Chapter 217

Third Person POV

“Queen Emalyn, you must keep your strength up, please eat something,” Morgan said as she placed a plate of food on Emalyn’s bedside table. Morgan was originally for a different coven, but they were kind enough to send her to assist the queen during her difficult labor. Everybody was talking about how the queen was expecting a child any day now.

The child was seen as a prophecy to have both good and evil inside of her and the moment she was born, they would attempt to cast out the darkness. Though, now that the healing sisters are no longer a duo, they weren’t sure what the next plan was. They hadn’t really discussed it since Jasmine, one of the sisters, was arrested and later killed for attempting to murder Emalyn.

The king, Emalyn’s loving husband, and fated mate, had told her that they could still use the other sister, Candance, because she was still filled with light and goodness, it might be enough to cast away the darkness wanting to take over their child. But Emalyn was still filled with doubts, and she feared it might not be enough.

Emalyn wasn’t the only one worried about the fate of her child though; packs and covens all over were also worried that the darkness might destroy the nation. They didn’t want her to give birth to this child, which was part of the reason why Emalyn hadn’t left the manor in months. The other part was that she was so big that she could barely get out of bed.

That was when Morgan came to assist the queen and be her devoted handmaid.

“I’ve just been feeling so sick,” Emlyn admitted. “Has the King returned from his trip yet?”

“Not yet, Your Majesty. He is due to return this afternoon. Shall I get you some tea instead?”

“That would be lovely, Morgan. Thank you,” Emalyn said softly as she closed her eyes.

She put the palms of her hands on her belly, feeling her baby kick. It must have lulled her to sleep because soon she was being woken by Morgan who had returned with the tea.

“Let me help you sit up,” Morgan offered, adjusting Emalyn’s pillow. She held Emalyn sit up and rest her back against the pillow while she brought the tea to her lips.

The tea was hot, but it felt good on her aching throat.

“Thank you,” Emalyn whispered.

“My queen, you are so large…” Morgan said thoughtfully. “Are you sure you only have one child?” She teased.

“Don’t even joke, Morgan,” Emalyn said. “The packs and covens can’t even handle me having one child…”

“You don’t need to worry. You are protected,” Morgan assured her as she brought the tea back to Emalyn’s lips.

Soon, there was an ache in Emalyn’s belly, and panic set in. She touched her stomach, but the pain only intensified.

“Morgan!” Emalyn shouted.

Morgan was across the room, gathering her laundry when Emalyn shouted for her. She dropped what she was doing and rushed to Emalyn’s side, panic clear on her face.

“What is it?” She asked, touching her belly to make sure everything was okay.

“I… I think something is wrong—” Her words were cut off by a sharp pain that made her scream.

“Oh, Goddess. I believe you are going into labor, My Queen!” Morgan exclaimed. “I will get some help, and we will bring you to the clinic right away.”

“No! I’m not ready to have this baby,” she cried. “My husband isn’t even home.”

“I will reach out to him and make sure he arrives as quickly as possible,” Morgan assured her.

She left but returned moments later with Candance and one of the pack doctors.

“We are going to deliver the baby here, Your Majesty,” Candance explained, rushing to her bedside. She was young, but she was good at her job and truly cared for the queen. “It’s safer than moving you to the clinic or even to the manor infirmary.”

“Where is the King?” Emalyn asked, biting her lip through the heavy amount of pain. “Where is my husband??”

“He is on his way here as we speak,” Morgan reassured her, putting a cold cloth on her forehead. “You don’t need to worry about a thing!”

“Help me get her ready, Candance,” the doctor said as he grabbed his equipment.

A few minutes later, Emalyn was propped up on her bed with her legs spread and Candance by her head, whispering soothing words to her and attempting to ease some of the pain with her healing magic. She was trying desperately to cast away the evil spirits, but it was difficult to do when she was without any help, and she couldn’t actually see the evil spirits.

“Soon, we are going to have you push,” the doctor said from the other end of the bed.

“NO!” Emalyn shouted. “I can’t without my husband, I need him here… please…”

“We don’t have a lot of time,” the doctor insisted.

“Emalyn, I need you to trust me,” Candance said softly. “You are going to be okay, but this baby is coming whether you want her to or not. It’s time to start pushing.”

“Please… I—”

“Emalyn!” A familiar deep voice said from the doorway; Emalyn let out a breath of relief.

“Bennet…” she whispered.

The King, her husband, rushed into the room. He was still wearing his traveling gear, weapons and all, but she didn’t care. He was here and that’s all that mattered.

“Oh, my love. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here,” he said, kissing the top of her head lovingly.

“You are here now and that’s all that matters,” she said, basking in his scent and warmth. Almost immediately, the pain started to disappear, and she felt strong enough to push.

“Your Majesties, there is a riot outside!” Morgan said, rushing into the room. “They heard the queen had gone into labor and they want the baby gone!”

“My baby!” Emalyn cried. “We need to protect our baby!”

“And we will; no harm will come to her,” the King assured his mate.

“If I may make a suggestion?” Morgan said, stepping closer. “How about you allow me to take the baby elsewhere? I can get her out of the empire easily and swiftly. I’ll give her a protection potion to mask her scent and aura, and she can go elsewhere until it is safe for her to return.”

“Where would you take her?” The king asked questionably.

“I know of a wizard far away from here; he’s very powerful and he can purify the child,” Morgan explained. “He can make sure there is no evil in her.”

Bennet looked down at Emalyn.

“What do you think?” He asked her.

“We need to protect our child,” she whispered, and then she looked at Morgan. “Do it. Keep her safe, Morgan. I’m trusting you.”

She nodded.

“You can count on me,” she reassured the queen.

“Okay, I need you to push now!” The doctor ordered.

Emalyn did just that; she pushed until she could no longer breathe and by the time the baby was out of her, she passed out from both exhaustion and blood loss.

The baby started to cry and was given Candance for a check; Candance frowned.

“I don’t sense any evil in her,” Candance said thoughtfully. “She looks like a normal little baby.”

“We can’t take chances,” Morgan said almost forcefully. “There’s a mob outside who wants her gone. We need to do what we can to protect her.”

“Doctor, why isn’t my wife waking up?” King Bennet asked, fear evident in his tone.

“She’s lost too much blood,” he said urgently. “I need to rush her to my clinic for surgery!”

“I’ll take care of the baby,” Candance said, wrapping the baby in a small blanket. “I’ll make sure she’s nice and healthy before Morgan takes her.”

The king and the doctor both nodded. Guards helped the doctor take Emalyn out of the room and to the clinic while the King stayed behind for a moment to check on the baby.

“I love you,” he whispered to the baby. “And I’ll find you again when it is safe.”

“Stay with her for a little while,” Morgan told him. “She will need her father in the first few moments of her life. I’ll go with the queen and make sure she’s okay.”

The King nodded, not used to taking orders from someone else, but he didn’t want to leave his daughter either. He went with Candance to the infirmary while Morgan went to the clinic.

The surgery did not take long, and the doctor came out, looking dazed.

“What is it?” Morgan asked.

“She wasn’t pregnant with twins,” the doctor said softly. “Another girl. But this baby…she’s filled with dark magic…she’s the one the prophecy spoke of… she’s the destruction.”

Morgan’s heart fell into her stomach.

Two babies? This couldn’t be right.

“Nobody can know about this,” Morgan said urgently. “Especially not the king.”

“What?” The doctor asked. “We can’t hide a second baby.”

“We must,” Morgan said, grabbing his arm. “He will kill her if he finds out about this baby. If she’s filled with darkness and destruction. There’s no chance for this baby to survive. Let me take her and I’ll get her purified by the wizard. Then, I’ll return them both. They will be so happy.”

“Keeping this from the king will be difficult. Especially considering the queen can read minds…” the doctor said, shaking his head. “And the King can see into the past. I would never be able to hide this from them.”

“I will give you a potion to conceal these thoughts and memories,” she told him. “It’ll be fine. But neither of them can know about this. Promise me, you’ll keep this to yourself.”

He looked hesitant, but he also knew this baby would be in danger otherwise. If Morgan was serious and she really could be together purified, then he supposed he had nothing to worry about. He nodded after a brief pause.

“Okay, but promise me you’ll return them both pure of evil,” he made her promise.

She grinned.

“You have my word,” she lied.

A few moments later, the doctor returned with the baby wrapped in a small pink blanket.

“Keep your word, Morgan,” he said firmly.

She said nothing as she took the baby and left the hospital. She immediately grabbed her phone and made a call.

“Change of plans,” she said into the phone when it was answered.

“I don’t like plans changing without my consent, Morgan,” the woman on the other end said through her teeth.

“I know, I’m sorry. But the queen had another baby… she’s filled with dark magic,” Morgan said in a hushed whisper. “I need to take them both.”

The woman on the other end cursed under her breath.

“Does the King know about them yet?”

“The King knows about only one. He’s with her now… checking her health and saying goodbye before I take her away. He doesn’t know about this one…”

“And you have her?”

“Yes,” Morgan answered, staring down at the baby, dark swirls of magic clear in her eyes. “She’s filled with darkness already. She needs to be purified.”

“Or not…” she said, her voice darkening. “I think I have a better plan for this child. We’ll keep her and she’ll be our weapon.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if the King finds out?”

“He won’t,” she said evilly. “He will never find out.”