Page 59 of Heart of the Fae King

“Sometimes I wonder what I was thinking, naming him after my father,” Nyx blurted out unexpectedly.

I whirled my head around, blinking in surprise. “We had a whole discussion about this when he was born,” I reminded him with a small, concerned laugh. “It’s a family name. Or at least that’s what you said.”

“I know. But it still reminds me of my father every once in a while,” he admitted. “It’s a memory I could do without.”

I pursed my lips together. “Does it remind you of your father, or of the shapeshifter pretending to be your father?”

“It’s all part of the same bad memory.”

I fully turned myself toward him and took his hands, shaking my head. “Except it’s not. Lucian is the future. He’s not yourfather. He’s not the shapeshifter. He’s our creation, born of our love and matehood.”

Nyx smiled at me and leaned forward to kiss my lips. “How do you always manage to snap me out of my silly ideations?”

“They’re not silly. They’re valid,” I promised him. “But we have always promised ourselves to look to the future, not the past.”

He nodded, brushing that strand of hair out of my face. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he jumped up. “Lucian!”

I whirled around, but before either of us could react to our son jumping into the pond, a plume of teal smoke spread across the courtyard, and Ayan plucked our son up by the armpits before even the guard could reach him.

My racing heart stilled to see the enchantress, who rubbed her nose against Lucian’s giggling face and plopped him back on the ground.

“Stay on solid ground, child,” she warned him sweetly. “Wolves aren’t the best swimmers I’ve ever seen.”

Lucian stared at her with wide, yellow eyes. “Okay,” he agreed, entranced with her flowing ebony mane.

“Thanks,” I exhaled, relieved to see her.

“Alpha, your car has arrived,” she informed Nyx, winking slyly at me in acknowledgment of my gratitude.

“Already?” Nyx demanded, staring down at his watch. “Oh! It’s noon!”

“Time flies when you’re out partying all night,” I jested, and he rolled his eyes.

“It’s not going to be a regular thing,” he promised.

“I hope it is,” I replied honestly.

He stared at me in confusion. “You want me to stay up playing poker all night with the ministers?”

I laughed as Ayan discretely turned away, making herself scarce in our conversation. “No. I want you to make friends. It’s good for you.”

He grinned and shrugged. “It was fun.”

“Come, Prince Lucian,” Ayan called the boy. “Your papa is going to take you on a trip.”

Lucian toddled toward them, his face perplexed. “Up, Papa?”

Nyx scooped down and lifted our son effortlessly into his arms, turning to me. “Are you sure you don’t want to come on this camping trip?”

I laughed. “First of all, I’m not a wolf,” I chuckled. “Secondly, I’m going to be opening a new community center in downtown South Havenmire for the low-income families to enjoy.”

“I’m sorry we won’t be here,” Nyx replied, genuine regret painted on his face.

“You were here for the last event,” I reminded him. “And you’ll be here for the next one.”

Nyx nodded, but the disappointment in his eyes was clear. “I don’t like being away from you overnight.”

I placed my hands over his face and kissed him on each cheek. “It’s one night, and it’s the start of a great bonding tradition with your son,” I reminded him. “Didn’t you say your father used to do this with you until you learned how to shift properly?”

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