“Then Darling knows he’s partially Trisani?”
He nodded. “Don’t fret, though. Darling’s a good eighty to ninety percent human, genetically. He has just enough of our DNA to screw with his metabolism and genetics. But that’s a good thing. It’s the only reason he wasn’t hurt worse by what the Resistance did to him. Had he been fully human, he wouldn’t have survived it.”
While she was grateful Darling was still alive, those words hit her hard. Had he been completely human, he would never have been forced to endure so much. “Can you tell me what’s going to—”
“No,” Nero said, cutting her off. “My powers don’t work that way. The future is in constant flux and I don’t have the ability to pinpoint the decisions you’ll make that impact it. I can see several outcomes, but I won’t know which one is correct until it comes into being.”
That made sense, but she hated that he couldn’t tell her what would happen. “Which is why you’re telling me to rest.”
“Exactly. And I can tell you what is fact. Such as, Darling loves you more than anything. I know you love him the same.”
Those words should make her happy and yet…“Why do I have a bad feeling there’s a but in your tone?”
“You know the but.” His voice was eerily calm and distant. “It haunts every second you breathe.” Nero looked down at Darling. “He has the ability to be the greatest governor in Caronese history. But he will step down to keep you with him. Drake’s not old enough to lead yet, and Ryn can’t lead because of his mother’s bloodline.”
“Could you?”
Nero shook his head. “I’m related to him on his mother’s side.”
Which meant no. Inheritance was only traced through the males.
Zarya’s heart sank as she considered what Nero was really saying. “So you’re telling me that I need to leave him.”
“I’m not telling you anything.” He stressed the last word. “It’s not my life to live. Any more than it’s my decision to make. If you stay with him, his enemies will come at him with everything they have, and it will be fierce. If you leave, he will follow you. Especially since you carry his child. His throne means nothing to him compared to you. It never will.”
Honestly, she didn’t like the sound of those options. No matter what, Darling lost.
Nero approached her slowly. “I didn’t mean to add to your stress, Zarya. But I thought you should know. It’s not going to be easy.”
Nothing ever was.
She swallowed against the pain inside her. “Have you ever been in love?”
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life.”
Zarya didn’t miss the fact that he avoided answering her question.
Or was he saying that love was a mistake?
“But you know,” he continued, “in all the regrets I have, the one thing that never bothered me were the decisions I made with my heart. The rational ones, the ones I made while I was scared or desperate, those hammer at me constantly.”
She didn’t know why, but she had a bad suspicion that someone had hurt him in the past. Terribly. A betrayal so foul that he couldn’t even speak of it.
She glanced to Darling, and tried to decide what to do. “I don’t know if I can leave him.”
“Then you shouldn’t.”
Yes, but how could she stay if it caused him to be attacked?
She placed her hand over her stomach and considered the baby that was there. But for Nero, she’d have no idea at all that she carried a part of Darling with her. “How far along am I?”
“A little over a week.”
Oh yeah… he had to be messing with her. There was no way he could know that. “And you can tell?” she asked suspiciously.
He winked at her. “I’m much more reliable than any pregnancy test.”
Still, she wasn’t ready to believe him. “Have you ever been wrong?”
“Nope. You can bet on me any day.”
Then I’m pregnant. The reality sank in slowly. A part of her was so happy, she could fly. But the rest of her was terrified and stunned.
Although, she shouldn’t be that surprised. It wasn’t like she hadn’t known it would be a possibility given what they’d been doing, and the fact that they hadn’t been using protection… Something they’d always used when he was Kere.
Funny how she hadn’t even thought about her pregnancy shots having run out before Maris bought her. She’d always been so conscientious about it. But since their reunion, she’d been focused on so many other things that the possibility hadn’t even occurred to her.
I’m going to be a mom for real.
Her thoughts drifted for several minutes as she fully accepted the weight of that reality and responsibility. There was a piece of Darling inside her. Right now. A part that would grow into a baby she hoped looked just like him…
What are we going to name you, little one?