Page 15 of The Dark Elf's Secret Baby
Augh!
I need to get it together. I’m becoming paranoid. I need to relax and think this through. They thought I was sick this morning. I told them it was dust. There is no reason for my family to suspect anything if I don’t act strange.
So, just be normal.Normal, I tell myself. I’m sitting in bed still when Amara enters my room.
“Why are you home?” I blurt out as soon as she comes in.
So much for acting normal.
“I switched my shift around so I could come check on you,” Amara says, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Don’t worry, I told the dark elf guards you have a case of pillas-pox.”
I roll my eyes. The dark elves don’t know that pillas-pox is a code us humans use to get out of work from time to time.
“I took a night shift, traded with someone from the village,” she adds. “I bet you knowallabout the night shift, right?” she teases.
I stare at her for a second, everything coming flooding back at once. I don’t know why but I burst into tears.
“Shit, I’m sorry Layla. I didn’t mean to tease you! Don’t be upset!” She pulls me in for a hug. “Please don’t tell mom that I was teasing you again. She gets after me for it. But I just thought you could use some cheering up and...”
“It’s not that,” I say, wiping my tears. “I have to tell you something.”
“Okay.” Amara snuggles into the bed with me, sitting on top of the sheets to listen.
“I met someone. One of the dark elf guards. He was nice and charming. Different. We met when I was arguing with one of the overseers...”
“You argue with everyone,” Amara rolls her eyes.
“Yeah but this guard...he was new and he managed to get the overseer to change his mind. He doesn’t see humans as inferior. We became friends and kept running into each other, and...” I trail off, not sure how much I want to admit.
Amara squeezes my hand to encourage me to keep going. “Well I don’t remember how it happened but one day one of us made the first move and suddenly we were kissing one day in the alley after work. It was exciting at first, passionate and forbidden.”
I smile at the memory of those first few months. “We started seeing each other regularly after a while. That’s where I’ve been going every night. He’s sweet but we both knew this wouldn’t last. We always knew our time together had an end,” I finish, starting to cry all over again.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry Layla,” Amara pulls me close. “I knew you were seeing someone. It had to be that. I didn’t know it was a dark elf guard but I knew you were seeing someone. And you’re sure you can’t tell him?”
“I can’t,” I shake my head. “He’s always been insistent that what we had between us was just physical.”
“Oh. So...are you keeping it?”
“Yeah,” I nod. “I’m keeping the baby.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Nicola fudged the details of my condition on my paperwork,” I tell her. “She and I decided to put down that I have tuberculosis caused by the dust in the mines. And that as my healer, she recommends me for an immediate transfer to work on the docks in a tropical climate, where I can heal. I’m going to Zerva.”
Zerva is the main island in the Yarcarres Isles, a series of islands southeast of the continent. Though Nicola didn’t ask, I could tell she guessed that the baby is of mixed descent and she assured me that Zerva is a much more inclusive place than here.
“That’s so far away,” Amara says wistfully. “But it’s a good plan. You’ll be safe there, away from the mines. I know you hate it here.”
“I don’t hate it,” I tell her. “I just don’t want to spend my life toiling in the mines. I’ll miss you and I’ll miss Aunt Leandra and Uncle Jethro.”
“We’ll miss you too. But you’re right. Zerva can give you and the baby a better life. I hope that one day I might get to meet my niece or nephew.”
“They’ll be your cousin, too,” I point out.
“You’re more than just my cousin,” Amara says. “You’re my sister. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. And I want what’s best for you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“Thank you!” I’ve given up on trying to stop myself from crying at this point. It’s fruitless.