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“So you knew my father,” Fadon said with dripping disbelief. The left side of his jaw was red and swelling, and there was a trail of drying blood on his lip, which he’d plainly ignored. “How come I didn’t recognize you? There once were a few times when Father had a Servant at his side… But he didn’t look like you.”
Phobius inclined his head. “As I said, it was temporary. At that time I went by Servant Remius.” He waved a distracted hand. “I’ve had many names in my lifetime. But I knew your father very well, Fadon. The last time I saw him, he was on his deathbed.”
“Impossible. I would have seen you.”
“Among all the people who came calling that week, Fadon? Surely you aren’t omnipresent.”
Fadon’s jaw clenched. “All right. Where was he, my father, that week?”
Phobius was undaunted. “He wished to spend his last days in Lake Poseidon, where he shared many a day with his wife. The villa he called Seascape, I believe it was.”
Fadon seemed to pale, his lips parting on a wordless statement.
“Astra inclinant, sed non obligant,” Phobius said, and I heard Fadon’s harsh intake of breath. It was a sound one would make when punched in the gut.
The stars incline us, they do not bind us. Words in the old tongue, obviously holding a meaning for Fadon, to affect him like that.
Phobius smiled sweetly, looking as if he took no pleasure in seeing Fadon come to terms with learning his father was a man he’d never truly known. “I was also there when he met Lucius’ mother. A young Omega who had caught his eye on the way to the Consortium over sixty years ago. She had your eyes, Lucius.”
Lucius was leaning forward, as if he could catch in his hand every word, every crumb Phobius offered in the retelling. “I’ve been told she was the most beautiful girl in that part of Titus and beyond.”
He nodded. “Yes, she was lovely. So lovely that the king had to have her. Not to keep her, not to love her, but to take her by force. And the next morning, he left her and never saw her again. The result was a child whose father never knew existed, not until the last. I kept tabs on this child over the years, and when the king lay dying I told him about you, Lucius. He begged me to reveal nothing. And until yesterday, I haven’t. Not until Sierra finally saw the truth have I ever spoken of it.”
The two half-brothers and I sat with Phobius’ words echoing in the tent, whether coming to terms with them or just pondering on them. There was no denying these truths anymore, and I wondered how the men would take it.
Lucius was the first to respond. “So if you two are brothers,” Lucius said to Phobius, “does that mean you’re an owl, too? Might as well come clean too. Fuck, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were just a ghost at this point.”
“Not an owl, no.” Phobius grinned, then before our eyes and without preamble, he transformed into a crow and flew out into the night.
After a few minutes, Fadon stood slowly, not looking at anyone. “I need some air.” My heart went out to him.
“Do you want me to go with you?” I asked, standing as well. I walked up to him and touched his cheek. He hadn’t shaved in quite some time, and I found to my surprise that I liked the feel of him, so rough and rugged.
He kissed my palm. “Not right now, no. I—I need some time to process this. I know you wanted us to clear the air but…” He let his words fade off.
“That’s fine, Fadon. Take all the time you need.”
I watched as he walked out of the tent, my heart hurting for him.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sierra
After Phobius’ grand exit, followed by Fadon’s departure, Demos came up to me and kissed me goodnight.
“We’ll finish this once he comes around,” he said softly. “I’ll see you in the morning, Melos. Sleep well.” He hugged me, and I could have sworn it was with effort that he released me. I imagined that, once things settled a bit, I’d have to come up with a schedule to be with each mate. I still had no idea how any of this was going to work, but, by the gods, I’d figure it out somehow.
Demos bid Lucius a goodnight and left us. I looked over at Lucius, who was standing frozen in thought. With a sigh I went to him and took him in my arms. He rested his head against mine and breathed me in.
“Gods, what a day,” he whispered. He sounded exhausted.
“I agree. It’s a lot to take in, trust me.”
Silver eyes searched mine and I heard him swallow. He gently cupped my jaw before laying a kiss on my lips. I’d missed him. All the emotions, all the love I had for him hit me with such force I shook. The kiss became fierce then, desperate, and I swayed in his arms. Lucius picked me up and carried me to the corner of the tent and laid me down on the bed roll.
In silence we undressed each other, and when we were fully naked, he dragged a finger over my neck, where my osnat laid sweetly against my skin, leaving tingles of heat in its wake.
“You are mine,” he said, leaning over me.
