To my inspiring and awesome writer’s retreat ladies—

       Nancy Hunter, Mindy Klasky, Jeri Smith-Ready, and

       Kristina Watson. Remember…what happens during a

       writers’ retreat stays at the retreat!

      Contents

       Cover

Praise

       Title Page

       Dedication

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

       9

       10

       11

       12

       13

       14

       15

       16

       17

       18

       19

       20

       21

       22

       23

       24

       25

       26

       27

       28

       29

       30

       31

       32

       33

       ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

       Copyright

1

      YELENA

      Valek blinked at me. “You’re what?”

      I drew in a deep breath and held up the glass vial filled with moon potion. My hand trembled, sending waves through the white liquid inside. “Pregnant... I think.”

      “Before we celebrate, love, let’s go over your logic.”

      Surprise pierced my growing panic, and I glanced at him. “You want to celebrate? I was taking the moon potion to prevent this.”

      He took the vial from me and set it on the bed. Then he laced his fingers in mine and pulled me close. “Of course it would be a cause for celebration. Well, a quiet celebration.” Valek gave me a wry smile—we both had so many enemies, it wouldn’t be smart to announce my condition to the world.

      My anxiety eased a bit.

      “Now, why does that vial mean you’re with child?” Valek asked.

      “Healer Hayes told me to take the potion after I...bled...so I’d be protected for another year. But I haven’t yet, and it’s been...” I calculated in my head. It’d been six weeks since I’d last had my blood cycle. “I’m two weeks late.” My stomach churned with distress—talk about the worst possible time to be pregnant.

      “A lot has happened to you in the last four weeks. Maybe you’re late because of the stress.”

      Valek had a point. It had happened to me before during trying times. And recently I’d been the target of an assassination attempt. Twice. The first occurred a month ago, when I was shot with an arrow that I suspected had been filled with a poison that blocked my magic. Or so I’d thought. I tightened my grip at a sudden notion. “Could the loss of my powers be due to being pregnant?”

      “If that was the case, wouldn’t Irys know that’s a side effect? You said she was as baffled as Bain was about why your magic is blocked.”

      He was right. If magic loss was a common side effect during pregnancy, the Master Magicians would be aware of that. Disappointment deflated my brief surge of hope. I’d been searching for a poison or substance that explained my current predicament without success for the past month.

      Correctly reading my expression, Valek squeezed my fingers. “It still might be possible. I’m immune to magic. Maybe Junior takes after his dear old dad.”

      Ignoring the Junior comment, I asked, “In that case, wouldn’t I be immune, as well?” That protection would have been more than welcome four days ago when Owen Moon’s magic had sliced right through me.