Dark Secrets Unveiled (The Children of the Gods #45) - I.T. Lucas Page 0,74

happy?” Jacki whispered.

“I’m equally happy and worried.”

“I wish you were only happy.”

“I can’t help it. You are more important than anything to me, and that includes our future children.”

“Don’t say that.” She put a finger over his lips. “When our child is born, you will change your mind, and he or she will become the most important person in the world to you. That’s the way it should be.”

“Not going to happen. You will always come first.”

“How romantic.” Anandur pretended to wipe off tears.

Amanda slapped his back. “Shut up, you big oaf.”

“Someone needs to tell Annani,” Syssi said. “She will be overjoyed.”

Kalugal’s eyes widened. “I need to tell my mother. What day is it today?”

“Tuesday,” Syssi said. “But whoever’s turn it is to talk to Areana next would gladly swap time slots with you. She should hear it from you and Jacki.”

Jacki’s expression turned somber. “Maybe you shouldn’t tell her just yet.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a human tradition to wait until the end of the first trimester to tell people about the pregnancy. I was so excited that I couldn’t help it and blurted it out. Perhaps I shouldn’t have.”

Amanda waved a dismissive hand. “Humans do that because many pregnancies are lost before the end of the first trimester, but that’s not the case with immortals. All the genetic sorting is done before pregnancy occurs. I don’t know of any immortal female who’s lost a pregnancy or even delivered a baby prematurely.”

Jacki let out a breath. “That’s good to know. Less things to stress about.”

Kalugal didn’t say a thing, but it occurred to him that since Jacki wasn’t fully transitioned yet, it might not be true for her.

Bridget must have thought the same thing, and that was why she wanted to keep a close eye on Jacki throughout the pregnancy, starting right away.

Pushing out of his arms, Jacki stood up. “Who wants to come with me to find Annani? I want to tell her in person.”

“I do.” Syssi rose to her feet. “In the meantime, the guys can enjoy their cigars and whiskey.”

Kalugal doubted that he could enjoy anything until Jacki delivered their child.

He would be too consumed by worry.

52

Syssi

“I’m so happy for you.” Syssi put her arm around Jacki’s waist. “And for Amanda and me as well. We will raise our children together.”

“We need a preschool,” Callie said.

Jacki lifted a brow. “For three babies?”

“That’s only the start. Doesn’t it strike you as strange that suddenly there are all these pregnancies when there were none for over twenty years?”

“You forgot about Phoenix and Ethan,” Amanda pointed out.

“I didn’t. I included them in the new wave of babies. I think that the Fates are smiling upon the clan not just with more Dormants, but also more children. I expect many more of both.” Callie smiled. “Kian must have had a gut feeling that this was about to happen. That’s why he kept building and developing new plots for what seemed like no apparent reason.”

“I wonder what their long-term plan is,” Amanda said. “The Fates weave an intricate tapestry.”

As they reached the castle’s store where Annani, Alena, and Wonder were looking through piles of tapestries, Syssi wondered whether there was something symbolic about what they were doing and what Amanda had said.

“I’m glad that you decided to join us,” Alena greeted them. “It’s so difficult to choose. They are all so beautiful.”

“We are not here for the tapestries.” Amanda threaded her arm through Alena’s. “Jacki has great news that I’m sure you’ll be delighted to hear.”

Annani put down the tapestry she’d been looking at. “Did David wake up?”

“Not yet. But he is off the ventilator, and his vitals are back to normal.” Amanda threaded her other arm through her mother’s. “As always, your blessing did its magic. But that’s not all.” She looked at Jacki. “Your turn.”

“I’m pregnant.” She blushed. “I just found out.”

Annani’s smile was bright enough to light up a stadium. “Thank the merciful Fates. I am so happy for you and Kalugal and for our entire clan. Every child is a blessing.”

Again, Syssi wondered about the symbolic connection. What if the two blessings were part of the tapestry the Fates were weaving?

Of course, they were. Everything was.

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that those two blessings were connected by a thick thread. They weren’t just random motifs in the Fates’ complicated tapestry.

“We should celebrate,” Annani offered.

“The guys are already doing that with cigars and whiskey on the terrace,” Amanda said. “We need a healthier alternative. How about we adjourn to the