Chapter 15
6 Weeks Post-Abduction
The food was poisoned. Tina was convinced that it had to be poisoned. She tried not to eat it, but she'd just get so hungry. Then she'd vomit.
"Teen, the food is not poison," Queenie assured her. "I'm making almost all of your meals and I know there's no poison in them. You're just sick from being in this dank dungeon. If you'd just join us, you'd be outta here like that." She snapped her fingers.
Tina ignored her. As much as she loved her sister, she wished Queenie would go away. Another wave of nausea washed over her body. She wanted to vomit in peace, and not have to listen to arguments for turning to the dark side.
Queenie sighed and rubbed Tina's back, then drifted back up the stairs. She didn't bother to close the dungeon door since the expandable rope wouldn't let Tina ascend the stairs anyway.
Tina finished getting sick, then cuddled in the fresh blankets Queenie had brought her. She literally was being kept prison in a dungeon. While she didn't know exactly where in the world she was, she figured it was probably Russia or Scandinavia because of the cold.
Hours later, Queenie returned with her dinner, which steamed in the chill of the dungeon. Grindelwald ambled in behind her.
Tina wanted to leapt to her feet, but weakness drained her. She sat up straighter on the stone bench instead.
Grindelwald clicked his tongue. "Queenie tells me you've been getting sick a lot lately. She's very distraught that you think she's been poisoning her food. It just isn't true. What is wrong with you, my dear?"
He walked over to her, standing above her. His wand pointed at his nose. "Olfactorio" Golden wisps of light floated out, drifting up his nasal passages. Then he leaned down and inhaled deeply over Tina's head.
Tina kept her body stock still, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing how uncomfortable this made her.
He sniffed her like a dog, starting with her hair. She closed her eyes as he sniffed her face, descended down her neck, shoulders and chest. He slowed as he smelled her stomach. Then he paused as he reached her lap.
She couldn't help cringing away as he inhaled deeply.
Then he bolted upright, his eyes wide as he stared down at her, head tilted. Then he laughed.
The fingers of fear clutched at Tina's heart.
"What?" asked Queenie.
Tina frowned. "Don't you know? Can't you see his thoughts?"
Queenie shrugged. "Not really. He's a lot like you, Teen. He can block me." Queenie turned back to Grindelwald, exasperated. "What is wrong with her?"
He giggled. "She's with child."
"What?!" Queenie shouted. "Is that true, Tina?"
Shock hit Tina like a boulder. It couldn't be true. Her heart pounded as she laid a hand over her abdomen. Did new life grow inside her in spite of her desperate situation?
A bright smile broke out on Queenie's face. She clapped her hands. "I'm gonna be an aunt! Oh, Tina, who's the father? Is it Newt or did you go back to that bore, Achilles?"
A memory from that night before the mission flashed in her mind. How loved she felt in his arms. How good it felt with him inside her. That goofy grin on his face the next morning.
Queenie squealed, and Tina knew that memory had been intense enough for her sister to read. "It's was Newt!"
Grindelwald laughed, great peels of laughter pouring from him. "You're carrying Newt Scamander's baby?"
Queenie frowned at him, her brows drawing together.
The laughter abruptly clamped off. He pointed at Tina. "You've just earned those new accommodations. Can't have a Mummy-to-be in a cold dungeon. Queenie, darling, please make her comfortable in the blue room upstairs."
"The blue room is beautiful. You'll love it Tina. Wait until you see the view of the mountains…"
Tina shuffled along with her sister, unable to fully process everything. She wished Newt would save her already. She had some big news for him.