Page 159 of The Nymph Prince
I still wasn’t sure what had happened in that moment, but I felt in my heart that Theron was special. He was the son of a nymph and a mage and had been brought into this world with magic. It made sense for him to have gifts that other children didn’t.
Once we got home, I gave Theron a bath as Alek started dinner.
Theron pointed at a bubble and grinned when it popped.
He had my silver hair and green eyes, but he had Alek’s nose and lips. He was both of ours.
Eva had been honored to carry our child, and though she loved Theron and visited us every now and then, she had no interest in being a mother. That didn’t stop her from showering Theron with love and gifts each time she visited, though. She was on her way to spoiling the boy.
The method of having Theron hadn’t been too complicated. Not as daunting as I’d imagined it to be. Since both Eva and Alek were mages, they’d been able to combine mine and Alek’s seed and complete the ritual without much difficulty. The hardest part, for Alek at least, had been that we’d had to make love in front of someone else in order to complete it.
I smiled at the memory. My mage was brave and selfless, but he was shy when it came to certain things.
I dressed Theron after his bath and we found Alek setting the table in the dining room. Theron ran over and hugged his legs, and when Alek stepped forward, the toddler went with him, beaming as he did.
Father had sent a plethora of gifts in celebration of Theron’s birth, such as a large dining table that’d supposedly been made from the hull of a legendary ship, expensive vases that served no purpose other than to look nice, and toys and clothing made of the finest material. He visited often, not ever staying for long, but the visits were nice. I wanted Theron to know his grandfather.
Father had been curious when seeing me and Alek together.
“I didn’t think you’d ever find another man to love,” the king had said to me in private.
“You loved again after Mother,” I’d gently reminded him. “The heart is big enough for more than one great love in life.”
No more had been said on the matter.
After placing Theron in his chair, we ate. Alek told me about his day, and I told him about mine. Our life might’ve been simple, but it was the best kind of life. We each had been shoved into roles we didn’t want since the day of our birth, so we treasured being able to make our own paths.
“Have the visions stopped?” Alek asked as we cleared the table.
Theron was near the hearth, playing with his toy horses. I watched him a moment, holding off on remembering the dark visions that’d started plaguing me again.
“No,” I answered, stepping into Alek’s arms and resting my head on his chest. “I hoped Mother’s gift of prophecy would spare me after the battle, but they’ve only become more intense as of late.”
“And you see Avalontis?”
“Yes.”
It was the vision I’d had so many times; the murky water around Avalontis and the silence as I stood outside the palace. And then the bodies of the dead floating above me.
“What do you think it means?” Alek asked before kissing my head.
“That the war isn’t over,” I whispered, closing my eyes and taking the comfort he gave. “That King James is involved. Or if not him…then my brother.” My body shook, and I pressed myself closer to my mate. His arms kept me from falling apart. “There’s a change in the tide, Alek. I feel it in my core. The storm Father once mentioned is coming for us at last.”
“It’s not comin’ for us,” he countered. “Whatever danger is lurking in the depths is for your father, I’m sure.”
“I cannot stay silent and let my people fall, though.” The faces of the dead children flitted through my mind, and I squeezed Alek tighter. “No matter what he may or may not have done in the past, he’s my father and I love him.”
A pressure at my leg made me look down.
Theron gripped the material of my trousers, staring up at me with worried green eyes.
“I’m all right,” I told him as I knelt to his level, forcing a smile.
His tiny hand touched my cheek and his brow wrinkled. A second passed, then another. Tingling warmth traveled through me, swirling from my cheeks to the top of my head. His green eyes widened before he threw his little arms around my neck.
I rubbed his back and glanced up at Alek.
Had our son just seen into my mind? It felt that way. Such a gift was more than rare; it was one only found in myths. Having the ability to see into another’s mind was a feared gift, for it exposed traitors, liars, and enemy plans.
