Page 24 of Impaled by His Omega Prince (Reluctant Fae Princes #2)

Askara

“Anything you ask, I must give. By the demand of the goddesses. Even if you call for my throne.” Those words out of King Alluin’s mouth put a cold silence on the room that stretched far too long.

“He won’t be asking for that, fortunately,” Lumic said, glancing up at Askara with a sweet smile. “Besides, that throne, isn’t that Seidrik’s?”

Alluin’s face twisted. “Seidrik will sire no heirs. The goddess has spoken. He cannot take the throne if he will not produce an heir. Saria is in a complicated union that will leave uncertainty as to the lineage. The only blood that will seat the Liaberian throne will be Virion’s…or yours.”

Lumic raised a brow. Other than that, his face remained neutral. “That will remain to be seen. The Croatens throne mates for love.”

“So, it is love between you? This is not because he was with child?” A touch of relief lay in Alluin’s voice.

“It is,” Askara beamed. “I could not have asked for a better partner.”

“And how can he contribute to the kingdom if he’s not been educated like a prince?” Alluin’s body sagged more into the seat, defeat plain on his face.

“I have been given the appropriate education. Fortunately, Father Ruvaen and Mother Miree were gracious enough to have me educated well. They were kind to me.” Askara rarely gave them those monikers save for in public but putting it in context to Alluin spared him more of his lament. He was correct in that Askara would never offer him respite. There was no port in the storm of his emotions in Askara’s world.

“Will you be able to perform your duties? Is he competent?” Alluin glanced to Pallosar.

“What duties? The consort of the king’s only duty is to the king. As long as Askara can behave himself, he need only make Lumic happy. He has chosen to perform duties for the goddess as a tribute for the crown. That may be something you can allocate funding for and cooperate with us on.” Pallosar waved dismissively.

“Funding for what?” This time, Nemiah spoke, genuinely curious.

“Croatens is a neutral nation with no extradition. We intend to stay that way officially. If it’s a criminal, I’m sure we can part—but we will offer refuge to omegas, and my mate and Askara have promised the goddess their best service toward the project. So, omegas wishing to flee with their children, or with child, dishonored or broken—send them. Put them on the trains and send them to us.”

Alluin’s face softened and before he could say something, Virion returned with Kershai, the large alpha cradling the small dusk child in his arms. “Such a precious little one. I cannot believe he’s so sweet!”

Virion watched Kershai with a smile as they strode in and took his place by Nemiah. “It’s all fine.”

Nemiah leaned over to give Virion a kiss and pursed his lips when Kershai grabbed Askara with his free arm and gestured him toward the door, the babe still in his arms.

“What am I missing?” Pallosar glanced up, brow furrowed.

“Lumic’s going to be busy with the crown and Askara is going to learn how to dress and swaddle. We’ll be in our family den for a little while.” Kershai grinned as Askara released Lumic’s hand and followed obediently.

Lumic turned in his seat, watching him stray. “Am I to be worried?”

“I ask the same question,” Nemiah said.

Virion shook his head. “Sima is with them, as well as one of the beta guards. It is imperative that a kept alpha learn to tend his child.”

Nemiah’s brow furrowed as he stared Virion down.

“No offense taken, dear. Kershai did most of the child-rearing.” Pallosar laughed and Alluin blanched but held his tongue, but guilt still held his gaze until Askara entered the hall and followed Kershai.

“It is very kind of Virion to allow me to learn from his son.” Askara peered over Kershai’s bulky arm at the little one who snoozed so comfortably.

Kershai snorted. “I wanted you out of that horrible tension. You can meet Virion when he comes up to feed the little one again in a bit. Alluin is horrible to spend any amount of time with.”

Askara nodded in agreement. The meeting, for what it could have been, went well, but the little one with pale-pink eyes and silvery hair stared back at him. The white sclera amid his dusk skin gave Askara pause. “He’s moonborne, too.”

Kershai nodded. “Virion said they’d not realized it right away, waited for his sclera to turn, but when his eye color came in, his sclera stayed white.”

“And this will be what our little one will look like?”

“You are Virion’s brother, so very likely.” Kershai, with a beta guard, followed them back to their family quarters where Sima, the omega page from earlier, sat on a lounge eating from a plate full of sweetvine honey cookies.

He beamed at them, light-blue crumbles dotting his lips. A cup of pink liquid sat on the edge of the plate. Tallroot milk. Askara tamped down an urge to laugh. The little sun fae was a simple child, after all. All decorum dropped the second treats arrived. “Thank you, Lord Kershai!”

“It is no problem, little page.” Kershai beckoned Askara over to a large ottoman where a few drapes had been laid out with a pile of baby swaddlings. Woolen liners lay stacked next to a light canvas bottom covering that had been inundated with rosin to be waterproof. Askara stared at it with complete loss and watched with wide-eyed curiosity as Kershai gave him his first education in how to tend a child.

***

By the time the child began fussing, ready for more food and for someone more competent at holding him, Virion entered their quarters with a bright smile that lacked the pity that Askara feared he’d hold. “Good afternoon, brother.”

Part of Askara thought he’d never have a chance to hear that word, to meet Virion, Saria, or Seidrik. Virion was the one he’d have more in common with, anyway. As he was blessed by the goddesses as well. In addition, they were of the holy genders—alpha and omega.

“And good afternoon to you, as well…brother.” Heat rose in Askara’s cheeks, and by the twinkle in Virion’s eye, he must have noticed. With a night fae for a partner, he likely knew what to look for.

“I dare say I never thought Father would treat a sibling worse than me, and yet here you are. I remember when Mother was pregnant with you.” Virion opened his arms and pulled Askara into a tight hug, his silvery-white hair brushing the underside of his chin, such a dainty male. Fragile, almost. Nothing like Lumic’s powerful frame.

“I apologize for taking her…” Askara stumbled over his words, unsure of what to say, but Virion only shook his head.

“Vitalis sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t on women who birth. It did not work on her. The goddesses took her, and it was her time.” Virion pulled away and smiled, genuine joy in his expression. “Enough with sadness, though. I sense you have high thalms. Are you a tinkerer or a thalmsmith?”

Askara pursed his lips. “I was educated in diction and bureaucracy. I am a crafter of word and listener, not anything special.”

“He speaks sweet nothings so well he tamed Lumic,” Kershai announced, and that seemed to amuse Virion greatly.

“I’ve not seen Lumic since we were young, but even then, he was astoundingly stubborn.” Virion strode forward, his poise and posture so reminiscent of Alluin, save for the slight strength to his calloused hands. Askara wondered what work he’d been doing to earn such things.

“I found him remarkably confident and charming.” Askara couldn’t hold back the laugh that bubbled up in his throat. “He certainly gets his way, and I can appreciate that. I follow orders better than I give them, at any rate.”

“Truth!” Kershai laughed and turned his attention back to the baby, who was waving his arms in the air, grabbing for a little toy Kershai had procured from somewhere. A coo of interest piped from him.

An attendant came in a moment later with a tea service to refill their cups. Sima, for his part, seemed to be in heaven with his cookies.

“So, I hear there’s a wedding soon. You’ll excuse me if I don’t sit to witness your consummation.” Virion smiled and Kershai wrinkled his nose.

“I would venture to say they’ve been consummated already.” Kershai stared at Virion pitiably.

“Why would anyone witness th—” Askara blanched.

“It’s a Liaberian thing. They turn a couple’s first time together into a spectator sport.” Kershai shuddered.

“Wait, so you do not consummate publicly? Is Liaberos the only—”

“Yes,” another voice interrupted as Pallosar spoke from the doorway, his tone dry and laced with disgust. “Alluin, why do you persist with the barbarity of that?”

Alluin, for his part, seemed to be chewing on his own tongue. “I do not question tradition. Perhaps it was from a different time where such things were commonplace, or maybe the goddesses declared it so?”

Askara twisted his nose. “Mothers never wanted to see me engaging in coitus with Lumic…”

“If I recall correctly, Lyrica’s family waved the right to the ceremony when you two were wed,” Pallosar said and Alluin blanched.

“So, I am the only one that had to…” Virion choked and seethed, giving a rather sheepish Alluin a deathly stare. “You bastard…”

“We had to be certain he claimed you! Drashili are known for their deceit.” Alluin pursed his lips and glanced at Nemiah, who glared.

“If I’d actually penetrated him in the ceremony, I’d be more mad at this, but as stands—you’ve done so much wrong, Alluin, that this is merely frosting on the terrible cake that you’ve made for yourself.” Nemiah shook his head and distracted himself with Ahran, when the little one cooed loudly and stifled a giggle.

“I told you; they were deceitful!” Alluin gestured at Nemiah, but Virion’s glare didn’t fade.

“And yet you still arranged me to him. It’s very fortunate that we were a good match, Father. See if I want to bless the springs on our way back after this.” Virion folded his arms and sneered.

“In any case, Alluin is an aristocratic lech and we have a small wedding to plan.” Pallosar settled himself in Kershai’s lap in a nearly chaste sort of way to make room for the visitors.

Ordinarily, Askara had been told, nobody was allowed in the private family chambers. But with Askara’s union, they were all to be family soon.