Page 7 of My Blood Is Yours

“An actual ear? Does it say whose?”

My father shakes his head. “Some god I’ve never heard of.”

That is… mildly fascinating. “Did it grow back?”

He shrugs, returning to his book.

While my parents have made it clear to me that they don’t blame me, I can’t help the gnawing guilt in my gut, regardless. However, as of late, a slightly more urgent matter has stifled that guilt and replaced it with the demand of the Summoning.

“I need to use themundrapedra.”

My father’s eyes remain fixed on his book, his voice bored. “No.”

My jaw works in frustration—both at my father and the building physical agony that is the symptom of trying to ignore the Summoning.

“You don’t understand. I cannot keep ignoring it.”

He still doesn’t meet my gaze, but I can see his mouth press into a hard line. “I won’t lose another son to that blasted ring again.”

At yet another denial, I feel the weight of the last three months upon me. The sole reason I haven’t ignored my father’s denial and tried toborrowthe ring from them is out of guilt. My parents have already lost one son—something I am at least in part to blame for—when he slipped through the cracks toAkash-only-knows-where after our home realm, Vassileo, was split open by a goddess, the Queen of Atratus.

A deep grunt escapes me as my too-large body drops onto one of my mother’s chaise longues, and I throw an arm over my eyes. The settee groans beneath my weight, a plea for me to get off of it. “You wouldn’t be losing mebecauseI have themundrapedra.I’ll be able to come back.”

The book in my father’s hand slams shut before he slides it back onto the bookshelf. “And what will you do when all the humans see your horns, wings, tail, stone-colored skin, hm? When they run in terror from you?”

“I can wear a glamour.”

“What if you can’t convince her to come back with you? What if you have to stay there until you can? What will you do while you sleep? You don’t have the magic to maintain a glamour when you’re unconscious. What if someone finds you?”

“I can come back here to sleep. No harm done.”

My father gives me a look like I’m an idiot for even daring to say something so ridiculous. We both know once I find her, I won’t be without her—even if it is just to sleep.

Hopefully, there won’t be any sleeping, and she’ll feel the Summoning as strongly as I do—and I’ll be buried up to my knot in her pretty pink cunt I’ve been dreaming about for the last three months.

With a long-suffering sigh, my father shakes his head, not even bothering to argue. Silence ensues for so long that when I move my arm and open my eyes, I’m startled to find him standing in front of me. The male moves like a fucking cat.“Akash almighty.Can’t you walk louder?”

“It is not worth the risk.”

“You do realize how hypocritical that is don’t you? If it weren’t for that ring, you and my mother would never have met.”

His scowl deepens. “If you’d been to Terrenea, you’d understand. It may be filled with humans, but they are as barbaric as they are clever.”

“So what, I’m just supposed to ignore the Summoning?”

“There are plenty of humans here in Atratus. Maybe she’s here.”

She’s not.The world I saw was nothing but humans, but I don’t need to remind him of what I’ve already said.

“Great, then themundrapedrawon’t have to take me very far.”

My father frowns.

“Are you even ready to take on the responsibility of having a mate and all that would follow? Are you ready to ascend to archdaemon? Begin breeding little hellions of your own? You know that’s what would be expected of you.”

I would love nothing more than to have a mate and fill her belly with our young. Ascending to archdaemon, however, is a responsibility I donotwant. Theriel was supposed to assume that role.

“… It’s not like as soon as I have a mate, you would have to step down from the throne.”

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