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's
swallowed almost instantly by the soundproofed wal
e ans
ll button clipped to the bedrail. I squeezed it,
th
elessly over the side of the bed, the en
throat, tight
tal clenching that stole my breath and
s flew
My water had broken, soaking the thin sheet b
s al
a physical blow, colder than the sw
ten Sh
should have been beside me when
ugh our mind-link, a d
lt
le
id. A dead wall where our
sever
pped in a cage of bone. The pain of the contraction w
as trapped. And my
a guttural cry from my lips. My baby was co
r click
ly my limbs went weak. But it wa
stepsist
of concern, her wide, innoce
dess I came to check on
ut to her. "It's coming, Heidi. You hav
brushing the damp hair from my fore
murmured, her voice as swee
expecting her to run for help. Instead, I h
pierced through
ou doing? Why did
. In its place was a smile, a slow, chilling
a conspiratorial whisper, "I don't want any
My mind, clouded by pain an
ments graceful and predatory. She leaned
olten?" she whispered, the name a venomous
The white room sw
ked out. "Y
nto the pocket of her pristine dress and pulled out a
ockery of sympathy. "This special blend of herbs, just a few drops in your food every day,
eidi had insisted on bringing me herself. The way she
through my abdomen. It wasn't the pain of li
he agony
ed a path down my temple. "Why?" The w
nvy. "Because you have everything I've ever wanted! Yo
ed down on my swollen belly. Her
sh greed, "is the last bond between you and him. Once it'
t my body was a traitor. The poison an
her skirt. The blade was silver, gleaming wickedly in the s
fsb
d. A death sente
eyes I had trusted my entire life,
sness against the dead wall of the
lt
tiness a
the utter, soul-shattering despai
r," she whispered, and
ngle, silent prayer to
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