#Chapter 190 – Two Souls

Lila Every day I woke weaker than I had been the day before, as though the strength in my bones had decided to abandon me, leaving only a shell behind. Even standing to stoke the fire sent a shiver of fatigue rolling through my muscles. My hands trembled when I held the water bucket, and I had to steady myself against the wall just to carry it across the room. I hated it, his helplessness, the slow erosion of what little power I had left. Once, I’d trained until sweat burned my eyes, until Ruby’s growl urged me to push further. Once, I could fight grown warriors twice my size and still keep my footing. Now I could hardly cross the floor without pausing for breath. The fear curled tight in my chest, heavier than the child I carried. With every falter, the thought grew sharper: I might not survive this birth. I told myself I was being dramatic, that we’d been giving birth since the beginning of time, and strength wasn’t only measured in muscle or teeth. But the truth was pl