Page 56 of Foretold

I smile at him while Pandora takes him in. “Hello, Prince. You look just like a miniature version of your father, do you know that?”

“I’ve been told,” he replies, sitting beside me. “Dad said I can do my training with him today.”

“You’re going to get up there and spar?” I ask, and he nods, grinning.

“I have to be a warrior like him and protect the kingdom.”

Pandora and I share a look, my hand going to my chest. This boy could not be any sweeter. “You will be a strong leader one day, Vale.”

He gives me a cheeky grin. “And I’ll get to mate with a hot female like you.”

Pandora makes a choking noise, trying to hide her laugh and failing. “Like father like son.”

Rave takes Elios down, a smirk on his lips as he wins, offering his hand to pull his brother back up. Vale cheers hard for his dad, and I can’t keep the smile off my face. Soren and a royal guard I’ve never seen before are up next. The guard is handsome, with dark skin, short black hair, and bright blue eyes.

“Who is that?” I question.

“That’s Tor,” Vale replies, apparently knowing all the castle gossip. “Soren is training him to take his old position leading the army since he’s Dad’s advisor now. He’s a seasoned warrior.”

“He’s very good-looking, and he’s loyal to Rave,” Pandora comments, but when I look over at her, her eyes are on Soren, her fingers playing with the black diamond chain she always wears.

“Soren or Tor?” I tease.

Something too quick for me to catch crosses her features before she smirks. “Tor, of course.”

Either she’s heavily in denial or thinks I’m an idiot.

Soren rips off his tunic, showing off his muscular build. He rakes his hand through his blond hair, stretching his neck from side to side before taking his stance.

“Tor doesn’t stand a chance,” Vale murmurs, crossing his little arms over his chest.

“Who are you sparring with?” I ask him, not seeing any other kids around.

“Dad,” he replies, smirking. “Iron sharpens iron. To be the best, I have to go against the best.”

My mouth opens and then closes.

You know what, Vale deserves to be Rave’s heir.

Vera has been suspiciously absent, and I wonder what she’s up to next because there is no way she’s given up after the last stunt she pulled. Unless she’s found a new man, and maybe he’s keeping her busy?

One can only hope.

After Tor gets a few good hits, Soren stops playing with him and draws first blood with a hard knock to his jaw.

“Holy shit,” I mutter in surprise as I see not only August but Bane, Kai, and Axe approaching me. My first thought is that something must be wrong. Standing up, I run over to them, and August smiles widely, quickly wrapping his arm around me. “Is everything okay?”

“Rave invited us,” Bane explains, crossing his tattooed arms over his muscular chest. His black tunic is rolled up at the sleeves, showing off his corded forearms and veins. His dark eyes roam to the fighting ring where Sinda is now sparring with Cove.

I’m not going to lie, it’s kind of weird having them here, but it also settles my soul. And the fact that Rave invited them meansso much to me because I know, for a fact, he can’t stand most, if not all of them. Or maybe they are growing on him.

Axe cracks his knuckles. “And now I see why… time to kick some fae ass.”

Or yes, perhaps he invited them here so he has an excuse to fight them.

Kai smirks, kissing my temple. “Why aren’t you up there?”

“Oh, I want to be.” I sigh, my eyes going back to Rave now standing opposite his son, making a big show of circling him. “But now that I’m queen, no one will volunteer to spar with me. It’s not like I suddenly became breakable just because they put a crown on my head.”

---