comes to sit next to me and takes my hand. “Keep trying, Aefre. He will come eventually.”
The show of support surprises me and I smile weakly at him. “Thank you,” I whisper.
“In the meantime, how about I run you a nice, hot bath?” he says.
“That would be great,” I say and sit up straighter. “Food?” I add.
“Of course,” he says and gallantly sweeps me into his arms and into our bedroom, where he sets about pampering me to within an inch of my life. Not that I am complaining, of course, but I know he is only doing all of this to stay on my good side so that I choose him.
After a lovely soak and a hearty breakfast, CK insists that I have a little nap. I am exhausted as usual so I readily agree. My head is starting to pound again and I feel nauseous. As I make my way to the bed, I cry out as a blinding pain sears through me from temple to temple and all the way down my spine. CK catches me as I fall and I weep with the agony this conflict inside my head is causing.
“Aefre,” he says to me, stroking my face. “What can I do?”
“Nothing,” I say. “There is nothing I can do now.” As I close my eyes against the pain, I hear him say, “Rosa?”
I want to open my eyes to see why his sister has turned up in my house, but they are suddenly so heavy, it is too much effort so I leave it and let the slumber pull me under, away from the pain.
The Underworld, March 2014 – Constantine
“What are you doing here? Haven’t you already got what you wanted?” he asks his sister who is staring down at Aefre while she casts some sort of spell on her. “What are you doing to her?”
“Just letting her rest,” Rosalina replies. “She is fraught. And yes, I thank you for your contribution. She is just perfect.”
“Is my wife pregnant?” he demands, ignoring his sister’s thanks, needing to know that above all else.
Rosalina sits on the bed and holds her hand out over Aefre’s body and closes her eyes. She opens them again suddenly and says, “I cannot tell,” with a small frown. “I am being blocked,” she adds with fury in her eyes.
“Blocked by whom?” Constantine asks
suspiciously. “Aefre?”
“Unlikely. But I do not know,” Rosalina replies.
Constantine sighs and sits in the armchair in the corner of the room. “Isn’t there any sort of spell you can cast to see if she is or not?” he asks.