Page 44 of Heart of the Fae King

He whirled around and stopped. “Absolutely not,” he growled. “I have no idea what’s waiting for me down there, but if it is, in fact, my father, we are going to have a lot of adjustments to make around here.”

I balked, my heart dropping. “Like what?” I squeaked.

“I can’t get into all that with you right now, Maren,” he sighed, his face softening at my bewildered expression. “Let me just go see what’s happening downstairs, and I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay? Please, don’t come down until I come to get you.”

I pinched my mouth closed, not wanting to lie to him by promising to stay, but I also didn’t want to disobey him.

“Promise me, Maren,” he insisted. “I don’t want to tell the guards to keep you here.”

My jaw dropped. “I promise,” I stuttered, angry and annoyed at his threat.

“Good. Okay.”

He leaned in to kiss me, and I stiffened, my mind whirling as he disappeared out of the bedroom. I hurried to the doorway, watching him descend toward the main floor. The guards stared at me tonight, their disbelief mirroring ours, and I retreated into the bedroom again, debating what to do.

A part of me wanted to ignore my promise to Nyx and head downstairs, if only to lurk around the halls and see if I could listen in.

What does Nyx mean, we’ll have to make adjustments? What will happen to us?

I wrung my hands in front of me, trying to make sense of what was happening. After more than seven years and being declared legally dead, why would King Lucius return?

My fingers traced over my nightgown, my baby my main concern.

Where has your grandfather been all this time, little one? Why wouldn’t he send word?

I thought back to all the conversations I’d had with Nyx about his father. From what I’d gleaned, King Lucius had been a tough father and a relentless ruler. The pressure had just been too much for him. Nyx truly believed he had run off, likely leaving the continent entirely.

Did he run out of money? Did he regret leaving his son? His kingdom?

The not knowing was making me insane. I sat on the bed for what seemed like an eternity.

On a whim, I stood and grabbed my cell phone and texted the only being who might be able to help me. My nose itched, and a cloud of pewter appeared in less than a minute. Warily, Odette looked around the bedchamber for Nyx, her eyes popping with worry.

“He’s not here,” I said before she could even ask. “King Lucius has returned.”

Odette blinked singularly and stared at me. “Come again?”

“I don’t know!” I moaned, throwing my hands up and flopping onto the edge of the bed. “We were just sitting here… talking…” I trailed off, remembering our last words to one another. “And Harman came—that advisor from the cabinet?”

“I know Harman,” Odette said quickly. “What did he say?”

“That King Lucius has returned, and he’s in Nyx’s office!”

“That doesn’t seem possible,” Odette said slowly. “How long ago did that happen?”

I genuinely had no idea how long I’d been alone in the room, imagining every worst-case scenario. “I have no idea. An hour? Half an hour?”

Odette nodded slowly, a pensive expression overtaking her face, but she said nothing.

“What will happen if that is him?” I asked her, realizing that if this had been some kind of mix up or joke, Nyx would have been back by now.

The enchantress looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… well, is Nyx still the king? Or is King Lucius the king? Or…” I bit on my lower lip, again stroking my belly as I considered my baby’s future. Surely, King Lucius wouldn’t want someone like me carrying the future heir.

“I really don’t know. I can’t think of a historical precedent for this,” she said.

“Can he just come back like his, even if he is the king?”

---