Page 107 of Destiny of a King

“Ernach thinks I should be asking questions about my mum.”

Adira’s heart gave a hard beat.

His voice. She heard it.

She kept her head resting against him and her body relaxed, giving no indication that anything had changed.

But she had heard him. Not everything.

Ernach… questions… my mum.

Three pieces of what he had said had reached her clearly.

She wanted more.

Dravic’s fingers moved absently along her arm. “I cannot imagine what he thinks I don’t know.”

This time the words reached her differently. Some remained muffled, almost as if something stood between her and them, but others emerged clearly enough to understand.

“…what he thinks I don’t know.”

Adira’s heart beat faster, but she remained still.

Dravic stared into the fire.

“My mum was Ravina of Northland. She was a princess, the daughter of their king.”

“Mum… Ravina… Northland.” Then— She was a princess… daughter… king.

Adira listened with growing wonder.

He was no longer merely making sounds she struggled to grasp. His words were beginning to have meaning.

“My grandda arranged the marriage between her and my da. It strengthened the alliance with Northland.”

Some escaped her. Others did not.

Grandda… marriage… my da… Northland.

Dravic gave a faint shake of his head. “Those are facts. I know all of them.”

That reached her almost completely.

Adira’s fingers curled slightly against him before she caught herself and relaxed them.

Dravic noticed nothing. His attention remained on the fire and the question that refused to leave him alone.

“But Ernach wasn’t asking if I knew the facts, was he?”

Adira heard only pieces again, but she didn’t care. Every word that reached her was another treasure.

Dravic fell silent for a moment before throwing the question out there. “What does he think I don’t know about her?”

This time she heard him clearly—every word.

Adira’s heart pounded so hard she feared he would feel it. She had heard an entire question. His entire question.

She wanted to lift her head and look at him, but she didn’t dare. She knew him too well. He would see the excitement in her eyes. He would know something had happened. So, she remained nestled against him and waited eagerly for him to speak again.