Iron Crowned Chapter 20

I didnt recognize what the flowers meant. No amour resembling that had ever happened when Id meditated in the Thorn Land. oer the next few days, I just kept rec altogethering closely what Rurik had express, that no other sovereign save my father had ruled much than whizz kingdom in recent history. It had put onn great power and magic for me to exert my sanction over the globes. Were they feeding it hold up to me in return? I sure as shooting felt stronger with them, still Id never expected every sort of unconscious mind physical manifestation. What else was I capable of? What could I spend a penny the land do?I didnt mention the matter to anyone, non crimson Kiyo. Hed seen the red flowers still brushed them get rid of. If I told him roughly the Thorn Land, I venerationed hed grow flutter astir(predicate) the supposition of my magic increasing. He grudgingly accepted what I already possessed plainly still fe atomic number 18d it would turn me into my father, no heir demand.And although Id felt physic exclusivelyy give forter in the a nonher(prenominal)world, I grew weak over again afterwards a day or so sustain in Tucson. I didnt mention this to Kiyo either, exactly Jasmine was rough plentiful to pick up on it.Are they c in all(a)ing to you again? she asked over breakfast one day. She was devouring Pop-Tarts, a nonher love we app bently shargond. I was withal hard-pressed to shed an appetite and simply watched. You postdate out wish well crap.I dont know, I express, drumming my fingers against a glass of water. thithers no precedent for this at to the lowest degree non anymore. No one knows what to expect from me having two kingdoms.I bet Dorian would know.I bet he would too, just now I agitate my head. Hes non all- discerning no matter how much he wants to be, I countered. And Im through with him.Okay. She didnt fight it. For a while, shed kept carve uping me Id made a mistake in breaking up with Dorian, but K iyo had been growing on her. I still wasnt sure if she approved, but at least I didnt deport to tipen to teen advice active my love life anymore. however you might just sire to go back soon. I mean, think about it. Youre bound to two lands in the Otherworld. Arent the lands and the monarch one? incision of yous at that place. It understands sense youd generate to be there twice as much.I winced at the idea, though it had been on my mind too. If I were there any more, Id be living there permanently.She swallowed the last of s illuminately crust. You whitethorn not save a choice.Her flippant tone irritated me. Theres al personal manners a choice. I rule them. They dont rule me. I stood up abruptly and shortly became dizzy. It felt wish the lands were mocking me. Damn it, I persuasion. You will not call me back so quickly. Im staying in this world for a while. Ill add together and go when I please. I just aim to stop persuasion about it. Im going to see if Laras got a j ob.Yeah, state Jasmine dryly. Thatll fix everything.Lara did have a job for me, several actually. Even though she was all but living with Tim in my house she still kept meticulous records and took all my calls. She looked disappointed that I only accepted one from her growing list of jobs, a subaltern one at that a simple unrelenting that would probably take about five minutes. She said nothing, but I knew that she upset if I didnt make any money, she wouldnt either. So, think abouting Enriques comment about needing help but not being able to trust anyone, I gave her his card with the suggestion she call about part-time work.Are you fervor me? she asked.I smiled as I gathered up all my weapons. No, but I want you to have a backup plan in case you get laid off. Her eyes widened in alarm at the joke. Or, I suddenly wondered, was it a joke?I brought Jasmine with me to the job because I still felt un elementary about leaving her alone. Besides, she was in conclusion getting her fill of the human world, and I had a touching her insistence on me returning to the Otherworld was partly selfish.Later, after Id finished the job, I con scoreation of regretted rescue a witness.Wow, she said, as we drove home. You got your ass kicked.I did not.Did too.So. This was what it was exchangeable having a sister.I banished it, didnt I? You saw it go to the Underworld.Yeah, she admitted, but it sure did take a long time. I felt like I could have done it, and Ive never banished anything before.I gritted my teeth, refraining from commenting that I still had her chains. The troubling thing was, I had kind of sucked. Id been in no real danger not with a ghost that minor but it had beaten me up more than it should have. I was off my game, a little slower, a little weaker. Id walked forth with some bruises and now noticed as we drove that my shoulder itched. For a moment, I thought the ghost must have hit me there, but there was no pain. The stitches. Id nearly forgotten about them, now that theyd finally been able to heal. My skin had probably started to grow over the threads. I needed them out.No one was at my house, much to my disappointment. Id hoped Kiyo had stopped by and could take in the stitches. Trying to be optimistic, I decided he must be pulling a shift at the veterinary hospital and wasnt with Maiwenn. frankincense far, Id light upond no official word from her about my new double-queen status. Other monarchs had weighed in, though. Some had responded by showering me with congratulatory gifts and groveling. Others had let me know in an loving way about other monarchs they were pals with, monarchs with big armies. It glowering out everyone did fear the Iron Crown.I called my regular doctor, hoping to get an appointment this week as backup, in case Kiyo stayed absent. To my pleasant surprise, theyd had a pottycellation that afternoon and could remove the stitches by rights away. It was commodity news for me but an annoyance for J asmine, whod just gotten comfortable on the couch.Oh, advance on, she said, stretching out. We just got home. gouget you please leave me here? I promise not to conquer the world or get fraught(p) while youre gone.You know, I said, Lara and Tim had sex right where youre lying. She jumped up.A half arcminute later, we arrived at my doctors smudge.I left Jasmine in the waiting room, deeming her safe enough with her iPod and magazines for the five minutes it would take to remove my stitches. Maybe shed read some contraception pamphlets to pass the time.They did this in the ER? the doctor asked when I was admitted to an mental test room and had taken off my shirt.Id been seeing Dr. Moore for a couple age now. She was a pleasant, mid-fortyish woman who had eventually learned not to ask too many questions about my injuries. She thought I was a contractor who salutary martial arts on the side.Not exactly, I said. I disunite the ones the ER did, so my boyfriend had to redo them.She took hold of tweezers and a tiny pair of scissors and leaned over. Well, his works neat, and it didnt get infected. If Id seen you when this happened, I would have confined you to your bed. I would have known better than to assume you wouldnt promptly rip these out.Yeah, I really pulled one over on the other doctor.She snorted a small laugh and proceeded to pull the stitches out. They stung where they tugged the skin, but honestly, it was nothing compared to my normal accept birth and tear.There you go, she said, stepping back. Youll have a scar.I put my shirt back on and faced her. Battle trophy.She rolled her eyes, leaning against the wall with get across arms. You shouldnt joke about that.Sorry. I picked up my purse, but her expression said we werent done.Eugenie I dont ask many questions, not any more than I need to treat you, but Im worried about how often you come in with these kinds of injuries.If only she knew how many I didnt come in for. I No, no, she interrupted. I dont need to know all the details of your life. I essay not to judge but you might need to. There are jobs out there that are physical in nature. Thats life. alone whatsoever youre doing maybe you should reevaluate it. To be blunt, you look fearful today.Oh, that. Crap. I could merely explain that it was the residual aftereffects of a magical battle in the Otherworld, during which Id fought for dominion of a fairy kingdom and become its new master, thus duplicate my reign. Im just, uh, coming tear down with something. Just kind of tired, you know.She arched her eyebrows.Double crap. hence lets do some quick blood and piddle tests, she said, straightening up. Check your electrolytes, thyroid gland I fumbled for an excuse. Id never been comfortable with those kinds of tests since discovering I had gentry blood. I was attractive sure human medicine couldnt detect that sort of thing, but I didnt want to take any chances. I dont have time. My sisters waiting for me in the lob by.Im sure shell be very well, said Dr. Moore. Thisll take five minutes.Fine. I sit back on the table, defeated. But can you brand someone to make sure shes still out there? Shes the sullen one.Dr. Moores nurse returned to send me to the bathroom and then drew blood when I came back. She was in the eye of telling me they would send the tests out to a lab, when Dr. Moore herself stuck her head back in.Can we talk for a moment? she asked.The nurse discreetly left, and once we were alone, I braced for another lecture about my lifestyle. I really need to get back to my sister, I told her. You dont know what shes capable of.Eugenie. Dr. Moores voice was kind but firm. Most of those tests we have to wait on, but there are a few we do right here with urine.And?And, youre pregnant.I thought about this for a moment and then enlightened her.No. Im not.Those eyebrows travel again.Your test came back positive. Now, we cant tell how far just from a urine test, but unspirituald on Your test is wrong I sprang up from the table. My world was starting to reel again. I cant be pregnantTo her credit, she took my burst quiet downly, but that was probably part of her training. The test is very accurate, and it would explain wherefore you arent feeling well.I cant be pregnant, I repeated adamantly. There was a mistake here. A terrible, terrible mistake, and she needed to interpret that. Until she did, I refused even to process what she was claiming. I take my birth control pills. Every day. comparable time. Just like Im supposed to. Im not going to lie I do other stupid shit all the time. But not with pills. I take them perfectly. I did with the antibiotics too. Im careless with stitches but not prescriptions.That calm expression shifted to surprise. Antibiotics? When were you taking antibiotics?I pointed to my shoulder. When I got this. The ER doctor gave me a prescription. I frowned. What? Why are you looking at me like that? I told you I took them correctly, all of th em.Antibiotics can negate birth control pills, she said. Didnt you know that?I What? No. Thats not No. A mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake.Women taking both need to use some other form of contraception until the antibiotics have run their course.A horrible, cold feeling began ranch over me. How was I supposed to know that? I asked in a small voice.Your pharmacist should have told you when you got the antibiotics. The interaction would have shown up in your records.I thought back to that night, how my mom and I had stopped at the place closest to the hospital. I didnt go to my usual pharmacy. And I had gotten out of there as fast as I could, not bothering to talk to the pharmacist because Id taken antibiotics lots of times in my life. I certainly hadnt bothered with the enclosed pamphlets.Dr. Moore seemed to think shed gotten through to me. Now, we can imagine out how far along you are if you know when your last closure No, I exclaimed. No, no, no. I cant be pregnant Dont y ou understand? I cant be. I cant have a baby. I cant I was shouting again and wondered if this place had security.Calm down, Dr. Moore said. Everything will be all right.No, no, it wouldnt. Everything wouldnt be all right. Nausea welled in me, nausea Id felt for a few weeks or so and that had nothing to do with inheriting the Rowan Land. After all this time, after all the planning and lofty talk, after all my fears about Jasmine it was me. Human medicine had screwed me over. No, I had screwed me over. Id fucked up. My own carelessness had brought this about. Everything anyone had ever said about the Storm King prophecy began to run through my mind. Sformi, Kings beginning grandson. An invasion of the human world. Led by his mother. Domination and blood. And I, I was livery it about. I was the instrument.EugenieDr. Moore was supporting me, and I had a feeling shed said my name a few times. She glanced at the door and opened her mouth, about to call her nurse.No I clutched at her white coat. Dont. bear in mind to me. My voice was raspy and desperate. I cant. I cant have a baby. Dont you understand?She peered at me through her glasses, regarding me knowingly. past you dont have to. There are options You cant have a boy, some voice inside me said. What if its a girl?Wait, I interrupted her. When can you tell the gender?That got a injureed look. Youd base an abortion on gender?I no, wait. Fuck. I couldnt think. I was terrified and scared and confused. I needed to get my head together. What did I do? I had to get rid of this baby, pure and simple. People did it all the time. It was easy in this day and age, right? I meant, how long until you can tell gender and if if theres anything wrong. I groped for something reasonable, something that wouldnt make me seem like a stonyhearted woman whod kill her son. You can do those tests, right? Like, genetic tests? I Im so afraid of having a baby and having there be something wrong. My family has a bad history. My cousins have had babies with birth defects, and I cant I cant handle that. I have to know. I have to know right away as early as possible because otherwise Ill The lies rolled easily off my lips. Anything. Anything to know the gender.Dr. Moore studied me again. I still sounded crazy and scattered, I knew, but a little less than before. When was your last period? she asked quietly.I turned to her wall calendar. The numbers swam before me. I couldnt focus. How the hell could I remember that when the fate of the world was on the line? I thought about my last period and tried to link it to some event, something that would trigger a date.There. I pointed. It started on the fifth.She nodded, doing mental calculations. Which lines up with the antibiotics. Youre nearly nine weeks along, as the reckoning goes, though technically only seven since conception.Seven. Seven weeks Youre almost in the range for chorionic villus sampling, she said. Chorionic what? They dont like to do it unles s its necessary, though. There are risks for the fetus. They almost never do it for someone your age, whos in not bad(predicate) health.But it can tell me? I said urgently. It can tell me what I need to know?It can tell you a lot. No test can tell you everything, but it can give you peace of mind especially if you really do have a bad family history Did I ever.I do, I said. Please.I held my breath, knowing she was wavering here. Finally, she turned to her filing cabinet, rifling through it until she found a carbon form. She scrawled something in doctors handwriting on it and handed it over. Here.It was a referral to an OB-GYNs office nearby. The form had my name, some boxes checked, and a few illegible words. I did make out CVS and emergency.Emergency? I asked. I mean, it was, but I was affect shed nailed it.It means youll get scheduled in right away. Most of these tests are backed up because they arent done this early. Give it to my nurse when you leave. She was writing somethi ng else as she spoke. Shell call them and schedule you but you need to be aware they may refuse it when youre there, based on their judgment. I meant it this isnt routine.My next words were hesitant. Then why are you doing it?Because I believe that in maternal quality, the mothers health outweighs everything else.Mothers health. I didnt like thinking of myself as a mother. Fuck. This shouldnt even be an divulge at all We should be discussing abortions. Why did I care about gender? I didnt want a baby. I wasnt ready for a baby. Certainly not one whod fulfill a world-conquering prophecy.In this case, said Dr. Moore. Your mental health is especially concerning. Which is what this is for. She handed me the other piece of paper. It was a referral for a psychologist.I dont need Eugenie, shock over an unplanned pregnancy is normal. Expected. But its clear you have some very serious issues around this.She had no idea.Have my nurse call for the test. Then schedule yourself a therapist ap pointment and a follow-up with me.There was no way I could tell her I had no intention of going to therapy. I wasnt even sure about the follow-up. But Id gotten away with something, and I knew it. I nodded meekly. Thank you. I left before she could change her mind.Jasmines face was fill up with irritation and impatience when I finally returned. That took forever, she said, tossing a magazine aside. How obscure were those stitches?Not that deep, I murmured. I walked toward my car on autopilot, still stunned. She was worried about how tired I was, thats all.Well, you can fix that when we go back to the Otherworld.I started the car, staring off into space for a few grueling moments as numbers floated around in my head. Nine weeks, seven weeks. dickens days. That was how long until my test. Two days.I refocused on my surroundings so I wouldnt get us into an accident. We arent going to the Otherworld anytime soon, I replied.Jasmine shot me a look that clearly expressed her feelings o n that, but there must have been something in my own face that answered back because she didnt fight the issue anymore.When we returned to my house, I put my purse and paperwork in my bedroom before sitting with Jasmine in her usual spot on the couch. Mindless TV suddenly seemed like a good idea except, well, it didnt do a very good job of taking my mind off of my problems.Pregnant. Conqueror of worlds. Storm Kings heir.Me. It was all on me what had happened and what was to come.We hadnt been home long when Kiyo showed up. He gave me a cheerful smile and wore his white coat from work, meaning he must not have been cozying up with Maiwenn. Small blessing. His smile was enough to make Jasmine smile in return, but I couldnt muster one. There was nothing to smile about right now. Nothing good in this world. Nothing good in either world. He joined us on the couch, sandwiching me in mingled with him and Jasmine, and caught hold of my hand.Hey, how are you? he asked. He peered at my face , even though I was pointedly not looking at him. Are you okay?Fine, I lied. Tired.Storm Kings first grandson will conquer the human world.Shes been like that all day, said Jasmine. She needs to go back to the Otherworld but wont.Is that align? he asked.I didnt think youd have a problem with that, I said. Youve always wanted me to stay away.Yeah, but not if its affecting you like this. You really look sick, Eug.She withal got beat up by a ghost, Jasmine added helpfully.Hey I glared. I did notKiyo chuckled and pulled me closer. Stop playing tough. Go to the Otherworld tomorrow. Ill come with you, so it wont be as bad. He relaxed, and there was a finality in his voice that I didnt like. I didnt like his presumption. I also wasnt entirely sure I should be going to the Otherworld, in light of recent developments.Flowers. Flowers everywhere, everywhere I step. Im the land, and the land is me. Where I bring life, the land does too.Or death. I could bring death as well. It was my choice .Over and over. The words in my head were all I heard. I didnt hear the TV, or Kiyo and Jasmines occasional comments. I didnt really hear when Kiyo said hed make dinner and went to drop off his overnight bag in my bedroom. But I did hear him when he came raging back to the living room, gesticulate my CVS referral form in the air.Eugenie His voice was a roar, one that made Jasmine toady and widen her eyes. What the hell is this?I stared up at him levelly, surprised I could be so calm in the face of that outrage, especially after the emotional upheaval Id been through all day. My own despair and shock had never left, but now I was able to push it down and meet Kiyos eyes, as I allowed myself to finally acknowledge the other thought that had been bouncing around in my mind. Because along with the choices I had and the consequences I faced, there was one other matter to consider.Id looked at the numbers, at the calendar. Id factored in the dates, the antibiotics, what had been done o r, perhaps most importantly, what hadnt been done. It was all very clear. There was no exclusive opera here. No talk show?Cworthy mystery.Congratulations, I told Kiyo. Youre going to be a father. Again.