Janessa decided to keep her true identity a secret. She was safe here, but still worried about any eyes or ears that might discover who she was. So she kept up the facade of a former concubine, flirting with the men she encountered, doing her hair and makeup, all of it coming so easy it almost scared her. But she reminded herself that this new body had come with muscle memory and skills to enhance her disguise.
It also came with something else. The journey to Wind's Grove had taken three months, and in that time, Janessa never had her monthly. Her fears were crystallized when she began vomiting each morning, and her flat belly began to round slightly.
Scared and uncertain of what to do, Janessa approached Mikhail and told him that she was with child, due to the rebels that had taken advantage of her. Mikhail's face hardened in fury.
"Rest assured, Janessa, they will not get away with this," Mikhail said firmly. He gently wiped Janessa's cheeks clean of tears. "It may make you feel better to know that the newly female guard that escorted you will remain that way for some time. Apparently, she and her peer could not resist each other. She is with child."
"That is nice to hear," Janessa said softly. She swallowed. "And what of Anya? Do you have news?"