by L Ward
Kalani made a disgusted face. “Yep, shouldn’t have long left of this. Second trimester and all…”
“I’ll pretend I understood you, yeah?” he teased.
She rolled her eyes. “It’s like part two of pregnancy. Low risk, no sickness and comfort for a while. Well, that’s what other people get, me? I’m still puking.”
“You’ll be better before you know it,” said Evan. “Have you been to a doctor?”
“Yeah, the midwife says everything is perfect and not to worry. I just wish I could get out of bed before two.pm.”
Evan smiled. “Want me to see if everything’s okay?”
“Can ya?”
“I can try,” he said and placed his hand on her stomach. Moments passed and he smiled. “He’s bigger than I thought.”
“Do you actually mean he?” she gasped and Evan realised his mistake.
“Oh—”
“You can tell me!”
He hesitated but smiled. “Yeah.”
Her face was frozen with a shocked grin, it was almost comical. “Do you think I should tell him?”
Evan’s brow furrowed. “What?”
“William,” she nodded to him, laughing with Dante. “He sent me a letter while you were away.”
Evan stared in disbelief and a beat passed; two, three. “What?”
“He was very to-the-point and said he planned to send some baby things and if I need anything to let him know,” she swallowed and glanced back over at him. “I don’t care that he’s not into me, I was stupid and thought we’d just be able to forget it.”
“A one night stand,” said Evan.
“Yeah,” her reply was light. “I showed Mum the letter and she said I should take what I can get from him.”
“You should.”
“He said if it’s okay with me he wants to see the baby when it’s born.”
Evan’s shock levels were reaching the outer galactic. “He’s a weird and secretive guy.”
Kalani shrugged. “Dad says be careful, but don’t refuse him access to his child if he wants it. Neither of them can believe he’s done this.”
“I don’t think anyone will,” said Evan. “This isn’t normal for Will.”
Nath turned up over his shoulder, greeting Kalani like his own sister. “You look lovely,” he said.
“Oh my God your ears are adorable!” Kalani said, bouncing with excitement and pointing to Nath’s tips. A few courtiers looked round, eyes homing in on his new acquisitions.
He laughed a little and said, “Acquired on our last mission, do they clash with my freckles?”
“Not at all, it’s those dimples you should worry about,” she said.
Nath laughed and slid an arm around Evan’s waist. “My mother always said they’d get me in trouble.”
Kalani’s emerald eyes widened and darted to her brother. “Him trouble? He’s always been a goodie-two-shoes. I don’t know what side you’re seeing, but the Ev I knows idea of a wild time is pizza in the bath.”
Nath laughed watching Evan’s face burst into flames. “He hasn’t changed much, then.”
“I guess I’m not supposed to ask, but are there really wild experiments over the border?” she lowered her voice, eyes twinkling with curiosity. She’d always been a huge nature lover, especially when it came to unicorns.
“There were some extremely abnormal beings in that world,” said Nath carefully. “We faced a manticore.”
She gasped. “Seriously? What happened?”
“Will incinerated it,” said Evan.
Kalani’s eyebrows disappeared in her hair. “Wow. I’ve heard he’s a skilled pyromancer, but to burn a manticore alive takes powerful magic. Let’s hope the baby inherits some of his father’s magical ability and not his attitude.”
“She’s having a boy,” said Evan.
Nath’s face washed with surprise. “Congratulations!”
“Thanks! Evan cracked the code with his insane powers,” she laughed.
Evan smiled, she seemed happy and whatever Will’s message had said seemed to have changed something in her. “I guess almost dying changed something in him.”
“Evan saved Will’s life on that mission,” said Nath, watching Kalani’s expression morph into shock. “His ribs were mysteriously broken and infected, a lung was punctured, it was beyond what an ordinary medic could save without a surgeon’s table.”
“That’s incredible, Ev!” she gasped, face warming.
“It was my duty,” he said.
“Would you have let him die if it wasn’t?”
“No.”
“Then you didn’t act out of duty,” she said triumphantly, sipping her orange juice on ice.
∞∞∞
The entirety of the following day was spent in the Privy Council with the lords trying to organise the assault on Edinburgh. It took many hours of discussion, but the plan was in motion.
“We can dispatch the soldiers first and follow up with our own methods of travel, or we can go on foot like the last assault,” said Gerard.
“I’d rather travel by foot, but I cannot risk being waylaid for a long time, certain events may coincide with our plans if we leave it too long,” said Nathaniel.
Evan felt the change in the air, it was subtle but there. The atmosphere tasted metallic and fearful.
“I don’t wish to postpone the siege.”
“That’s understandable, Your Majesty, but—” the arrival of a messenger silenced Gerard.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty,” the young lad hastened a bow. “All civilians in the city have been arrested and they’re to be enslaved or executed based on personal value and willingness to submit to the warlock ruling.”
Nath rose, face darkening. “Thank you,” he nodded to the messenger who bowed and disappeared. “We’re leaving in days, prepare the soldiers for immediate dispatch, however many we can spare,” a flicker of agony passed his eyes. He was hurting; the very things he’d tried to prevent were coming true.
Evan’s heart was a block of ice, quivering ice that felt ready to shatter. Another mission; more horrors and monsters and magic and death. He watched each member of the council look to the King with respectful wariness. They still viewed him as the mild-mannered, adorable prince some of them had watched grow into the sovereign he now was. Pride bubbled up his throat like a strawberry milkshake.
“I will take the city back and reclaim Scotland for the throne, in the meantime I will make my own preparations,” Nath said calmly.
∞∞∞
Evan hadn’t expected to be face down ass up on Nath’s desk the following afternoon, not that he was complaining. After receiving the summons he thought Nath might be calling to say there’d been a change of plans and they were leaving on the spot, but no. He’d been summoned, romanced and enjoyed.
“And I thought you were gonna give me bad news when I got here,” he laughed.
Nath was all over him, kissing him and smoothing his hands over every inch of soft skin. “Not at all. I just missed you.”
Evan was grinning with delight. “I bet someone heard us.”
“They’ve probably heard us dozens of times by now,” said Nath. “There’s always someone following royalty around, they just don’t dare barge in on a king.”
“Your Dad did.”
Nath was laughing. “Only once or twice masturbating. What about you, have you ever been caught?”
Evan coloured high and hot. “Yeah my family have barged in on me a bunch of times, gotta lock the door or they sometimes just walked in. I had to make sure I never fell asleep without my boxers on because if anyone came in to wake me up…”
“Fortunately I was granted a little more privacy,” Nath’s voice was light, playful. “My sibling lives far away from here.”
Evan nodded, unable to imagine what life would’ve been like without Kalani and Ian. From before birth he’d had someone there to share things with and regard as a friend, Nath on the other hand, had been
isolated by his curse and status. Fame and power came at a price.
“I don’t think we’ll be the only ones fucking for too long,” Nath’s lips curled in a knowing smile.
“Will and Dante,” said Evan. “Maybe he’ll finally leave you alone.”
“I truly hope so.”
Chapter 19
Will
The library was fucking boring but at least it was a change from his office and private rooms. Endless, were the ridiculous subjects his father desired he study; half of them great words by great men of great era’s long passed. Enchantments, fire bending and how to draw the magic from his very core and harness it like a wildfire. Dozens of books with fine print that, now he was a young member of the Privy Council, he’d have to study closely if he wanted to keep his position.
Half an hour passed and Dante showed up with his blue eyes and brunette locks to run your fingers through. A smile lit up his face as he approached.
“I did not expect to find anyone else here,” he said, accent slight but tantalising.
Will cleared his throat and gestured for him to take a seat. “The Prince comes here every day, but besides him it’s usually empty.” Why was he saying this?
A flicker of a smile crossed Dante’s face. “Ah, Prince Evan, he’s even nicer than they say. You are not a regular then?”
Regular. The way he said it with the delicately rolled r. “I should’ve said, other than me,” he flashed a wide smile. “Are you studying?”
Dante nodded and pulled out a leatherbound beast of a book entitled: The Scripts of Greatest Minds of the 1300’s Era of Enchantments. He noticed Will’s crinkled nose and blushed slightly. “My father wants me well educated on English history; this is one of many from my required reading list.”
“What kind of a job do ya want?” asked Will.
There was a small shift in Dante and he laughed. “Oh, that depends what you’re referring to, but I am hoping to study the inter-dimensional rifts and their effect on time and space. I also like to map the stars, so astrophysics is something I’m considering.”
Will couldn’t control his shark-like grin. “Sounds like your father thought you’d fit in well at the court of a lunarmancer.”
“His Majesty’s powers are miraculous. I’ve heard of his travel by the light of Lunara. You were a part of that, yes?”
“Yeah, it’s true. I stole the jar of moonlight that helped him reach the gods,” Will said smoothly.
“What was it like? There are records of it, but little information, and they’re centuries old,” Dante’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.
Will sat back a little staring up at the cavernous ceiling glittering with a million stories. “I don’t think words can describe the feeling, but it was like every part of my body had become light and air. It was so bright I couldn’t keep my eyes open, but behind my eyes it was like I was a comet belting through space. I felt the cold of the moon and saw the brightness of the stars.”
“King Nathaniel is a force to be reckoned with. He’s earned a great deal of respect in Spain, and the agreements with trade are prosperous to our people,” he said, leaning in a little and smiling knowingly.
Will’s lips curled in a smirk.
“Who?”
“Me grandparents moved from Asturias to Yorkshire after me dad was born. Dad married a Spanish noble girl he met when he was traveling with King Elijah. My sister and I were born here,” said Will.
“Asturias is beautiful, and to think of the famous Starstone family originating from a place of seclusion,” he smiled. “So that makes you both an English and a Spanish nobleman?” Dante asked, eyebrows knitting slightly in a cute puzzled expression.
“I don’t really consider myself Spanish nobility because I’ve only been there a few times, but it’s beautiful,” said Will. A strange feeling prickled beneath his skin, it felt cool and unwelcoming, something along the lines of self-consciousness. Here was Dante fresh from his ancestral land that he knew little about. He’d been raised English from the moment he was born, and then Gerard’s investments blew up and his noble name became a worldwide recognition alongside his billionaire status. “I’d love to see a lot more of Spain, me grandparents serve homeland food when I visit, but that’s pretty rare.”
Dante’s smile was handsome to say the least. “Do you speak much Spanish?”
“Not nearly enough. I need a more consistent tutor,” he dared a smirk, and was rewarded with the blue of his irises glittering like ocean caps in spring. “You wouldn’t happen to know anyone, would you?”
“You’re in luck, I know someone who just moved here,” Dante said. “He’s a very good tutor and his English is excellent.”
Will’s smirk could slice a birthday cake. “Is his name Dante Alvarez?”
“Si.”
“Few questions before I hire you,” he lounged back in his chair, wrists winking with gold in the sunshine. “How old are ya?”
“Eighteen,” he said brightly.
“Unique?”
“Hydromancer.”
Will’s eyes flashed. A challenge; an ally. “How powerful?”
Dante’s grin was charming. “I can summon a rain shower and extract impurities so I’d never be without clean drinking water,” he shrugged.
“Impressive, do ya have any party tricks?” he spiked his brows and Dante laughed.
“I’ll show you my tricks if you show me yours.”
Will’s smirk had his desired effect, Dante’s skin brightened and his eyes sparkled. “One last question?”
“Yes?”
“Do you like boys, girls or all?” his stomach gave a leap; his heart a bound. Other than Nath he didn’t have much experience with guys, or girls really. He was picky and had been in love with Nath so long it the feeling of being romantically alone was alien. He’d flirted with plenty of noble girls and kissed a few more, but that was a different world to how he felt sitting here with Dante.
Dante’s face warmed like the Spanish sun. “Ahh, I like guys.”
Will’s grin was heartbreaking. “You’re hired.”
“I was hoping that would be the right answer.”
The room felt hazy and Will’s stomach performed somersaults.
“I’m free Thursday afternoon?” Dante said hopefully.
“As it happens, so am I,” said Will.
The main door creaked like an abused book spine and Evan walked in carrying a paperback and looking extremely pleased. He spotted them and Will’s stomach knotted as he made his way over.
Dante was on his feet, smoothing his baby blue shirt and bowing. “Prince Evan, Your Majesty.”
“Hello,” he said in his usual cheery manner. “How’re you settling in?”
Dante looked surprised at the Prince’s ease. “Well, Your Grace. I very much enjoy the gardens. Spring is well on the way, but it’s much colder here than in Spain, you feel the chill in the wind.”
“Ahh, you’ll get used to it. It’s much worse up north where I’m from, this place is nestled in the hills so it’s not as cold,” Evan said with a smile.
“Evening, Your Grace,” Will said. Great, now he’d have to pretend to be nice Evan, who Dante was now looking at with admiration. He suppressed the flicker of annoyance toying with his belly and hoped to the gods Dante didn’t take a liking to that bastard instead.
Evan took a breath like he wanted to say something to him but changed his mind. His eyes flicked to Dante and down to their books. “No offence, but that sounds bloody boring,” he pointed to The Scripts of the Greatest Minds.
Dante chuckled, light and breathy. “Your candor is admirable, Your Majesty.”
“Evan is fine.”
Dante was horrified. “With the greatest respect, Your Majesty, I must title you appropriately.”
“Unless I say otherwise,” Evan smiled. “Anyway, I’ve got the morning off,” he glanced at Will. “Laters,” he said, and disappeared in the direction of the cosy parlours.
; When he was gone, Dante turned a smile on him. “Prince Evan is charming, yes?”
Will crinkled his nose a little. “He’s charming in his own way, I suppose.” He knew if he started being an ass about Evan now Dante might think he was a shit person and, despite his nerves, he cared what Dante thought. “I admire his powers, he’s a skilled healer.”
Chapter 20
Evan hated being burst in on, most of all when he was napping at his work desk before lunch.
“It’s impossible,” said Gerard, throwing himself into the chair opposite.
Evan sat up and tried to look as though he hadn’t been sleeping in front of a pile of order forms that demanded his signature. “What is?”
“Travel. We can’t spare any soldiers, we’ve lost too many and won’t be able to hold fort in any of our units or they’ll be under siege, too,” he sighed and shook his head.
“I know, Nath’s already told me. What do you think’ll happen to the people of the city?”
Gerard eyed him strangely. “The King is bargaining for their lives by removing the dragon’s threat.”
Evan turned ghostly. “He’s been dreading removing our only safeguard on the city. I know how much this must hurt him.”
“He’s as angry as you’d expect him to be, but he’s determined, and Nathaniel’s determination is likely to bring us a victory,” said Gerard. Something odd flickered across his handsome face; the lines between his brows creased deeply. “He’s changed the plans. It could be weeks before we leave.”
He opened his mouth.
“But I’ve as much idea as you about what he’ll do,” he said quickly, looking at Evan as though he’d just give up the King’s secrets.
Evan sighed and sank back into his plush chair.
“There was no choice. Hopefully he can garner their release or at least guarantee their safety even if the conditions aren’t great. Some of them are people of worth and nobility,” Gerard continued, staring wistfully out the window at the crystal-blue sky garnished with clouds a sweet shade of candy floss pink. “His Majesty is being wise but secretive about his decisions,” he said slowly, “of course I’ve no idea why.”