Page 74 of The Nymph Prince

“There is a thing I have yet to tell you,” I started, feeling slightly ill. I feared what he might do to my mage. His blue eyes turned cold as he waited for me to continue. “Alek is no ordinary mage, Father. He is the last descendent of Haman.”

“Interesting.” Father raised a hand to his mouth, running a finger across his bottom lip as he absorbed my words. “The dark king is within my kingdom.”

I balled my hands into fists. “Alek wants nothing to do with the darkness. And he will not be used as some pawn in your game. I forbid it.”

“You watch that tongue of yours. I may be your father, but I’m also your king. You will speak to me with respect.” Calculating blue eyes watched me. He rolled his fingers along the arm of the chair, a steadytap, tap, tap.“Why do you come to me with this news? Surely, you’ve suspected what I might do with it.”

I knew very well: hand Alek over to the human king and call a truce.

“That is not why I’ve come. Alek isn’t part of the bargain.”

“Think of the lives that will be saved, Lorcan, if we give King James what he’s been searching for. Stop letting your heart guide your actions and think of your people.”

“Iamthinking of my people, Father,” I snapped. Anger seeped into my voice, like a bitter poison. “But I also think of my mate. There is a way to save both.”

I hope so anyway.

“I’m all ears,” Father said, expressing his impatience with a wave of his hand.

“I will travel to the surface and seek an audience with King James,” I explained. “The dark mages will be gathering in Black Hallows for the spring solstice to prepare for a ritual. A ritual where their new king will arise. They all will be there, unaware that an army marches for them.”

Understanding dawned on the king’s face. “You propose to reveal this information to the human king with the hope that he will join forces with ours and dispose of this threat?”

I nodded. “Why should we fight each other when the real enemy is building ranks just outside our gates? If the dark mages come into power as they did in the past, they will move to overthrow King James and try to enslave the humans again.”

“And your mage?” Father questioned and pinned me with an intense stare. “If he’s destined to be the dark king, shouldn’t we dispose of him, too?”

“No,” I growled, digging my nails into the chair’s cushion. “As I said, he does not choose that destiny. He is everything that is good in this world, Father.” My voice cracked, and I closed my eyes, fighting away the panic that’d been trying to rule me. “King James will be none the wiser that we know the identity of the dark king. I will share what we know and ask for his alliance.”

“And if he refuses? What then?” Father stood and walked over to the table that held the pitcher of wine. He poured a glass before sipping it. “Do you think he’ll just let you leave his palace? That’s not the way of man. You will be cut down.”

“I will cross that bridge when I reach it.” I got to my feet and approached him. “I know the risks I take, but how can we ask our soldiers to give their lives if we aren’t willing to do the same?”

“Because you’re my son!” He slammed his goblet on the table, sloshing the wine over the rim. “Your life means more than foot soldiers.”

“No. It doesn’t,” I disagreed with a shake of my head. “A true leader fights with his men instead of cowering behind palace walls. I am going. And if it means my death, then I go gladly, for I know I would’ve at leasttriedto prevent this war.”

“You wouldn’t be preventing war. You think the dark mages will be defeated so easily? That you will just march into their territory with two armies and wipe them out? Do not be so naïve, Lorcan.”

“I’m not naïve, Father. Consider it. Please. Say King James wages war on us. We fight his armies and we win, but lose many of our men in the process. We’ll be weakened. Vulnerable. Who do you think the dark mages will attack once the humans are defeated? They want power and will not stop until they rule the world, both land and sea.”

Father peered at me.

“It’s strategic to ally with the humans to stop the mages now,” I continued. “And with that alliance, King James will not have reason to pursue war with us. You know I make sense, Father.”

His composure slipped. Worry clouded in his eyes, and he pulled me in for a tight hug.

“You will be an extraordinary king someday,” he whispered. “The people obey me out of fear, but you have their love. I see why.”

Slowly, I put my arms around him, too. I could count on one hand all of the instances Father had hugged me. But he’d never held me like this. As if he was proud of me.

He’s never been proud of me before.

“I will go with you.”

“No. You cannot,” I said, holding him a bit tighter. “The people need to have you here in Avalontis. The army needs someone to give the orders when the time comes. Let me handle this. Have faith that I will succeed.”

A moment passed where no words were spoken.