Iron Crowned Page 0,108

but that he was concerned. He was worried because you hadn't just done it already." Deanna looked back and forth between our faces, desperate for either of us to believe her. "He said it was probably just shock and that you'd 'do the right thing,' but that if you didn't ... well, Maiwenn said they'd have to make you lose the baby. Or ... if that didn't work ... that Kiyo would kill you."

"That's insane," I said. "Kiyo wouldn't kill me."

"Kiyo doesn't want the prophecy to come true," said Jasmine. "It's not that insane."

I turned on her. "He loves me. This whole idea ... it's ridiculous."

"Why would I lie?" said Deanna. "You helped me. I'm helping you by warning you before I move on to the next world. I'm telling you, I heard them. Kiyo swore he'd make sure the prophecy couldn't be fulfilled."

"Kiyo. Loves. Me."

"Dorian loves you too," pointed out Jasmine. "And look what he did. When you think about it, Kiyo's the type who'd think one tragic loss of life was worth saving many. Or something stupid like that."

"He would." Admitting it surprised me, and yet ... as the meaning of Deanna's words sank deeper and deeper, I remembered my first meeting with Kiyo. He'd found me on Maiwenn's orders. They hadn't known what kind of person I was, if I'd wanted to fulfill the prophecy or not. He'd never said so explicitly, but my impression had been that both were willing to go to extreme means to stop Storm King's heir from being born. Our relationship had obviously changed since then, but maybe ... maybe some things hadn't....

"But he wouldn't go that far," I finished.

"Do you want to take that chance?" asked Jasmine softly. "Maybe he wouldn't really kill you, but you heard what he said about Maiwenn's 'magic' abortion."

What had Deanna claimed? That Kiyo and Maiwenn had planned to make me terminate the pregnancy if I wouldn't willingly?

"We just need to talk," I said, hoping I sounded convincing. My next words gave me away. "Somewhere I know I'm safe."

"Kiyo's in the waiting room," said Jasmine, seeing that I was finally taking this seriously. "Is this a safe place?"

"Probably not." I had finished getting dressed. "There must be a back door. There's always a back door. We'll go ... we'll go home. I'll get my weapons, and then we'll go to the Otherworld. He and I can talk about this reasonably in the Thorn Land. I'll be safe there."

"You'll never make it there," said Deanna. I'd practically forgotten about her. "He can follow you. As soon as you leave here, he'll know and come after you."

"How could he - "

I lightly touched my upper arm, the spot where Kiyo's nails had barely dug in the other night. I took a deep, shaking breath. "He marked me," I said. He'd scratched me the first night we'd met too, leaving a long-healing wound that allowed him to track me wherever I went. This one was smaller but would work just as well.

Jasmine was already moving toward the door, so full of tension and purpose that she seemed much older. "We'll just go straight to the Otherworld then. You'll be safe there. Where's the nearest gateway?"

I racked my brain, thinking of our location. "By Morriswood Park. Farther than I'd like."

"Well, we have to go soon. If we stay here any longer, the doctor'll come ask what's wrong," said Jasmine. "And we can't let Kiyo find us in the parking lot."

"You'll never make it to the park in time," wailed Deanna. I scowled, but she was right. Jasmine looked at me questioningly. For a moment, I considered calling Volusian, but he might happily kill Kiyo and claim it was in my defense. I wasn't ready for that.

"I know where we can go," I said. "Come on."

We left the exam room, stepping out into the hallway. I turned with purpose, opposite the direction of the waiting room we'd entered from. This took us deeper into the clinic, past more examining rooms and their lab. A couple staff members passed us, but we walked confidently enough that no one stopped us. They probably assumed we'd been directed somewhere. Meanwhile, my eyes were searching for an exit sign. There had to be a back door. Surely hypocritical health professionals had to go somewhere to smoke.

"There."

I nodded toward an exit sign, praying it didn't lead to a fire door, which would be of no use to us. Nope. It was just an ordinary door, one