Page 28 of Ruined by His Alpha King (Reluctant Fae Princes #3)

“Prince Virion drank this. Protect Tyran with your life. Sima, stay here. Everything will be okay, I promise. Stay right here where you are safe and won’t worry your patrons.

I need to go.” Stamel ran as fast as he could, exiting the castle in a whirlwind and taking flight carelessly.

He needed to get to the thalmway, to tell them what Virion had been given.

The omega was nursing still, and his child was young, so it was unlikely he was carrying, but he had to pray as he did so. With no mother sun above, he spoke to the moon. “Lady Goddess, moon above. Your son has been given screechwasp honey. Please, tell me he was not carrying.”

No response came, but the journey was fast and Stamel hit the ground by the rails, running to dislodge gravel as he made his way to the Drashili royal carriage, lights on within as harsh whispers and a groan of agony came from within.

Stamel pounded on the door and barged in when Seidrik threw the door open. Stamel nearly shouted as he panted. “Screechwasp honey!”

“Thank the fucking goddess,” an older woman’s voice piped up as she turned, addressing Nemiah, who stood over Virion, who had been undressed and covered in a sheet from his waist down. “It’s poison, but he’ll be okay by morning.”

“He wasn’t carrying, was he?” Stamel panted heavily as his body wanted to collapse in relief.

“No. But I am certain it was meant for Seidrik.” Nemiah glanced up and glared at Stamel.

“Tyran picked up the vial. Pilkie poured it into his drink. That’s why the little shit knocked his drink over.” Stamel met Nemiah’s gaze.

Virion groaned from his bed as the healer gave him prepared sorvin scale, from the looks of the vial in her hands. She followed it up with a small dose of salusis. “Should fix it. Since he’d not had an estrus since the birth, it shouldn’t be as hard on him since things aren’t ripe .”

Stamel gave a short nod. “I’m going to kill—”

“Not if I do not do so first.” Nemiah shouldered up to Stamel, and the two nodded, a hidden understanding between them.

Together, they left and took flight.

Back at the castle, they hunted Pilkie down, finding her milling about the kitchens like nothing at all had happened. She screeched in protest as Stamel grabbed her by her arm and marched her to Alluin’s quarters.

“Unhand my servant!” Alluin shouted as Stamel marched into the room.

“ Gladly. ” With a fling of his hand, he cast Pilkie forward, watching her stumble and fall with mild satisfaction.

“She poisoned Virion.” Nemiah’s voice went low and cold. A thousand years of Drashili warlords and rage lay in those words.

“Wasn’t trying to poison the blesse—” She scrambled away from them toward Alluin as if he might defend her.

“Silver Prince! You will say his name correctly if you say it at all.” Nemiah’s entire demeanor went cold and flat, his dark eyes, blue irises sparkling, focused on Alluin with more poison in them than could have been in a dozen vials.

Alluin’s face tightened as he glanced from the girl to Nemiah then Stamel.

“I was doin’ my orders!” She turned her head to stare at Alluin, who didn’t even glance at her.

“I have no idea what orders you speak of.” Alluin’s voice trembled, a lie if Stamel had ever heard one.

“Why would you give Seidrik screechwasp honey?” Stamel stared at Alluin, rage flooding his stomach.

The accusation brought no expression over Alluin’s face. “He wasn’t pregnant, was he? If not, he will be fine by morning. No lasting harm.”

“If Virion were poisoned, his death would mean the death of vitalis and thus Liaberos.” Nemiah’s sound words fell from his tongue like silk. Almost a purr. “And you had no fear when you heard Virion was poisoned. You merely seem annoyed.”

Nemiah had a better gauge of Alluin’s expressions than Stamel did, but Drashili tempers were legendary, and Nemiah restrained his far better than Stamel held his own rage.

“I have no idea what you speak of. I’m glad to hear Virion will make a full recovery. It’s terrible what my servant has done to you. I’ll see to her execution at once.” Alluin gritted his teeth, earning a screech of protest from Pilkie.

“Fathe—King Alluin! I did as you said!” Pilkie groveled before him and earned a sneer of anger from the king.

Stamel studied the girl, the pale features, blonde hair.

She had elements similar in her facial structure to Seidrik.

A half sibling, perhaps. A common servant.

Alluin’s family line carried the pale white and blond of the true Liaberian nobility.

Alluin, himself, blackwashed his hair, giving himself a stark contrasting appearance, making him appear more severe and dour.

“I told you no such thing, and do not call me ‘Father’ before others, as I have repeatedly beaten into you.” Alluin stood sharply, and the woman cowered.

“You did! I told you that I overheard them talking and they said that blessed Prince Seidrik was carrying, and you told me to go get screechwasp honey and do rid of it!” Pilkie’s voice grew frantic. “You said you wouldn’t have him walking around all fat ’n bloated ’n showing off.”

Alluin’s face hardened, and he drew his foot back as if he were to kick the girl, and Nemiah raised a hand—such a gentle, slow, and firm gesture that made Alluin freeze on the spot.

“Speak, woman.” Nemiah’s cold tones made even Stamel shudder.

“Omegas are disgustin’ and he can’t stand—getting pregnant ain’t natural for a man. It’s filthy. It’s why they ain’t allowed in the temples none, save for recent. I was just doin’ as I was told!” She cowered and covered her head, waiting for Alluin’s abuse.

“I said no su—” Alluin started, but pure rage boiled in Stamel’s chest.

Nemiah took his raised hand and held it before Stamel, gesturing for him to stay in place. Quietly, he strode toward the window, opened the blinds, and stared up at the moon hovering half full in the distance.

“Mother Goddess. Moon above. I seek your council and your sister’s word.

I have made vows to not strike against Liaberos, but he has injured her favored son.

” Nemiah bowed his head at the moon and backed away, head kept low.

He grabbed Pilkie on his way back, fingers laced tight in the collar of her dress.

The lamplight in the study went out as moonlight bathed the room.

In the blink of an eye, two immensely tall women stood before the window, side by side.

One was black as night, a void of shape in the moonlight with eyes that glowed like the moon and skin freckled with stars.

A crown like a crescent sat atop her head.

And next to her stood an equally shaped woman made of pure sunlight, her features pale and bright.

She bore a crown with many spokes, tines jutting about her head intimidatingly over hair that swept down past her waist. In her eyes was fire.

Stamel looked upon them and bowed his head in submission. There was no mistaking what these two were. And for them to have come to earth, it meant something great.

“Mother Goddess,” Nemiah spoke reverently. “And my lady goddess.”

“I am unsure how to address you, my goddesses.” Stamel’s breath shook as he whispered.

“We are both your mothers, Princeling. For Croatens is of the moon, and Liaberos of the sun. I took you into my arms when I first saw your ambition, but the moon has watched over you, alpha.” The sun’s whisper met his ears like a roar, only stifled, as if a great sound happened far away.

“Mother Goddesses, then.” Stamel kept his head low.

“Children of moon and sun, raise your heads and watch,” what must have been the moon spoke. Stamel had never heard her voice before, as he’d been absent during Lumic’s wedding.

Their voices were beautiful, and all the rage he felt melted away into tears.

Between one breath and the next, the sound of dull weight hitting the floor drew Stamel’s attention to where Alluin once stood. Both goddesses stared at the floor where the king lay still, eerily so.

“Not even worth a final word,” the sun spoke with a slight shake of her head.

“Hopefully he finds Behran where his soul goes.” The moon’s hollow voice echoed about.

“And as for you, child of Alluin,” the sun said, staring down at the girl on the floor. “Leave these lands. You are banished to live a life as short as a human’s, and salusis will sour on your lips. Vitalis will burn. And never again will you have thalms.”

Pilkie gave a defeated sob, and the goddesses joined hands.

“Alphas, new kings of a new age. We will speak to the priests of our temples, and this shall be recorded in history for all time. Let this be a lesson in humility,” the sun’s voice whispered as the light of their presence faded, like they’d never been there, all save for two spots burned into the stone where they stood, proof the goddesses stood there.

“No king will ever look at those and forget what happened.” Nemiah shook his head and stared from the trembling woman to the corpse of the former king of Liaberos. “Long live King Stamel of Liaberos, born of Croatens, First alpha prince in name.”

Stamel’s stomach clenched. It wasn’t nearly satisfying enough. But he’d been given his boon.

He was king.

“And long live omega King Seidrik of Liaberos, equal to my name. He is more than my consort. He’s my heart.” Stamel took a long breath. “Thank you.”