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“Sure, you can.” She looks to me for confirmation, and I nod, giggling as I watch the fierce, scar-flecked demon shy away from my baby. Gently, she places Alvech in his arms, careful to mind his head. When she finishes, she steps back to look at him and bursts out laughing.
“You’re going to have to get used to this!”
He’s hunched forward, holding the baby away from his body almost like he’s afraid for Alvech to touch him. Kha’zeth swoops in, adjusting his arms and muttering about a warrior being so terrified of something so small.
“I don’t want to drop him!” Volikan snarls as Kha’zeth fixes his stance.
My mate freezes, his eyes flicking up to the warrior’s face. “Drop him and you will die.”
There is no argument about it. Volikan seems to accept that responsibility, no questions asked, and I have to assume he would feel the same.
No longer holding Alvech in the most awkward position I’ve ever seen, Volikan starts to relax, even bouncing and cooing at the baby. He eventually starts to smile, especially as Alvech laughs and tugs on him, and he looks at Anastasia, truly thrilled.
It warms my heart, even as he passes my son back to me, and the tension seeps out of Kha’zeth as he comes back to us. My mind wanders back to what I heard as silence falls over us, and I look up at the girls, gently asking, “What was it that you were talking about earlier?”
I almost feel guilty as they exchange panicked looks, and Anastasia explains hurriedly about Volikan’s concerns and the rumors about the King. The other two males have drifted inside, and Rej’thorek looks annoyed that it was brought back as Anastasia wraps up her answer.
But then Kha’zeth cuts in. “The rumors aren’t wrong.”
Stunned silence blankets us as they all stare at him slack-jawed.
131
KHA’ZETH
Maybe I should have kept my damn mouth shut. I didn’t expect it to come as such a shock to everyone else if they were already discussing it, and it isn’t something that has weighed heavily on my mind. I’ve only really talked about it with Anastasia, and since we’ve been so enthralled with Alvech, I haven’t given much attention to it.
But I can feel that it is all about to come to a hilt.
Rej’thorek, not to my surprise, is the first to break through the tension. “What do you mean?”
I open a palm, letting the chaotic magic in front of my palm collect and crackle, none of which is my own doing. “The magic on Galmoleth has been growing…erratic. I’ve noticed it timed with the tremors.”
“But what does that have to do with the gods?” He crosses his arms across his chest. “My father brought us all to Galmoleth. I remember it.”
I cock an unconvinced brow. “You remember it?”
“Well…I found the memory. My father keeps the important ones cataloged in his study to revisit and relive. I slipped into the one where he brought us here.”
I shake my head. “I don’t think that’s the whole truth.”
Rej’thorek starts to oppose me, clearly not satisfied with my disbelieving of his father’s partial memories just as Volikan whirls on him. Laura leans into Cora, and Natalie turns to me. It’s so many voices that I can’t pick out full sentences as they shout over each other.
See? Should have kept my damn mouth shut.
“Listen!” I shout, tired of their speculation when they do not know everything they need to. “LISTEN!”
Finally, they all fall silent, turning their gaze back on me, and I huff. I swear this is why I don’t dare to put my time and energy into anyone else besides my family.
Well, I was forced to give Natalie a try and that turned out well…
I shake my head. Focus at the task at hand. “Memories are a fickle thing, Prince, and so is magic–”
Rej’thorek lunges forward. “I know what I saw!”
“Back the fuck up!” Volikan is between the Prince and his mate.
“I am fucking sick of the behvaior here to–”
