Thirty-four

Zahra is in her shelter, shut away from the world once again. She doesn't even let me in to see her, and it scares me. I don't know what to do. Its been a week since I told her, a week that she's isolated herself, a week that she's barely ate anything. I worried for her.

Now, as I sit around a fire, staring at Zahra's closed door, June walks up to me with a sympathetic smile. "She's going to be alright."

I shake my head. "I shouldn't have told her. Her face afterwards, June, it was petrified."

June sat down next to me and grabbed a hand. "She would have found out eventually. Especially when the child started to kick."

I look at her then, a plea in my eyes. "What do I do?"

She didn't give me an answer, just held my hand.

Around us, the village milled about, people doing whatever needed to keep the small community running. There were a few including Sorrel and Cat who continuously glanced at Zahra's shelter, concern in their eyes. Even Damon was worried about her.

Abruptly, a pair of boots were in front of me, the body revealing Marin glaring at me. I raised a brow at his rude intrusion. He opened his mouth, but then I see Zahra behind him. I stand, pushing passed to get to her. Her skin is pale, her face red from crying, and her eyes were staring at Marin in confusion. "Zahra?"

"Who is that?" she asks, very softly.

I turn to the man who is still glaring at me. "He helped us rescue you. He also has something against Lucas."

Zahra stared at Marin for another long minute before turning to me. "Roan, can we go for a walk?"

I give her a gentle smile. "Of course."

I go to follow her, but Marin steps in my path. I sigh. "I have waited for weeks! You promised we would go after him! You promised we would kill him!" he hissed.

I blink and calmly look him up and down. "If you're so desperate, then go ahead. No one is stopping you. But I promise you that if you go alone, you're a dead man. Lucas is cunning and powerful. He would crush you in moments."

"Then why aren't we planning to invade? Why aren't we planning an attack?"

I push him aside, going up to my sister and wrapping an arm about her shoulders. "We are, but not every minute of every day. Unlike you, my people and I aren't obsessed with murder. We have what we want from him, now we carefully plan to make sure she stays that way. Don't rush this or you'll be sorry."

With that, I walk with Zahra out of the village and towards the meadow.

She's quiet, only looking at our surroundings. Her belly is just a little bigger than before and she has a hand on it. I wonder if it's out of protection or instinct. When we reach the meadow, I have to help her sit down. She's not happy about it, neither am I but I don't want her hurting herself.

When I sit down in front of her and take her hands, she looks at me, hazel eyes big and scared. "I don't know if I can do this, Roan."

"I know. But you aren't alone, Zahra. All of us are here to help."

"It's not just the mother thing," she whispers, closing her eyes. "This is what he meant. This is why he's going to come after me again."

"The babies?"

She nods. "I don't know if I can handle being back there, killing people and listening to him."

I shake my head slowly. "You won't go back. I won't allow it. As long as I still breathe, you aren't going back there."

She smiles and nods, but I don't think she's convinced. It's fine that she doesn't believe me. After all, I've said it plenty of times and each time she's been taken one way or another. I move closer, wrapping my arms around her the best I can and just hug Zahra. It's all the comfort I can give her right now because I'm not sure what else to do. I'm not sure what to say or what to think when she is so scared like this.

"I'll figure out a way to keep you safe," I promise softly into her hair.