Slowly, cautiously, Thalina glanced down. And then—she froze.
The leaf she had spat into had turned a deep, undeniable blue.
The silence in the room stretched on for a heartbeat—two—before one of the women gasped.
"Well, there it is," she said, her voice both surprised and satisfied.
Thalina felt her knees weaken beneath her. The air around her felt thicker, like someone had thrown a heavy blanket over her.
Blue.
Her mouth went dry, and she tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat wouldn't go away.
She blinked hard, trying to process what had just happened. Her chest squeezed painfully, a mix of panic and realization washing over her. Was she really pregnant?
The women around her leaned in, their eyes gleaming with excitement, as if they had just witnessed a great revelation.
The older woman who had coaxed her earlier reached out, gently patting her hand. "You see? I told you. You've got some little ones on the way."
