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“ Are you okay?”
Nina rose her gaze from the bandage, meeting Matthias's eyes. She frowned, her lips curved in a confused smirk.
“Are you asking if I'm okay? I'm not the one who has just miraculously escaped a fight against Count Lucien's men.”
The Fjerdan shook his head, smiling: “I hate this city. Every time we come back here, I end up shot, stabbed or beaten. Can you believe it? The street looked quiet, then, the moment I turned my back, those men attacked.”
“That's how ambushes work, my love,” Nina replied, ironically, fixing the bandage on his right shoulder and starting to treat the cut on his side. It wasn't too deep, but it was still bleeding a bit.
Matthias let a little laugh out, resting his forehead on the Grisha's: “Really? I had no idea. I should take notes, maybe.”
“Yeah, you should,” she joked back, rubbing her nose against his.
The young man observed her for a while, while she was treating his wounds, then he sighed: “Jokes apart... I feel you're sad, these days, love... are you missing home?”
Nina bit her lips, lowering her glance.
“I...” she started. “Well, I always miss Ravka when I'm away. But it's not this...”
“What is it, then? Do you want to talk?”
The young woman sighed, applying gauze and patches on the last injury. Yes, she needed to talk, but it wasn't so easy to explain.
“It's that... I am getting used to my new powers... but I...”
“Do you miss your old ones?”
“Sometimes... yes, sometimes I do. They made me feel safer... they made me feel you all were safer. When you got injured, I could do something more than... this . Bandages, patches... and... ” she touched her own belly. “It's a pain I cannot feel them...”
Matthias' lips curved in a soft smile, his hand brushed hers.
“A Heartrender once told me how it feels,” Nina continued. “When you're carrying a baby, there's this incredible connection... you feel everything, their emotions, the blood flowing in their veins... the beating of their heart...” she closed her eyes, trying to keep them dry, her arms wrapped around her abdomen“I feel... nothing...”
The big Fjerdan stayed silent for a while, then he leaned down, pressing his ear against his girlfriend's belly.
“What are you doing?” she asked, caressing his blonde hair.
“I'm listening...” he murmured, his eyes closed.
Nina shook her head: “You cannot hear the baby, it's too soon...”
“No, no, wait,” he replied. “I can. I'm hearing their little voice...”
“Oh, do you?” she giggled. “And what are they saying?”
“They're saying they love you... even though you cannot feel them, they love you. And they can feel your love for them.”
This time, Nina didn't hold her tears back. She let them out, laughing and crying at the same time.
“I bet they're feeling something else...” she said.
“Really?” Matthias asked. “What?”
Her fingers brushed his bearded cheek.
“My love for them... and for you.”