Page 37 of Dark Master's Redemption

The moment I was Made Dark Fae in the first place.

By the Revenant the Gold Eyes—who was supposed to assassinate me for my father, but made me its puppet instead.

15

NOTHING

Lucca goes cold to his very marrow as Alleno gives us the news that his father, Archivolio Bellari, has outed him to the Summer Fae. As the announcement hits us that the King has not only revealed to his populace that Lucca is Dark Fae, but also cut Lucca from the line of succession and threatened any of his supporters with death if they’re found helping him, I have no words.

Fury churns inside me, and a dark wrath seethes from Quinn; Lucca feels strangely empty, however, as he sits between us. As if his father just reached right in and plucked out his beautiful heart, I feel Lucca’s bright love and his stalwart do-goodery fail.

It leaves nothing in its wake. Nothing but a cold, vacant sort of emptiness.

That makes me shiver, even as I pull him close to me by the waist.

Both my father and mother look grim at the news, though I can see they knew it was only a matter of time before it happened. I’m wrathful, churning with a livid hate now for King Archivolio Bellari and everything he’s done to Lucca. Quinn seems to weather everything the best, however, as he sits up now and heaves a deep sigh.

“I think we need some time to regroup, and process what’s been said,” Quinn says as he gives a cordial nod to both my parents. “Would you mind terribly if we retired to a guest room and had some rest?”

“Of course, Prince Incendari.” Even as my mother speaks to Quinn, rising from the couch to show us to some rooms, I see her catch herself. She doesn’t flush at her slip, at just calling Quinn by his old Summer Fae name and title, but flashes a quick, battle-ready smile as she shows us all to the door.

My father and mother look tired, however, as we egress from the study, then follow my mother up the wrought-iron staircase in the front hall. I want to spend more time with my parents, but know both Quinn and Lucca need me right now, as my mother leads us along the second floor to a beautiful wing of guest suites.

These suites are all connected by inner doors on the second level; as we step inside the made-up central room, even my mother doesn’t protest as Lucca, Quinn, and I all enter the room together. My father and mother only give us quiet words to make ourselves comfortable and settle in, and that lunch will be down in the main hall at noon, before they kiss my cheeks and depart.

But as they leave and Quinn shuts the door, I see our ample breakfast spread has already been moved up here to our rooms. Clearly, my mother and father use some Fae magic for daily tasks, as there’s no way the human house help could have gotten the food up here this fast ahead of us.

As Quinn heaves a sigh and heads to the table, I watch him swipe up the heaped trays of food and coffee, balancing them like a professional server on his hand and arms. Lucca watches him emptily as Quinn heads through the main room, into the opulent bathroom adjacent.

I hear the bath water start, thundering into the ample clawfoot tub within. As I move to the bathroom, Lucca follows me like he’s in a trance. Inside the lovely Italian marble space with its vaulted stained glass alcoves and wealth of potted plants, Quinn is already stripping down from all his Novakitsk clothing.

Stepping nude over the rim of the massive porcelain tub and settling down with a sigh.

“Well?” Reaching over the rim of the tub to pour himself some coffee and drink it in the bath, Quinn lifts an eyebrow at us as he settles against the sloped backrest. “Are you both joining me?”

The massive guest suite tub is built for far more than two people. I shake my head that his question was so very Quinn, though Lucca only stares sort of emptily at the tub.

I’m amazed at Quinn’s seeming resilience today, however. He’s only just come back from being a Revenant, he lost his entire Dark Haven in a single day, and we barely escaped Florence with our asses—and now Lucca’s received this news about being outed as Dark Fae, losing both his revolution and his position in Summer Fae society.

Yet, Quinn is already onto the next thing, taking his coffee and plotting our next move as I feel him churn with a million possibilities at all the information we’ve just heard. Something about it makes me amazed—as I feel a spark light once more inside Lucca, that Quinn seems to be so much back to his old self.

As I feel Lucca back away from that dark, inner emptiness that took him just now, I’m startled as he strides to the ample tub, stripping down.

Stepping in and sinking into the tub with Quinn, to simply enjoy some breakfast and a bath together.

I’m still reeling from all the changes in Quinn and Lucca just now, not to mention everything I’ve just learned about my own life. But seeing the almost strange normalcy of Quinn and Lucca together now has me moving towards them; stripping down also, I’m naked as I step into the wide clawfoot tub and Lucca helps me to a seat beside him in the water.

Quinn’s mind is moving a mile a minute as I join him and Lucca in the bath. Though we’re all naked in the filling tub, it’s almost like Quinn doesn’t even see Lucca and me now as he sips his coffee, then takes biscotto from the tray and some scrambled eggs, eating like a ravenous wolfhound.

I’ve never seen Quinn eat like this. Apparently, Lucca hasn’t either, as he lifts an amused eyebrow.

And shuts the water off before it overflows from the tub.

“Slow down, Quinn. Chew a little,” Lucca says now as he stretches out in the ample tub. I’m relieved to see some humor back in Lucca; something in me eases to see at least some of himself returned at Quinn’s antics.

Stretching out beside Lucca, I revel in the warm water, and the ease of being naked with my men in a much-needed moment of relaxation. I’ve always enjoyed this tub; built for at least four people, the porcelain clawfoot behemoth is more like a jacuzzi sans bubbles as Quinn and Lucca both stretch out facing each other now, resting on the sloped backrests at the opposite ends of the tub.

Reaching out, Lucca pulls me into his lap as he finally unwinds to the heat of the water. I peck him a kiss, then reach out over the rim of the tub and help myself to some eggs and bacon.

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