Jerrick cradled Jessamyn in his arms, feeling the warmth of her body against his. The embers of doubt smoldered in his heart, growing stronger with each passing moment. He wasn't sure if she loved him the same way he loved her, and that uncertainty gnawed at him. He could only hope that her feelings mirrored his own, that the love he cherished wasn't a one-sided affair.
"I might be wrong," Jerrick began, his voice a low murmur as he tried to push aside the turmoil in his heart. "But it depends on how many partners one has. Usually, we cannot have more than one partner, but my mother somehow broke that rule."
Jessamyn tilted her head to look up at him, her big blue eyes searching his face. "And she thinks you cannot," she said softly.
It was the reason, Jerrick knew, why his mother had manipulated Imogen into killing his firstborn. The weight of that truth settled heavily on his chest, a burden he hadn't anticipated carrying.
