Chapter 6

I forced myself to stay calm, carefully placing the scroll back into the wooden box and restoring everything to its original state. I couldn’t afford to alert anyone—not yet. Caleb was too powerful, and I needed a thorough plan. From that moment, I moved cautiously around the Old Keep, observing the guards' shift rotations and searching for blind spots in the surveillance. I even attempted to strike up a conversation with an older maid who seemed somewhat kind, asking harmless questions. But she remained tight-lipped, her gaze a mix of reverence and detachment. Despair coiled around me like a suffocating vine. I felt like a bird trapped in a golden cage, unable to find any way out. Then, one morning, a sharp wave of nausea jolted me awake. I stumbled into the bathroom, retching violently. At first, I dismissed it as stress taking its toll. But over the next few days, the persistent morning sickness, exhaustion, and my sudden sensitivity to certain smells set off alarm bells in my mind. A terrifying thought exploded in my head. During one of the rare outings allowed by the contract—strictly monitored trips to procure basic necessities—I discreetly purchased a few pregnancy tests. Back at the Old Keep, I locked myself in the bathroom, my hands trembling as I tore open the packaging. Those few minutes of waiting felt like an eternity. When the unmistakable two red lines appeared, my mind went blank. I was pregnant. I was carrying Caleb’s child. Panic seized me like a vice. This child—his bloodline! What would Caleb do if he found out? Would he allow a mere "medicinal catalyst" to bear his heir? Or would he see the child as just another tool... or worse, a threat? No. Absolutely not. I placed my hand over my still-flat stomach, and an overwhelming wave of protectiveness surged through me. This child was innocent! He or she didn’t deserve to be a pawn in this vile transaction. “Baby…” I whispered to the mirror, my voice raw but resolute. “I won’t let you become a bargaining chip. I won’t let you be born into a world of schemes and exploitation.” Instead of breaking me, the discovery of the pregnancy became my lifeline—a reason to escape that was beyond question. I was no longer fleeing just for myself. I was fleeing for the new life growing inside me. I had to act quickly. Before Caleb found out. Before my pregnancy began to show. Then, something unexpected happened. The old gardener, Malcolm, who tended the gardens of the Old Keep in stoic silence, slipped me a small folded note during one of my solitary walks through the grounds. I stared at him warily, my guard instantly up. His cloudy eyes betrayed a flicker of pity, perhaps even kindness, that I hadn’t noticed before. Back in my room, I unfolded the note. It contained only a single line: “Full moon night. Back gate.” My heart pounded. Malcolm… who was he? Why would he help me? Was this a trap? But I had no choice. This could be my only chance. The full moon was in three days. For my brother. For my unborn child. I had to take the risk.