Page 29 of Ruined by His Alpha King (Reluctant Fae Princes #3)

Seidrik

Virion lay sleeping in recovery, his chest rising and falling shallowly.

All Seidrik could think about as he watched was how if that had been him, had been his womb poisoned, that they’d have lost their child.

Days and weeks prior, he wasn’t sure he wanted a child at all, was scared of what was to come. After all that, he knew for certain.

At some point during the ordeal, Ahran had been brought out by their carer, a rather fierce-looking omega missing half an ear and scarred over his cheek.

He doted over the babe as if it were his own and had an extensive and impressive record in battle.

As it was his time to rest in relief, Nilla ordered the child passed to Seidrik.

“You could use some practice with a babe. Don’t just hold him like he’s venomous.

Get a good grip under his arms, support his weight, and be wary; he grabs for hair. ”

Seidrik did as he was told and it all came back to him, memories from when he was a child, when Virion had been born.

Father paid little attention to his mother in the weeks after birth.

Thinking back, he remembered something his mother had said about Alluin having no use for her for two months.

After those weeks, Virion had a wet nurse, and Lyrica spent less time with him. Alluin had his needs .

Nemiah hadn’t done that. He loved and cared for Virion and their child.

As Seidrik held the little one, it nuzzled eagerly at his chest and tugged at his shirt while whimpering. “Virion will be too sick to feed him. Is there a wet nurse?”

Nilla frowned. “No, but it shouldn’t be too harmful to give him flaxsheep milk. ”

Seidrik frowned. “Perhaps another bearer could feed him.”

“If you know someone.” She daubed a cool rag over Virion’s head and called for a servant to send Saria over.

The thalmway was not due to leave until morning, so hopefully they’d still be there.

She’d left the cathedral after the ceremony, but he was certain Virion had gotten a message to her, not that he could ask.

“I do. I need someone neutral to go to her. Father may try to stop her.” Seidrik gave Ahran a gentle shush and bounced him as he started crying.

“Understood.” She got a sly look before whispering over her fingertips, thalmic light forming a small dragonfly as she blew and let the thing dart off.

Father despised the form of communication, and only recently, Seidrik wondered if it was because Alluin was too shite with his magic to do it. Wouldn’t surprise him.

A clatter of guards shouting interrupted things a few minutes later and Nilla grinned. When a knock came to the carriage, she threw open the door, and Saria stood there, face twisted in anger beneath the hood of a rather tatty riding cloak—a disguise.

“Give my nephew to me.” She marched in like she owned the place, holding her head up high. “I swear. Omegas are still just men when it comes down to it.”

Seidrik bit his tongue to stop from sniping back as she moved to a corner and unbuttoned her blouse. “Tynnia is asleep and well fed already, but I’ve got an udder’s worth to spare.”

“I’ve yet to meet her,” Seidrik said lamely as she attempted to get Ahran to nurse. The little one wasn’t accustomed to breasts, the shape of it unfamiliar, but after a moment, he got the message and tied in with aggressive-sounding suckles .

“No, thanks to Father. Who was that distracting the guards, by the way?” Saria, a female mirror of Seidrik in so many ways, turned her cold stare to Nilla.

“Virion’s little page. Liaberian guards are the dumbest creatures to ever sport an erection, I swear by the goddess.

One omega child flitting about and they run off, swords drawn, like they could do anything about it on the ground with all that heavy armor and no wings.

Betas .” She scoffed and earned a sniff of approval from Saria.

“So, what’s going on with Vir? I heard someone say that the beverages were poisoned at the reception?” Saria stared Seidrik down as he tried to think of a suitable lie, but Nilla didn’t understand tact or confidentiality, apparently.

“They put screechwasp honey in Seidrik’s cup not knowing he was swapping his wine for Virion’s juice. So, Virion is on the mend at the moment.” Nilla placed the back of her hand to Virion’s cheeks and lifted the sheet to check something before glancing back to her.

“Screechwasp honey… Was Virion in the family way again?” Saria pursed her lips and sighed in utter relief when Nilla shook her head.

“It was meant for him.” She pointed at Seidrik, and Saria, putting all the pieces together, choked.

She situated Ahran and stared Seidrik down. “No. You? I mean, I knew, but I thought you were smarter than to…”

“What do you mean, you knew?” Seidrik stiffened, and she rolled her eyes.

“Oh please. I found the vials of nightflower in your bedroom and kept Vir overstocked when he ran low a few times. I don’t blame you at all.

Watching what he did to Vir.” Saria waved a hand dismissively.

“I ran my begging night on purpose trying to get in the family way to get out as fast as possible. Without Virion around, I was Father’s new target. ”

“Clever girl.” Nilla nodded to herself as she petered about with Virion’s sleeping form. “Keep your heads turned, mind you.”

Seidrik glanced away as Saria focused on Ahran. Nilla did something that involved changing bedding and the scent of fresh blood. Watching what was happening made Seidrik very aware that could have been him. It could have been his babe.

“Was it on purpose with you, too or—” Saria spoke lowly.

“No. I’m smarter than that, as you say. A side effect of salusis, I think. I’m not sure. I had nightflower leaking from my eyes at the font. And one thing happened or another.” Seidrik waved his hand dismissively.

“And you slipped and fell on Prince Stamel’s sword?” She tittered with laughter.

“Multiple times. On purpose, even. Would you like details?” Seidrik’s dry tone left no room for questions.

“Not unless you want details of my bedchambers.” She met Seidrik’s gaze and earned a grimace.

“Mutual.” She stroked over Ahran’s silvery hair and smiled. “Such a beautiful baby, though. He really does have the moon in him. And something about his nose and eyes reminds me of Mother.”

Seidrik flinched. He’d not realized it and guilt welled in his chest over not looking at the child more.

“Ten bucks says your little one pops out looking like Father on fire with all that red hair.” She snorted and Seidrik bristled.

“Father isn’t a terrible-looking male, on a whole. He just has a repugnant personality.” Seidrik studied the floor very seriously. Looking at Saria would earn him her ire, and anywhere else might give him a glimpse of the horror of whatever was happening to Virion .

“So, you managed to, yet again, have Virion punished in your place.” Saria said that part far quietly than the rest, not baiting him for once but being honest.

“Unintentionally. Honestly, I feel worse for this than I did many other things. Virion and I planned early to swap drinks so nobody noticed me passing on the wine.” Seidrik rubbed the toe of his foot into the ground.

“Virion wouldn’t have taken the risk if he didn—” Nilla started but Seidrik interrupted.

“I don’t think he anticipated someone trying to rid me of my child.” Seidrik placed a hand over his belly, the surface a little fuller than it had been a few weeks ago. In a month or so, he’d be able to feel them moving within him.

“He probably thought of it. He’s clever.

He’d even planned with me to have some salusis and vitalis on standby and a compression pump to purge his milk to make sure he didn’t give Ahran his first sip of wine.

” Nilla walked by with a bundle of bloodied linens and dumped them into a bin.

“Just make sure there’s plenty of birch syrup sent back with us. He’ll be fine.”

Seidrik huffed. “Plenty of tallroot. And I’ll send honey for his nymphs. I hear he adores them.”

“Thoughtful. He’ll appreciate it.” Nilla strode back toward Virion’s bed as Saria switched breasts, the child growing sleepy in her arms but still ravenous.

They sat in long silence before another knock came at the door. This time, it was a little boy with windswept hair and a gap in his toothy smile. “The guards ran out of breath chasing me.”

“Get in before you catch a cold. I don’t want to spend an evening babying you.” Nilla gestured the boy in and he shook his head out .

“Why is Prince Ahran nursing on Princess Saria?” The little boy blatantly stared as Saria adjusted her blouse a little for some privacy.

“Because he’s hungry and Virion’s milk will be spoiled for a day or so.” Nilla corralled the boy off to the side.

“Can Ahran drink lady milk? His papa is an omega.” Sima frowned and stared up at Nilla, who he had obvious respect for.

“Milk is milk as long as they’re fae. He can drink flaxsheep milk with some sugar in it if he’s desperate.” Nilla rummaged around to get Sima a treat while he sat nearby and stared at Virion.

“Is the Silver Prince going to be okay? You said he would be in your message.” Sima squirmed about nervously.

“I’m sure. Rest is all that’s needed. You should be resting, too. Go see if Irmine can make space on his cot. If not, make yourself a padding on the floor.” She shooed him away.

Sima checked on Virion one last time and slinked off to the end of the car and into the next one.

Less than a moment later, the crunch of footsteps over gravel alerted them to approaching people. Nilla peeked through a curtain and opened the door, staring out at Nemiah.

“Seidrik, come here for a moment.” Nemiah’s hard expression softened as he glanced in and sighed.

Seidrik stood and slipped out, closing the door behind him. “Virion’s stable. I apologize so dearly for this. I would have never let him switch drinks with me if I’d had any thought of it.”

“I know. And Virion would have rather been the sick one than you.” Nemiah glanced toward Seidrik’s belly.

“Stamel cannot leave the castle. He’s handling things at the moment and they need you to sign some things.

” Nemiah stroked a hand over one of his horns nervously.

“I’m uncertain how to break this news to you.

I’ll break it to Virion and I suppose Saria in a moment. ”

Seidrik’s stomach knotted up. “Was Tyran hurt?”

“No! No.” Nemiah took a deep breath. “Alluin ordered Virion’s former handmaid to put the honey in your drink.”

Seidrik didn’t bat an eye at the information. Pilkie’s involvement surprised him, but she always had sucked up to Alluin endlessly. “I suppose Stamel and I must leave the kingdom. I won’t continue to serve Alluin if he hates me this badly.”

“It won’t be necessary. The goddesses intervened.

King Alluin died by their hand. The priests will all be told come morning that it was by the sun’s word.

It’s Mother Moon’s domain at the moment, so she will do nothing until then.

It was a quiet death.” Nemiah tensed as he stared Seidrik down, and overwhelming emotion boiled up in his stomach before he pushed forward and embraced Nemiah with a tight squeeze.

Nemiah stiffened for a moment before reaching around to pat awkwardly at Seidrik’s back. “Thank you.”

“I did nothing. Thank the goddesses. What do you intend to do with Liaberos?” Nemiah did not flinch away or snarl in anger. There was no greed in his voice or reticence. He pulled away, though, throat clearing.

“The goddesses said that the kingdom will be split, Liara and Beros once more. Liara, the land of vitalis will cede to your children with Virion. Beros shall go to my line. The split will take many years, we will hold the throne until then and seek to fix the kingdom, undo what all things my father has broken, so when we hand over the goddess’s promise, it is prosperous and ready for its true heir.

” Seidrik bore his horns and lowered his head in deference to Nemiah.

“So Stamel and I will rule in his stead until time comes. The resources of Liaberos are at your disposal and I pray we flourish.”

“That is good.”

“The goddesses have us at their mercy. As it is rightfully so.” Seidrik cleared his throat. “And I suppose we can cede the first deflowering of Father’s study to you, as it is your rightful—”

Nemiah snorted and patted Seidrik’s head before leaning down with a conspiratorial grin. “We already have and he never knew. My bare ass planted right in his shiny chair.”

“Thank you for sharing that. Truly,” Seidrik said with much distaste. Trying to rip that image from his mind would take an act of thalmic miracles. “Alright. I suppose we ready for a funeral and pretend to be sad for a few days.”

“Then after, we celebrate with a parade.” Nemiah grinned.

“For Father’s death or the coronation?” Seidrik snorted.

“Eh. The details matter little. When people are poor, they find any reason to celebrate.” Nemiah gestured for Seidrik to leave and entered the car, ready to tell Saria and then Virion.

Seidrik paused and called over his shoulder, “Do tell Saria thanks for feeding Ahran for me, and to stay for a few days to catch up. Father’s deceit ran deep, I’m afraid.”

Nemiah nodded once and Seidrik took a deep breath, ready to face a new kind of monster.

Politics.