"You were awesome," Bianca said finally. "Dusty said you trained him. I believe it now."

"That was cool," Sofi agreed. "Gory but cool."

"Thanks," Jenn said. "We need to go. Sofi, any idea how to get out of here?"

The Oracle shook her head. Jenn chose a direction and paused at the first intersection to listen for anyone approaching. She moved forward again. Glancing out a window, she confirmed they were in the city, somewhere near the center. The ocean was visible; she estimated they were about half a mile from the orchard.

"Ocean," she said, pointing out the window. "If anything happens to me, go that direction."

She stayed on the same floor until finding a stairwell leading down. They hurried to the ground floor. Jenn readied herself for a battle as she cracked the door open. She saw nothing and stepped cautiously into the hallway, looking both ways.

Sofi and Bianca trailed her. They wandered the hallways on the main floor until finding one that led to a side door of the large, stone building. Jenn opened it, relieved to see the outside world. Her gaze assessed their location for a safe path towards the ocean.

"We're going there," she said, indicating the next largest structure nearby. It was the remains of another large building.

"Something's not right," Sofi said.

Jenn looked around for signs of a trap. She was about to venture away from them when Bianca took her arm. Jenn turned to see Bianca's other hand on Sofi, while the Oracle's hands were around her stomach.

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"What's wrong?" Jenn asked immediately.

"Call me crazy, but I think Sofi's getting ready to deliver," Bianca said.

"That's impossible!"

"It's gotta be the immortal world. She's not due for another four months."

"Can you stop it?" Jenn looked around again and then at Sofi. She'd thought the Oracle looked much larger than a few months pregnant. Everything that held magic was amplified in the immortal world. Even carrying a White God, Jenn couldn't explain Sofi's pregnancy accelerating so fast, unless …"Wait, exactly how long have you been here?"

"At least a day and a half," Bianca said. "We were grabbed yesterday before dawn."

"A full twenty-four hours in the immortal world," Jenn said and sighed. "Sofi, you had to know this was coming."

"I can't see my own fate, but I suspected this might happen when I saw yours," the Oracle said. "We need to get out of here. Now."




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