Page 101 of Killaney Blood

"I'm a medic for the fighters now. Declan Killaney's fighters specifically."

"Oh, that's fantastic," he says, looking at George and Nathan. "No more...?"

"Albanians? No. Eventually, I bought my way out."

He nods. "I'm glad. I had always hoped you'd make it out. It's why I remember you."

"So," I say, looking around, "what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm an on-call medic," he says and leans in, "for the other team. You know, gotta make sure they make it home to their wife and kids," he says, shaking his head. "Such a crazy sport."

I nod. "Ah, a thing I don't have to worry about."

"What do you mean? Protecting your fighters?"

"No." I look at him, confused. "Don't you remember what you told me? That I'm not able to have kids."

Dr. Johns looks at me, a bewildered look coming across his face. "Oh, that?" he says, shocked. "No, I'm so sorry. I thought you would have found out eventually."

"Found out what?" I ask.

"That it wasn't true."

"What do you mean?"

He sighs. "It was a favor to your father," he says quietly. "I was in a bad way back then. Gambling. Drinking. I owed the wrong people too much. But your dad, he helped me, and I wasn't sure how I would repay his help." He swallows and stops for a moment. "Anyway, when I saw your name on the reports and you walked through my door all those years ago, I felt God was giving me my chance. I couldn't save you from them completely. So I lied to them. I didn't see the harm in you thinking that, because I just thought eventually you would find out on your own."

I stare at him, my mind struggling to process his words. "Are you saying...?"

"You were never infertile, Lyra. I falsified the records. The Albanians were recruiting young women who could bear children for their operation. I thought if they believed you couldn't, they'd let you go."

My hand flies to my mouth. "I can have children?"

The doctor nods, smiling. "Barring anything traumatic happening since I last saw you, yes. You were perfectly healthy in that department. I'm sorry. I thought it would protect you."

Emotion floods through me. Relief, joy, disbelief, all so powerful it's dizzying. Without thinking, I throw my arms around him,hugging this stranger who's just handed me back a future I thought was gone forever.

"You have no idea how good of news this is," I say, tears threatening. "It's the second-best news I've ever gotten."

The doctor smiles, visibly relieved I'm not angry, and glances over at Nathan and George. "Well, happy to be the runner-up," he says with a small laugh.

I laugh. "The first was that man over there," I nod toward Declan, "telling me that he loves me."

The doctor nods. "Then it sounds like you're finally where you belong. Take care of yourself, Lyra."

As he walks away, I stand frozen, overwhelmed by possibilities I'd forced myself never to consider. A family. A future not defined by what can't be, but by what I might create.

Hope rises in me like a scream.

"Oh my God," I say and bring my hand to my forehead.

Sure, I'll need to get tested to make sure he's not lying, but why would he lie? What would he even have to gain? I mean, what are the odds of even running into him after all these years?

Even still, despite these questions, my mind races with images of Declan, a baby, of possibilities.

The thoughts I'd suppressed most ruthlessly these past weeks surge forward: how desperately I want to give Declan a family, how I've longed for it even while believing it impossible.

I know one thing, clear as day.