21. Skylar

Chapter twenty-one

Skylar

“ W hat if it’s his baby?” I said to Monica, on the verge of a panic attack. My hands shook and I could hardly catch my breath as I filled a bowl with hot water to clean Hiero’s wound.

“Whose baby?” she said.

“ Cedrych’s baby,” I hissed. Monica’s eyes went wide and this time, she wasn’t smiling. “He’ll never let me go, Mon, if only to torment me. And what if Queen Gwyneth lays a claim?”

To have my own flesh and blood ripped out of arms and raised by the palace staff under that heartless woman’s command. Goddess only knows how she’d punish my child to get back at me.

“Goddess forbid it, Skylar, I hadn’t thought of that.”

“I need to go back to Emrallt Valley,” I said in hushed tones so no one would overhear us. “I need to have a paternity spell cast to determine the baby’s sire. ”

“We’ll go together. We can collect some of your belongings from your apartment as well.”

“What if Hiero doesn’t want me anymore?” I said as a sense of despondency rose within me like a moon tide. Damn these hormones.

“Why wouldn’t he want you?” Monica asked.

“I’ve already complicated his life so much. It would be a relief for him to have me gone, even if he doesn’t think so now.”

“I wouldn’t start making his decisions for him. Let’s take this one step at a time.” She placed one hand on my arm. “First, you’re going to go out there and tend to your man. Then, you’re going to tell him that you need to wrap up some things back home. That will give you some time to figure out where to go from there. And Skylar?” She waited until I was giving her my full attention. “No one can force you to continue this pregnancy if you don’t want to. It’s your body and no one else’s. There’s no shame in taking care of yourself.”

I nodded, trying to take comfort in her words. A renewed sense of agency dawned as I took a deep breath and schooled my expression before returning to the bar where Hiero was waiting. A few more of the Wolfsbane Clan had set to righting tables and chairs, but there were still broken bottles and ale everywhere. If the bar couldn’t open that night, it meant a day of lost profits, all thanks to me and my messy ex.

“Let’s clean you up,” I said to Hiero as I gently swabbed the area surrounding his cut. The gash was deep and still seeping blood .

“It’s not that bad,” he said, even while wincing.

“It’s going to need stitches.” I called Frito over. “We need a doctor.”

Frito glanced at Hiero’s bloody side and said, “Enid should be able to patch that up.”

“Isn’t there a proper doctor in this town?” I asked, pissy, because I didn’t want to chance an infection, not to mention Enid shouldn’t have to play nursemaid to the entire clan.

“There is,” Hiero said slowly. “It’s our great aunt Mabel, but she’s not very gentle and her bedside manner isn’t the best either.”

“She likes to fuss,” Frito added.

“A little fuss would be worth not getting sepsis,” I said to them both. “Can you fetch her?” I asked Frito.

“I’m on it,” he said and ducked out before Hiero could argue.

“I am so sorry for this,” I said to Hiero as I used the warm cloth to apply pressure to his wound.

“There was nothing you could have done to avoid it,” he said.

“I should have never gotten involved with him. I should have just gone before the Guild and let them cut my wings. I had it coming anyway.”

“Hey,” he said sharply and grabbed hold of my arm. “Listen to me now, Skylar, whatever happened here today, Cedrych is to blame. Not you. You can’t take responsibility for his bad behavior. I won’t allow it. Understand? ”

“Yes, Daddy.” I nodded sheepishly, feeling absolutely wretched because he didn’t even know what was to come. Goddess, the trouble I’d put this man through. Quietly, I ministered to his wound while Monica poured him a glass of ale. He thanked her and took a long swig. Soon enough, Frito returned with an older woman with graying hair and a dour expression. She was toting a medical kit and, upon seeing Hiero, immediately set to scolding him.

“I told you before this is what happens when you can’t control your temper, Hierophant Wolfsbane. One of these days you’re going to get a punctured lung or lose a kidney, mark my words. Trouble always comes knocking at your door.”

“It wasn’t his fault,” I said.

“And who might you be?” the woman demanded.

“This is Skylar Larkspur, my sweet fae darling,” Hiero said with the sort of pride that made me feel like pond scum. He tugged me to his good side, and I tried to smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace, considering I was the lying, thieving fae who’d brought this calamity upon their town. Aunt Mabel nodded and proceeded to poke and prod at the muscle surrounding Hiero’s wound. He shifted in discomfort and tried very hard to be brave.

“It’s not the first time the claim has been made that it wasn’t his fault, but how many times am I to believe it?” she continued while threading a needle. “You know what happens when you poke a unicorn, don’t you? ”

“You get to make a wish?” I said, not having had much experience with the elusive species, myself.

“You get its horn,” she said and made the sign of a single spear.

“I understand. And that’s good advice to consider. Thank you for patching him up,” I said.

“Isn’t the first time, probably won’t be the last,” she grumbled, then tugged the stitches tighter than seemed necessary. Hiero winced at the rough treatment but bore it well.

“A healing salve,” she said when she was finished and handed him a jar. She took away his tankard of ale too. “No drinking and no strenuous activity for two weeks. That means no cardio either,” she said, glancing my way.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said dutifully.

“And there is no way you’re working tonight,” she added.

“We’re going to need to close the bar for the night, boss,” Frankie said, still trying to mop up the flood of spirits on the floor.

“I needed an excuse to take the night off anyway,” Hiero said affably. “Free drinks for the clean-up crew. Now, who wants to help me upstairs?”

Frito and Frankie came over and helped him stand, then draped his big arms over their shoulders. I pulled Monica aside. “I’m going to stay with him tonight and we’ll leave first thing in the morning. ”

“Are you going to tell him that you’re… you know?” Her eyes darted toward my midsection.

I glanced over at my wounded minotaur, struggling with each step up the stairs. I wasn’t going to burden him with this knowledge until I knew for certain who the sire was, and maybe not even then.

“No, I’m not.”