Eden Forest (Part one of the Saskia Trilogy) by Aoife Marie Sheridan

belly started to ripple. She
    screamed between pushes.
    “Shhh, child, there is no need for that. Be quiet,” the queen
    said, irritated. I looked at her and she smirked back at me,
    making me drop my gaze. Did she know about Morrick and
    me? No. I would be dead by now.
    Corrona continued to push as the maidens directed her
    through her pain, and then the room was filled with the cries
    of a baby boy. The maidens handed the baby to Corrona. “Oh,
    my precious baby.” She placed a kiss on his head and cradled
    him to her chest. The room buzzed with a newfound happiness.
    Dominic was looking at his wife and child with pure love, tears
    sparkling in his eyes.
    “Marta, isn’t he perfect?” Corrona asked me while counting
    his toes.
    I laughed through tears. “Yes, he is.”
    Corrona looked up at Dominic. “I love you so much.”
    “I love you too.” He kissed her and then his son.
    The queen stood over Corrona. “May I?” She reached out
    her hands for the baby. Corrona and Dominic both looked up,
    startled. They had forgotten about the queen, as had I. Corrona
    hesitantly handed her baby to her. Tears ran silently down her
    face. The queen usually visited in the first month of a boy’s
    arrival, not straight away after the birth.
    Dominic rose; Taurus stood in front of him. We all watched
    as the queen placed a beautiful pendant with a purple stone in
    the centre of it over the baby’s head. Its little eyes followed the
    movements. I looked at Corrona. She was holding her breath.
    “It’s good news,” the queen announced. We all let out a sigh
    of relief. Taurus moved away from Dominic. “He has an air
    affinity.” The words slipped so calmly from her mouth. Corrona
    started screaming. She tried to get up to plead with the queen,
    but she was too weak to lift her own body.
    Dominic’s face turned white. “Give me back my son.”
    The queen looked at him with a scowl. “Taurus.” She turned
    to leave. Dominic pulled a small knife from his sleeve and ran at
    the queen. Corrona screamed when she realised what Dominic
    was going to do. Taurus swung the blunt end of his sword at
    the last minute, hitting Dominic in the side of his head. He fell
    to his knees, blood running down his face. I rushed to him.
    Corrona was still screaming, her arms outstretched , pleading
    for her son.
    The queen opened the cottage door to leave, but before she
    did, she turned to Dominic. “You are lucky I do not have you
    exiled for that.” She paused. “But I am a forgiving queen and
    since emotions are running high, I will let this pass.” Then her
    gaze fell on me, yet she was still talking to Dominic. “I will not
    be so lenient in the future.” And at that, she left the cottage
    with the maidens and Taurus.
    Dominic pushed me away and crawled to his wife. He held
    her in his arms, whispering over and over again. “I am sorry. I
    am so sorry.” But Corrona was inconsolable. I sat on the floor
    and cried for them. I cried for my own faith . I knew I had to
    protect my baby. I had to leave.
     
    Now back in the room, I wipe tears away. The memory still
    feels so fresh. No one comes back that night. I fall into a restless
    sleep.
    The next morning Taurus wakes me. “Get dressed. The
    queen is waiting for you.”
    My stomach tightens. I get dressed while Taurus watches me
    with a look of hunger in his eyes. I dress as quickly as I can so
    his eyes won’t be on me too long. He marches me in silence to
    the main library where the queen sits, waiting on me. “Thank
    you, Taurus.”
    Taurus bows and leaves, closing the double doors behind
    him.
    “Marta.” She gestures her hand to a chair beside her. I
    approach slowly and sit, feeling sick in the pit of my stomach. “I
    was given”—she pauses—“shall I say, orders to retrieve a person
    from a specific area in the mortal world, and to my surprise,
    what is brought back to me? You.” She raises an eyebrow as if
    I can explain further. I only believed I was brought