Page 69

14

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, KING ROBERT’S BABY MAMA - MEL

"Esmerelda!"

A chill goes through me at the sound of my name from down the hall. He doesn't know how to ask for someone's assistance without being an ass.

"Esmerelda!" he shouts again, already becoming impatient with me.

I'm coming, you stupid asshole. Doesn't he understand that people can be in the middle of doing something? And in my case, that something is looking after his child.

Despite my thoughts, I force my face to stay neutral and shift the baby in my arms. My poor lamb. He was napping so peacefully when his father's aide burst into the nursery to tell me the king demanded my presence and that of his heir.

The aide has already disappeared. I don't blame him. It's best to be out of the way when dear King Robert is in one of his moods.

But my baby makes it all worth it. He's nearly a year old and has no interest in being carried down the hall by his mother. He squirms and squeals, hoping I'll let him down.

"Shhh, Robbie, please be patient with Mommy. I know you want to go play." He doesn't understand who we're dealing with when it comes to his father, but that isn't his fault. He's too young to know any different.

His nanny follows, ever at my elbow. I don't know what I'd do without the sweet woman. I'm fairly certain she's raised every child in the castle since the dawn of time. Well, maybe not that long, but she's certainly been here long enough to have raised at least five generations of the royal family. And most of them turned out pretty good. Whatever happened to Robert wasn't her fault, or anyone's, I don't think.

He's just broken inside. I think he was born that way. I've never heard any stories from his childhood that suggested his parents didn't dote on him, and he's never spoken badly about them.

Then again, he ordered his mother killed, so what do I really know?

The Throne Room doors open ahead of me, and I rush forward to kneel at the foot of the throne in a deep curtsy. It's hard with a one-year-old in my arms, but if I want to keep my head, then I know I have to do it. Robert doesn't stand for anything less than perfect obedience, and I knew what I was getting into. Kind of.

I also regret it. But I suspect any woman would have.

"My Lord, how may I serve?" I say with my head bent low. The words taste like bile in my mouth, but I push past that. I can't let him know how much he disgusts me.

"I don't see my son enough. Give him to me," he commands.

I'd rather walk over hot coals than give Robbie to his father, but as with everything in my life, I have no choice. Robert took me from my happy, quiet life running the bar in town. He traced my lineage and found out I was the many times removed descendant of his ancestors. It was so long ago I never worried about it being icky, but he thought it would make his son more powerful.

And he thought I was hot. Ugh.

I don't dwell on what I went through to get my son. I have him, and everything in me wants to keep him safe now. At first, I'd thought that he'd be safe just by being the king’s son, but the more time goes by, the more I realize whatever happens at the Solstice, Robert is utterly losing it. If he remains king, I worry about what that will mean for Robbie and myself.

As the days slip by, I become more and more certain about the only option left to me, even if it's signing my death warrant if I get it wrong.

"Aren't you a strong boy," Robert says to his son.

Robbie doesn't like being held by his father, whom he barely knows. Robbie is intuitive, and he can sense the king's imbalanced mind. With the right upbringing, my son would be a wonderful leader. I'm sure of that. But in his current environment? I don't think he stands a chance. No child would, no matter how beautiful and sweet.

I have to act. I can't let my son be yet another of Robert's victims. He has far too many to his name already, and I won't add Robbie's to the list if I can help it.

"My son, you will rule all of this one day. I'm going to make our coven the biggest coven in the world. When I have your cousin's powers, there will be nobody to stop me from creating the biggest dynasty anyone has ever seen. And it's all for you, my boy." He holds Robbie close, but Robbie hates it. He squirms and cries out.

I can't even protect him from his father now. How will I be able to later? If Robert wins? I steel my shoulders and hold out my arms.

"Maybe I should take him back to his nap. You know how fussy he is when he's sleepy." I smile at Robert, letting fond humor show on my face.

He buys it and hands him over. "Seems like he's always napping."

I avoid his gaze. “It'll get better as he gets older."

He nods, but he's already forgotten me and his son.

"This will all be mine, without question, so soon." He laughs and holds out his hands in fists as he celebrates his upcoming win. His statement drives home something else I've been wondering about, too. Why does he even want a child? I get that he needs an heir in theory, but I can't see Robert being comfortable giving up the power he's accumulated, even in death. I'm half convinced he'll find a way to become immortal before that happens.

But it doesn't matter. If I have anything to do with what's coming, he'll lose to his niece. Miserably.

I back away. He won't let anyone turn their back on him unless they're more than ten feet away or out the door.

"Mark that down," he commands his scribe.

"Sir?" the timid man asks in his reedy voice.

"What?" Robert barks.

"Should I include the laugh?"

Robert strokes his chin and purses his lips. "Yes, I quite like it."

"Yes, sir."

I back my way out of the room, then turn with a sigh of relief to run to the nursery. It's time to act.