Page 68 of Pregnant With Their Babes

Without another word, the Sea King hoisted himself off the balcony with Llyr in tow.

“Nooooo!” Dagr ran to the balustrade and stared down. The water lifted to meet the Sea King, and they slid upon the surface until they finally plunged under the surface. A bit of blue-green tail was the last bit of Llyr he was able to see.

Dagr screamed in anguish, his scream rocking through him on a sob.

When he turned, Oz dragged him into an embrace.

“He’s gone,” Dagr cried.

“I know…” Oz cleared his throat, fury shining in his eyes. “We’ll get him back. One way or another, we will get him back.”

* * *

Oz held Dagr close, his heart breaking. But his mind was a riot of questions. He noticed his father striding out onto the balcony.

“Why did you never tell me my mother was a mermaid?”

“She’d lost that part of her. Once you three were born and it seemed apparent none of you had inherited any of those traits, we assumed there was no point. It was too painful for her.” His father sighed. “She missed the water… but sacrificed it all to be with me. Sometimes I wonder if it would’ve been better for her to remain in her world… to marry King Augustine. But I was the selfish one. I loved her, and I refused to let her go.”

“From the sounds of it, shelostnothing. Llyr’s fatherrobbedher of it,” Oz spat. “And now he’s robbedusof Llyr.”

“Us?” his father asked, eyeing Dagr in his arms.

“Us,”Oz said more firmly. “Me and the man I love.”

His father’s eyes widened some, but he said nothing.

“We’re going to get him back.”

“No, you’re not,” his father replied.

“You can’t stop me,” Oz shot back.

“It would be a suicide mission!” His father stepped closer. “I’ve already lost two of my sons to the sea. I can ill afford another. There’s no way you can battle death itself.”

“How did you protect our realm from them all these years?” Dagr asked. “Surely he could’ve sent them before to bring the Queen back to him.”

Oz’s father lifted a pendant from his neck. “This was your mother’s. It kept those things at bay—or so I thought. After her death, I began wearing it to ensure the safety of my kingdom.” He shook his head. “Maybe the magic faded after she was gone.”

Oz slipped his arm from Dagr and moved closer. The pendant looked very much like Llyr’s. “I’ve seen one like it before.” He lifted his stare. “We could potentially use this to pass through the dead.”

“Did you not just see how easily they attacked? It’s worthless, Oz.”

“Father!”

His father scowled, indignant in his outrage. “You heard King Augustine! Your issue would destroy both our worlds! Once you’ve come to your senses you’ll realize this cannot be. You and this merman donotbelong together.”

Oz shook his head, hot tears stinging the backs of his eyes. “He belongs here with us.”

His father’s eyes widened… but the stern grimace that had tightened the king’s expression softened. “Are youtrulythat selfish that you would endanger everyone… for one merman?” his father asked him.

Oz fought back tears. He knew his father was right. The logical part of his brain saw the truth—but his heart refused to hear or accept it. “We’re simply to assume King Augustine is truthful about this prophecy? We need the castle witches to investigate it. See what we can find. I won’t let Llyr go without a fight.”

“Fine. Have them investigate. Appease your need to rebel against the inevitable, if you must. But if you find that it is as King Augustine says, youwillhave to let this merman go.”

Oz nodded, though every muscle in his body tensed, ready to refuse those terms. “I promise. If it’s as King Augustine says… I will let Llyr go.”

“And you will settle down. Here. Find yourself a wife and start a legacy,” his father added. “You need an heir, Oz.”

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