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Evelina

Evelina fought back her nerves, knowing what had to happen today. She would tell the council she was pregnant and that a human was the father. Not Daimon.

She wished she could shout to the entire realm that he was the father. But there was more than that to think about. They had to protect their child, both from the cruelty of the world and from the Goddess of Vengeance.

She had called Lawrence to today’s council meeting, prepping him out in the corridor for their questions. But there was only so much to say. They had to lie as best they could, and hope it was good enough. The council had filed in already, casting curious—or, perhaps, threatening—glances his way.

“We don’t see humans much anymore. You’ll have to forgive us,” Annora said to Lawrence, shooting Seretha a pointed look.

Evelina glanced at the Undine council head, a feral smile stretched across her sharply angled face.

“And less often seated beside the fae queen herself,” Seretha said with a smooth cadence of derision and charm.

“Queen Evelina has made me feel very fortunate to be in Penyth,” Lawrence said quietly. He wouldn’t look directly at Seretha.

Evelina was struggling to find the words to begin this conversation. She could feel the eyes of the council on her, wondering why she had called them here and brought a human with her. She knew what she had to do, but in this moment, all she wanted to do was throw the whole plan out the window.

“Is…everything all right?” Iris asked slowly.

No, it was very much not all right. But this was happening now whether Evelina wanted it to or not.

She got to her feet. Lawrence was by her side immediately, helping her up.

“I’m with child.” She said it quickly, like ripping a bandage off.

Iris’s eyes widened. So did the others’. They waited for more, but when none came, Cyprian prodded, “And the father…”

Seretha hissed at him, baring her teeth. “Does it matter right now, Cyprian?”

He shrugged. It was what they were all likely thinking. “It will matter when the kingdom finds out. I don’t mean to be insensitive, Evelina. But the kingdom will want to know.”

Iris’s eyes dropped down to Evelina’s stomach. “The child is strong. I can feel it.”

Evelina’s hands began to shake. Iris was talented with her mind-influencing affinity, one of the strongest she had ever seen. Evelina hadn’t considered the possibility of her feeling something different within the child.

Lawrence placed a steadying hand on her arm.

Iris’s head turned slowly to him. Her green eyes blazed, her lips twisting in disgust.

“It’s me,” Lawrence said quietly.

Evelina felt a dagger twist in her chest. The final crack in her heart broke entirely.

“Say that again, boy,” Cyprian demanded.

Lawrence swallowed. “We were afraid that if anyone knew the father was human, it could cause discord within the kingdom. ”

“You.” Iris nodded to Evelina, then to Lawrence. “Created a child with him ?”

“Lawrence is the father,” Evelina said with a sense of finality.

Seretha took a step forward, assessing Lawrence. “This will not go over well with the Undine,” she said slowly. “Many of them fought alongside King Senna when he led the naval ships. They will not accept a human bastard.”

Evelina bared her teeth at Seretha. “Then get them in line.” Her patience was thin, her temper poorly restrained.

“Neither will the Aegis,” said Iris, stepping forward. She glanced at Cyprian, who nodded.

“The Aegis fought the rebels for years before the curse,” Cyprian continued. “They may be more willing to accept the child, but they will hate him for it.”

Lawrence bristled and straightened his spine. “In time, they’ll learn to?—”

“No one will learn to accept you,” Iris snapped. She turned to Evelina. “Is he to be king? To replace Senna?”

Evelina shook her head quickly. “No one is replacing Senna.”

“This cannot be announced to the people with him still here,” Seretha said. “The only way the Undine will accept news of a half-human heir is if there’s no threat of a human king’s claim on the throne.”

Lawrence drew a sharp breath and took a step back. Evelina had been prepared for pushback, for disgust and derision. But humans and fae had once been the two essential parts of the united Valon Empire, a value she thought the council still held.

“No one is killing him,” Evelina snarled.

“Then we banish him to Crea,” said Seretha, as if it were a favor. “To be with the humans.”

Iris hummed her approval.

“And we waste one of the last few portals to Crea for this?” said Cyprian. “It would be better to exile him in the wildlands.”

“This is my home.” Lawrence’s voice trembled, but he held firm. “I won’t leave my home or Evelina. ”

Annora stepped closer to Evelina, pressing her shoulder against hers. “We can’t just send him to a land he’s never been to,” she reasoned. “It would be cruel.”

“What was cruel,” said Iris darkly, “was the thousands of fae lives lost at the hand of the last human king.”

Evelina shuddered. If this was how they were reacting to a mere human—someone who had no power or Essence to threaten them—then she could only imagine what would have happened had she told the truth. A child of a dark god would have no place in this realm.

“We cannot blame the human for what Moros did,” Seretha conceded. “But still, he would be safer among his own kind. It would also be cruel damning him to a land where we know those who fought in the war would gladly drive a sword through his chest.”

Lawrence turned to Evelina, his eyes wide. “Evelina, please. Don’t let them do this.”

Evelina didn’t know how to protect him. She had never foreseen the council going to such lengths, the fear of the past still so deep in their hearts.

Perhaps it was better if he left—if this was the world she had created as a ruler. One so cruel.

“Those in favor of banishing the human, raise your hand,” Iris said.

Evelina closed her eyes. She’d always wanted their realm to be fairer. For each race to have equal say and vote when a disagreement arose.

She already knew what the vote would be.

“Evelina,” Lawrence pleaded.

She opened her eyes, her vision blurring with the tears that filled them.

Iris, Cyprian, Seretha, and Warrick had their hands raised.

Evelina would owe Lawrence for her entire immortal life. Evelina from the past, the brave healer, might have stood up against them all and shielded him with her gift of light. Run away, far away from here.

But Leda was here. And she had a half-human child on the way. It wouldn’t be safe for the child in either land, but she had to hope she could protect her here, as the queen bound to this land.

A queen who could not deny her council.

“I’m sorry,” she breathed.

Lawrence’s eyes widened as Cyprian stepped forward.

“Come with me,” Lawrence pleaded. “We can go to Crea together.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks. “You know I can’t,” she whispered.

Lawrence screamed as Cyprian dragged him out of the throne room. His cries echoed in Evelina’s ears long after he was gone.