Page 17 of Impaled by His Omega Prince (Reluctant Fae Princes #2)

Lumic

Pallosar paced the parlor, face pale and posture slumped. “Of all the things… Lumic! No! No. I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at the situation.”

“Stamel has three bastards and nobody cares.” Lumic’s voice came out in a hoarse croak.

“But we all know society has different rules for omegas than alphas, Lumic!” Pallosar glared at him and sneered. “This is going to make finding a partner for you a very difficult prospect if this gets out, Lumic.”

A sharp knock interrupted Pallosar’s rant as the door swung open. Oryn stood there, face a mask of pity and something else Lumic couldn’t put a finger on. Thinly veiled glee? It turned his stomach more so than his condition, and he didn’t realize why until Oryn spoke.

“I could not help but overhear what is going on.” Oryn did not look at Lumic. He kept his gaze trained on Pallosar with an expression that was nothing like his usual range. “I would like to offer a solution, if possible.”

Pallosar waved a hand to tell him to speak, eyes aflame with frustration.

“I’ll stand by Lumic. He can take care of the situation , and I’ll wed him. I’ll restore his honor.” Oryn bowed his head low and Lumic bit his tongue to keep from laughing the alpha out of the room.

But to Lumic’s surprise, Pallosar wasn’t offended, laughing or even disapproving of the offer. He slanted his silvery eyes toward Lumic, his gaze contemplative. “You do know him well.”

Lumic did know him well, and he knew him well enough to know that the alpha was an alcoholic and good for little else than fighting. He’d corroborated with omegas who’d lain with Oryn and knew the alpha lasted as long as snow on a summer’s eve. Beds didn’t have time to grow warm in the minutes it took him to finish and leave, whether his partner was happy or not. Lumic would never be happy with him, but he held his tongue. A delicate balance in rejection lay ahead of him.

“I am flattered you think of me that way, Oryn. Our friendship has meant much to me these past few years.” Lumic swallowed his bile as Oryn’s grin widened. Every thalm of Lumic’s body told him to reject the male, to run, to scream and fight. Intuition could be a powerful thing. Since Lumic’s first reaction was always sarcasm, the fact that he even had the thought to be kind to Oryn was a warning to his psyche.

“And since I know what you’re going through, I think I can help you. We’re a team already, and as a mated pair, we could be great.” Oryn’s bright smile didn’t meet the slime hidden deep in his gaze. Lumic had never seen anything like it before, a manifestation of something foul.

“I think it’s a lovely idea in concept, but I’ve had many suitors and have to weigh my options for the good of the country.” Lumic cleared his throat and glanced warily at his father, who didn’t look displeased, still entertaining the option. “I wish to speak to my fathers. Both of them.”

Oryn’s grin faltered, bile beneath it. The slight shift of his gaze made Lumic scramble for words. “I’ll have an answer for you in a day.”

Pallosar clapped his hands and smiled joyfully before whispering a spell, a pretty little butterfly of thalmic light fluttering about as it whisked by. “Kershai will be on his way.”

Lumic avoided his omega father’s attention for all of two minutes before he gave his son a quick gesture.

Cutting his gaze to the side, the expression on his father’s face was anything but entertaining. In a breath, not even a whisper, Pallosar spoke. “I do not trust him one bit.”

Lumic nodded in agreement and glanced back toward the door, watching the shadows underneath slip idly by this way and that. Despite not being needed, Oryn hovered about the door, eavesdropping no doubt. “I think Da and I will have much to talk about. I cannot tell you how sorry I am—I did the best I could.”

“I understand, Lumic. I really do. Coming off nightflower and being stressed, it’s no wonder you succumbed to an alpha’s advances. It’s a tragedy.” Pallosar cast his wary gaze toward the door, his shoulders tensing.

“I’m sorry. I cannot say more than that.” Lumic’s voice cracked, and the silence stretched on for a pause nearly as pregnant as he was.

A booming voice from outside rang out. “Oryn! Why are you in Lumic’s parlor?”

A quiet voice responded, words fumbling. The fuckwit was terrified of Kershai, though Lumic never could understand why.

“Well, I’m sure my sweetvine will tell me all about it and Lulu, too. You’re relieved of duty for the evening.” Kershai’s sweet, syrupy tones had a sting to them.

Oryn responded, voice low.

“And I said you’re relieved. Go to your barracks. Now.” Kershai’s tone dropped, and Oryn scuttled off, his armor clinking as he did so. With little pause, Kershai stepped into the room.

“What in the law’s name was that? Oryn proposed to you?” Kershai’s upper lip curled and Pallosar shrugged.

“He’s a good match considering things, but I have a terrible feeling about him.”

“No son of mine will be in that wretch’s bed.” Kershai’s face twisted into something ugly as he gave Pallosar a disapproving look but approached him to sit on Lumic’s settee all the same. “Why would you even entertain that? He’s at least twenty years Lumic’s senior.”

Pallosar glanced away and twisted his lips. “Lumic has found himself in a way . His situation when he was held captive…”

“What way?” Kershai glanced toward Lumic as his cheeks burned like fire.

“The family sort,” Lumic muttered, bunching his shoulders up.

A sharp intake of breath settled things before Kershai took a few even breaths. True rage flashed in his eyes and thalmic power practically crackled in the air like static. Lumic had never seen him so furious before, and it brought tears to his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Lumic hated how small his voice sounded.

“No. You have nothing to be sorry for. This is Stamel’s fault.” Kershai’s fists clenched so hard they cracked, and with a snarl, two great horns, serrated and forked with a sharp curl to them, projected to the sides of his head. Dragon horns. They were a rarity among alphas and spoke highly of Kershai’s dominance and power. “It’s not Oryn’s, is it?”

Lumic shook his head, taking a shuddering breath. “It’s Askara’s. Queen Lyrica’s son. But I couldn’t find him. After the siege.”

Kershai’s gaze froze, and his posture stiffened. “And what do you wish to do, Lu? It’s your choice. Don’t let Pallosar force you into doing something you don’t want.”

“I wasn’t trying to force him into anything. He had the option of taking care of it or going away for a while… He wouldn’t be the first prince with a bastard.” Pallosar glanced up and met Kershai’s eye, exchanging a disgusted look. The only target that Stamel could hit reliably was a hole.

“But I don’t know what I want. I—I want to talk to Askara.” Lumic fought tears, rubbing at his eyes with frustration.

“Oryn assured me that they checked the castle, Lumic. Everyone was dead.” Pallosar leaned forward and rested a hand on Lumic’s arm and flinched when Lumic leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Pallosar with a broken sob.

“He cannot die. The goddesses won’t let him. He’s special like that. And he cannot leave the castle unless someone has his sigil and allows him. He’s bound to it.” Lumic choked on his words.

Kershai didn’t say a word, but his entire body nearly vibrated with rage. “My sweetvine. This is something between me and Lu. Da is going to fix everything, sweet child.”

“Now hold on one mome—” Pallosar patted Lumic’s back and slowly pulled his arms away. Whatever look Kershai gave him made his omega father relent.

“Send word and have the dungeon guards sent to their barracks. Wait here or go back to our quarters. I’ll solve all of this.” Kershai’s firm, even tones made Pallosar relent, his hesitant nod jerky against Lumic until Kershai pulled him away with a firm hug. “Da is going to solve all your problems, Lu. I promise.”

Lumic stood at Kershai’s direction and stumbled, one step at a time as he ushered him out. They barely made it ten steps down the hall before Kershai’s craning neck caught something. “Oryn! Help me escort Lumic to his quarters.”

The nosey alpha appeared from around a corner and approached, avoiding Kershai’s gaze. The pointed gesture made Lumic very aware of Oryn.

When Oryn rested a hand beneath Lumic’s arm, on the other side of Kershai in a polite way, he leaned forward and a glint of something caught Lumic’s eye. A quick glance back to Kershai told Lumic all he needed to know. Kershai knew. Oryn knew.

Cold fury had Lumic tensing up then halting at Kershai’s warning glare. As they approached Lumic’s bedchambers, Kershai pulled Oryn away from Lumic with a single-handed gesture and snatched for his neck, fingers grasping for the glint of silver.

Askara’s sigil.

The sun goddess’s emblem.

The chain snapped and rattled with the daintiest clink of metal, but the sound was deafening over the roar in Lumic’s ears.

“That’s mine, Kershai! Let it go.” Oryn swiped for it, but Kershai thrusted the chain into Lumic’s waiting hands. “No!”

“No, what? Why do you want Lumic not to have Askara’s sigil?”

Oryn’s face twisted into a mottled field of anger, but he didn’t speak, only squared his shoulders and tensed.

“You didn’t count on Lumic wandering off from camp again, did you?” Kershai’s voice trembled with rage. “You had your own plans. He was your responsibility to protect and you…”

Lumic stared at the sigil as it glinted, the metal still warm.

“Why do you have this? Where is he?” Lumic clenched the sigil and rage bubbled within him. All the energy he’d lacked for long weeks slipped away as Kershai pinned Oryn to the wall.

Oryn didn’t respond, his face screwed up into petulant stubbornness.

“Go to the back cells in the dungeon. Here, Lu.” Kershai reached into his pocket and fished out a key. “Love you, little one.”

Clutching the key in one hand and the sigil in the other, relief flooded Lumic so hard he almost fainted. He stumbled on his feet, a whimper on his lips. “Da…”

“Go get your alpha. I’ll see to Oryn.” Kershai nodded at Lumic as he let his heart take him.