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“May I pose a question, Tavish?” I didn’t look at him.
“Of course.”
My pulse thudded in my skull. I took another drink. “Why did you and your parents never take Erik in when he was such a small boy?”
Tavish stared straight ahead, but I knew where he looked. Narza stood cautiously near Maelstrom, but their occasional touches, their close whispers, only made it clearer to me they were mates.
“So,” Tavish said, “he accepted the truth?”
“Erik has said nothing,” I admitted. “But he knows. He will ask or not ask as he pleases. It is me asking.”
Tavish squared to me. Buried in his slender, sharp features, I could almost see a resemblance to Erik.
“You ask because you resent us for it.”
“Shall I lie?”
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
“I don’t understand it,” I admitted. “It is what I told your mother.I do not understand how his blood could abandon him to the cruelty of Harald.”
“We had no choice,” Tavish said, voice low. “The moment a male heir was born, Thorvald showed who he truly was. Threats were made against my sister and the boy. The Ever King would allow only my mother into Erik’s life, but no males who might influence his heir.”
“And no one tried to stop it.”
“I am told the work was done before weknewit was done.”
“You’re told?”
“I was a boy of twelve when this happened, My Queen.” Tavish rubbed the back of his neck. “Not even Oline knew what Thorvald had done against her father and brother until it was too late.”
“You or Narza could not break these wards?”
“My voice had not matured, and my mother and father could not without risking treason. And likely risking me or my sister.” Tavish shook his head. “Thorvald imprisoned Oline, Livia. She was the mate but had no freedom once the king got what he wanted in an heir.”
“So, Erik never knew you existed?”
“It was as though my father and I were forgotten in the House of Kings. Across the Ever, really. Only the most inner folk in the House of Mists know my bloodline. To others, I am a noble, a powerful spell caster. Once Oline was gone, Thorvald and Harald used other witches and warded us away. I could not step foot in the royal city until now.”
“What changed?”
“The king had to welcome us. My mother is the Lady of Witches, so she was required at council. Her invitation was much swifter. But me, my father? With the bitterness Erik had been taught, the hatred he’d come to feel toward the House of Mists, why would he ever welcome us?” Tavish smiled, almost with a bit of surprise. “Until you.”
My throat tightened. “Now what will you do?”
“What I have always done. Stand by my sister’s son.” Tavishplucked a crystal flute of wine from the table. “Even if I was not welcome here, I have always stood by the young Ever King. I fought in the fae war. He might not have known, but I was there. Even waited in the tides until your folk released him, all to be certain he returned.”
“He thought it was only Tait who remained.”
“I know.” Tavish’s face curled in a bit of regret. “I did not know how to even approach the boy king, only that I made a promise when my sister died, that I would do all I could to keep him alive. I admit, I thought he would grow to be more like his father. But the king I see before me, I assure you, he is all his mother. And she was a gift to this kingdom, as are you.”
Tavish lifted my hand and pressed a kiss to the top.
“Does knowing all that help with the bitterness?”
“A little,” I said. “I hope you will be present in the royal city much more often. He is worth knowing, Tavish.”
“Aye, Queen Livia. I agree.” He took a step back. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my mate is casting rather dangerous eyes in my direction. I must go help chain our offspring to the floor.”
