A Life or Two II

Daphne saw Sirona's face gradually fall and with every change of her expression, despair crept further and further into her heart. She shook her head, starting out slowly, then when she accidentally met gazes with Sirona and read the look of sympathy written across Sirona's irises, Daphne felt a part of her shatter.

"No…" she murmured. "No! Get away from me!" She struggled and kicked, using one hand to shove Sirona away and the other to pull her skirts close. "Get back! Don't hurt my child! Get away!"

"Daphne, please!" Sirona pleaded, wrestling with Daphne as she tried to hold the woman down. Every extra movement she made was only going to cause the blood to flow further. She was already losing so much― if Daphne didn't stop, she might just bleed out and die!