Page 28 of Impaled By His Omega Prince
Askara squeezed his hand and urged him.
“Mother Goddess, moon above, holy is your glow.” Nerves shook his voice, and Askara urged him with yet another squeeze to speak up. Glancing back, he caught Lumic’s eye encouragingly.
Better. Now where has my child been?
“Mother Goddess, he was imprisoned in our dungeons. I did not know. I have set him free. It is my most sincere apology that this happened.” Lumic fought the urge to look away if his shaking twitch was to be believed.
“They treated me kindly, Mother. They were afraid of Alluin, afraid of what you’d do.” Askara turned his face up to the moon, basking in her glow, the cool air kissing his cheeks. She made his body feel whole. “And I wish to be taken as his mate.”
Generations ago, an alpha spurned my gift. I sent unto Croatens a moonborne son; one meant to raise the nation of Croatens up to be the balance for Liaberos. King Ensamel was a bitter omega, spurned by alphas and only seated the throne out of technicality. He took his anger too far and when Rahavi came to him—Ensamel took him unwilling and refused to pray to me. He forbade Rahavi from speaking to me. And for that, I cursed Croatens. I am a bitter, jealous goddess. So, for five generations, you have had famine, fratricide, and been ostracized. What say you, Prince Lumic?
Lumic took a deep breath and blinked hard, tears pooling the edges of his eyes. “You have blessed me, goddess, time and time again. You saved me, and now I see why King Ensamelwould have coveted a moonborne. Your child is the most beautiful alpha I’ve met. I see your light in his eyes. I smell the night mist in his hair. Mother Goddess, I humbly ask that I be allowed to take him as my mate.”
Why do you wear his dreadful talisman? Why do you hold his control?
“Mother, he gave it to me when he found it. I put it on him. If anyone I want to control me, to hold my will, it’s him.” Askara fought the urge to hold Lumic. He loved him. Granted, their time together had been short, less than a few months, but Askara knew. There was and would never be anyone else for him.
“It is as Askara has said. He placed his sigil on me, but I do not wish to control him. If I could, I would wipe those horrid sigils off him. I would take them onto myself to spare him.” Lumic’s voice cracked at the admission, and Askara caved in and leaned over to press a soft kiss to his temple. Askara didn’t mind his marks. They were part of him at that point, and if the goddess wanted him unmarked, she’d have helped him rid them.
You would take his marks?The soft coo of a voice, a whisper on the wind that kissed over Askara’s ears.
“A hundred times over. And I offer my most sincere apologies for what my ancestor did, and let you know that I will never take Askara for granted. I will never hold him from his mother. I will honor you. I cannot promise you a nation of followers, but my worship will go to the day and night sisters.” Lumic placed a pledging hand over his heart, spreading his fingers. “Any debt still owed; I will find a way to pay you.”
Your child. I will claim your child as my next vassal. They will also be moonborne, and I shall give them a name.
Lumic nodded and made a soft noise, something so close toyes.
Then it is done. No more brother shall fall to brother in the crowned court of Croatens, but only moonborne may seatthe throne. Only moonborne will be delivered of the crown. The crops this year will thrive, and you will build a shrine to me in your springs. You will divert the flow of some water to fill a basin, to flow endlessly at your demand. For Askara will give Croatens the gift of life and health.
“Vitalis?” Lumic’s lips parted in soft awe.
No. Vitalis is life. A dose will bring back from death, will heal the wounds of battle and injuries of the world. I give you Salus Omni, Salusis. Where vitalis can heal the wounds of the world—Salusis will ease illness, cure poison, and beat the creeping plagues that come from human lands.
Lumic paled in the moonlight and Askara placed a hand to his sternum, where his heart beat the hardest. In him lay magic so entwined with his thalms, and at the goddess’s word, it unraveled a little, ready to find host in his lands.
Do this before the babe is born. My sister will have her own demands, but I leave you with this, Askara—you are no bastard.
Askara nodded sagely. He had too many features similar to Alluin to have been a child of infidelity.
Queen Lyrica knew Alluin’s treachery would curse Liaberos before it was over. She sacrificed greatly for her country, and you were part of her offering. My sister gave them power and sunlight itself in an omega son, and they scorned him. King Nemiah and Virion of Drashil are my devout followers, and so will you be, too. Liaberos will no longer be the power it once was.
“Thank you, Mother Goddess.” Lumic’s cheeks streamed with tears. “I will do as you say.”
At that, the clouds coalesced and drifted on a breeze, covering the face of the moon as if to end the conversation.
“What do you think?” Askara turned to face Lumic and pulled his hand up, kissing the back of it.
Lumic didn’t answer, but another voice did as the door pushed all the way open, revealing Kershai. “I think Pallosar may need some convincing… And we have a lot to discuss with Alluin.”
Askara’s cheeks burned, but Kershai only smiled.
Chapter Nineteen
Lumic
Despite Lumic wanting nothing more than to take Askara to his chambers, Kershai insisted on meeting with Pallosar. For his alpha, Lumic could wait.
Pallosar rushed to meet Lumic at the door with worry glinting in his bright eyes, the green in them darker and steely. “Lu? Kershai is being unbearably cryptic…”
