Chapter 7: The Birds and the Bees

Maeve

I spent the rest of the morning trudging through the tall grass, which had sprung back up to its usual height after the sun came out and began to dry the weighed-down blades. I struggled against the unruly grass, the sharp, dry blades constantly snagging on my shirt and poking the skin on my hands and neck.

“Damn you, Aaron,” I hissed, finally popping out of the field and into the castle’s well-kept grounds. The garden was empty of its usual inhabitants. Everyone, including the gardeners, were helping clean up the aftermath of the storm. I found the emptiness peaceful, and instead of going back inside the castle I found myself wandering around the gardens for at least an hour.

It wasn’t until Gemma came out looking for me that I went inside. She picked the grass out of my hair as she walked behind me, talking incessantly about the storm’s damage.

I started up the stairs, but she stopped me, grabbing my elbow. “Where are you going?”

“Oh, um. To my room, to change.”

“Don’t worry about it. There’s no time.”

“For what?”

“Oh damn, I forgot. Maeve, I’m sorry. I should have mentioned it last night but with Aaron showing up and”

“What is it, Gemma?”

“Horace scheduled an appointment for you with the doctor today, in a few minutes, actually. It’ll be brief.”

| stepped off the stairs, a strange sensation rippling through my stomach, something like excitement, or nerves. I wasn’t sure

“in the infirmary?” I asked, letting her take the lead. We walked through the winding hallways on the first floor, passing the dining hall and library as we made our way to the far eastern wing of the castle, a darkened, rarely used area.

Sure enough, the lights inside the infirmary were on and I could hear Ernest’s voice from within the sterile waiting room.

I entered behind Gemma, who had gone stiff and flushed as I stepped to stand beside her. I looked at her, then turned to where she was looking, my hands tightening into fists.

Aaron was standing in the corner of the infirmary’s entrance, his arms crossed casually over his chest as he talked to Dr. Metzer and Ernest

“Stop shaking,” Gemma whispered, giving me a side-eyed look. “There’s nothing to be worried about. He’s just going to take some blood,”

“I’m not worried. I’m mad,” I whispered back, still looking at Aaron, who gave us both a nod in greeting.

“What’s the matter.”

together. He pranced over to me, bending down to kiss me on each cheek

wrong with you-” I mumbled, but he

Excellent work on managing the castle in our absence,” he said with a genuine air of gratitude as he looked from me to

myself, happy for Gemma. Ernest was kind to her and really did appreciate her help around the castle. I looked down at my feet as the

what to do. I looked up slowly, making

it was almost as though a silent conversation was

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12:45

7: The Birds and

narrowed my eyes at him, he was trying to

narrowed his eyes back at me, his mouth tilting into a

mind. He

an owlish man, short and stocky with a few wispy white hairs left on his head. He motioned for me to follow him through one of the doors off the infirmary’s entrance, away from the

please,” the doctor said, taking his seat on a swivel stool while I sat on the exam bed. I crossed my legs, tapping my foot as he asked me a

last period? Were they regular? How much do I weigh? How tall

face as he wrote

“What?

this baby will be a giant,” he mumbled, shaking his head.

legs as a nurse entered the room, pushing a cart with the supplies for a

doctor said, flipping over the paper on his clipboard. I stared at him blankly, unsure if I

I know

you how

The nurse pursed

explained to me,” I said through gritted teeth. Was a grown man really asking me if I knew where babies

my vitals. “Based on your last period, I would assume your fertile window is in about ten days, give or take. You’ll need to report here every morning for the next few

Brenda was leaning over my arm, the needle dipping into my flesh as she released the ternicate she had placed on

the little

don’t you?” Brenda said with a smile, capping one

nodded, not the least

needle from my arm and placed a bandage over the spot where the needle had been placed in the

anyway?” I asked, waving my hand

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