“No, not yet,” Cole says. “I can’t. It’s too soon.”
“Too soon?” CK sneers at him. “It’s been six and a half months.”
“I mean too soon since she got back. She’s been through an ordeal, Constantine. I don’t want to add to that,” Cole insists.
What on Earth are they talking about?
“Tell her as soon as she wakes, or I will,” CK threatens him and I hear Cole’s gulp.
“No, please. I will do anything if you just give me a couple of days. Two days and I swear I will tell her. I need to make her secure and make sure she knows I love her and that this won’t change anything,” Cole pleads.
What the fuck? I stand up to go and demand some answers right now, but Sebastian pops in next to me with a smile.
“Hey,” he says. “Alone?”
“Sort of,” I answer with my own smile. He leans down to take me in his arms and I momentarily forget the hushed conversation. I tilt my mouth to his and he gives me a brief, but thorough, kiss that leaves me wanting so much more. “Missed you,” I murmur, and he ruffles my hair.
“Ah, little one, you have no idea how my heart has ached for you. I need you,” he whispers.
“I know. Soon,” I say, thrilled with the three words I didn’t get from our sire. “I need to see Drake.”
He steps back from me with a sour look. “God, did you have to mention your father while I was thinking such ravishing thoughts of you?”
I snicker quietly, still wanting to keep his presence from the other two for a little while longer. “Sorry, I have things to tell him.”
“What things?” he asks, sitting on the step I vacated.
I plop myself back down and sigh. “You will have to wait your turn,” I say.
“Livvie,” he pauses. “I want you to know that I understand your predicament. I really do, and I won’t pressure you into anything, but I want to come home,” he says.
“I want you to come home, Seb. Speak to Drake. Make arrangements for three days from now. I will do my duty and bring you home,” I decide on the spot. CK and Cole will just have to lump it.
His face lights up and he nods eagerly. “Keep it as much to yourself as you can. If Thrace gets word, he will… uh…”
“He will what?” I ask sharply and the slight noise from the library stills as I have caught my husbands’ attentions.
Cole pokes his head out of the library and looks fearful as he sees me sitting on the stairs. He is obviously worried that I overheard that conversation I wasn’t supposed to overhear. I ignore him and ask Sebastian again, “He will what?”
He sighs and rubs his face with his hand. “I have it on good authority he is planning to overthrow me as soon as he gets enough support. Although, to be fair, I am surprised it hasn’t happened already. He was next in line with me gone after all, the people know him.”
“But you are the true King,” I say. “They respect that.”
“Hm,” he says thoughtfully.
“Go to Drake, sort it, and I will see you in three days,” I say and turn to CK, who I know without even looking at him is expecting an explanation. I tell him and Cole of my decision and they both look grim.
“And so it begins,” CK mutters.
“It has already begun, CK,” I say. “My mother started all of this by setting me up to be seduced and impregnated against my will. It ends here.” I point downwards as I stand and then clench my fists. I am angry. Angry to have been put in this position, angry that no one understands, angry that they are angry.
I make my declaration. “I choose my father,” I say. There, it’s done. No takey-backeys. I half expect Tiamat to show up and blast me to kingdom come, but there is just a stony silence.
Sebastian takes my hand and squeezes it tightly, giving me his support.
“No,” Cole says. “No, you promised me there would be no Faerie baby.”
“I did say that, and I’m sorry that I have to break that promise to you. You all know I have had to make a choice and I choose my father. That means choosing the Faerie,” I say carefully.