The Queen by Jennifer L. Armentrout

can’t know. You’re just like a human doctor. You told me that what I say to
you and what my condition is stays between us. You won’t tell Caden.”
“I would never betray a patient’s trust by doing so, but I also won’t
betray my King,” she stated, and pressure clamped down on my chest.
“You want me to hide his child from him?”
The judgment and disbelief in her tone were evident. “You just said
what you feel has no bearing,” I reminded her. “And you’re obviously
feeling something right now.”
“You’re right.” Luce rose with the grace of a trained dancer. “But if
you’re planning to keep this child, bring him or her into this world, you
cannot expect me to keep that from the King.”
“But you would keep an abortion from him?” I challenged.
“I never said that.”
My mouth dropped open. “I don’t think you understand what patientdoctor
confidentiality means.”
“And I don’t think you understand what being the subject of a King
means.”
She was right. I didn’t. But that didn’t change anything. I needed to
convince her to keep her mouth shut, and that wasn’t easy when I honestly
had no idea what I was going to do. “Just give me a moment. I need to
think.”
“You need to take more than a couple of moments, Brighton.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose as I raced over the possible options
like I did when I mapped out the best possible routes for Order members
to take when they were needed. “I don’t plan to keep the child from him
forever. I wouldn’t do that,” I decided, and that was true. “That wouldn’t
be fair to Caden or the child.”
“I’m relieved to hear that.” She crossed her arms. “But that’s very
contrary to stating that he cannot know.”
“He just can’t know right now.”
“Brighton—”
“You don’t understand, Luce. He can’t know right now. Okay? I will
tell him, but not now.”
“When will you?”
“When the time is right.”
Luce stared back at me, and then her gaze lowered as she nodded.
“All right.”