Chapter 59

59

One Month Later

“ M y King,” a servant called, racing down the halls of Este Castle. The male wore the new livery with House Zadik’s emblem, a wolf howling at the crescent moon.

“Yes?” I said, pausing my walk and allowing him to catch up to me.

The shock from Izidora and Ruslan naming me king of the Night Realm at the conclave hadn’t worn off yet. Reuniting with Viktor and Kaztar hadn’t helped either, especially as we shared our grief over the loss of Vadim. But the pain of his loss was nothing compared to the news of my parents’ execution under Kazimir’s orders in response to my leaving the Night Realm.

Even now, tears pricked my eyes at the thought of everyone I had lost in the past year and a half. War had torn északi apart, and now we were trying to piece it back together, to heal as a people, rather than four separate realms.

The male skidded to a stop, his dark skin and golden hair signaling his Day Fae heritage. “Taya needs to speak with you, urgently.”

Sighing, I pushed my messy locks out of my face and nodded. “Lead the way.”

The halls were quiet at this time of the evening, most having retired after dinner. It wasn’t a huge affair, informal at best most evenings. I couldn’t bear to have all eyes on me, not when I was still processing everything that had happened.

We slipped into a sitting room reserved for nobility, but not often used. “Thank you, you may go,” I told the servant, and he shut the door behind us softly.

“Taya.” I greeted Kazimir’s former lover with ice in my tone.

Her red hair was tied back, and her golden eyes were swollen and watery. She nervously smoothed her hands over her dress. “My King,” she said finally, dipping into a quick curtsey.

“Did you need something?” I asked, exhaustion weighing down my bones.

She twisted her fingers together before smoothing them over her stomach again. “I’m pregnant,” she declared. “So are the others.”

My brows shot up my forehead. “How many?”

“Five, total,” she admitted, looking down at her feet before meeting my gaze again. “We need to leave the continent. Go somewhere else and start over.”

That was a plan I could agree with. I hadn’t been sure how to deal with Kazimir’s harem when I returned to Vaenor, so I’d sent them to live in the city, hoping they’d move on with their lives.

“How much gold do you need?” I asked. There wasn’t an amount I wouldn’t give to have them out of here.

She told me her number, and I promised to send it to her, along with arranging passage on the first ship that could carry them to another continent.

With a watery sniff, she departed, and I sank into a chair, needing a moment alone.

Still fucking cleaning up Kazimir’s messes.

At least Ruslan had executed Desmond immediately after Viktor surrendered, and I didn’t have to deal with the devious Mage. Just the fucking harem.

Rubbing my eyes, I gathered myself and slipped back into the halls in search of a few discreet servants. I sent three to the docks to secure passage, then wound my way to the Royal Treasury, unlocking the vault and taking the money I knew I could spare and slipping it into five leather pouches.

The docks were eerily quiet in the early morning, and the ships rocked lazily in the bay, waiting to be sailed into the deep blue waters. The five pregnant females descended the steps to the water carefully, a breeze lifting off the briny water and blowing their skirts around their legs. I watched them, wondering how the hell Kazimir had managed to sire five babes at once.

Taya led the group, her shoulders squared and golden eyes hard. “Where are we going?” she asked after rising from a polite curtsey.

“Keleti.” I paused my survey of the group of females who looked so similar to Izidora. “There is enough gold in each pouch to get you started in a new life. Please, don’t come back.”

And with that, I deposited a bag in each of their outstretched hands, then strode past, not bothering to look back until I crested the cliffs and the shouts of the sailors readying to depart drifted into my ears. Standing on the edge with the wind whipping at my hair, I waited until the sun rose higher and the ship disappeared into the distance, carrying the heirs to the Vaszoly line with it.

When I returned to my apartments at Este Castle, Liliana propped herself up in the bed, the sheets slipping down her bare torso and revealing her full breasts.

“Come here,” she begged, crawling toward me and sitting on her knees at the edge. Drazen stirred behind her, groaning as he rolled over to face us. Our gazes met, and he must have seen the harried determination in my face, because his brows dipped together.

My cock twitched in my pants, as I returned my attention to Liliana. I wanted nothing more than to forget what I had learned and bury myself inside her, but I had something important to say.

“Marry me.” It wasn’t a question, and I gripped her long hair in my hand and tugged her head back.

Her seafoam green eyes slid to Drazen, and I released her so she could face him. But his focus was locked on me. His sharp scrutiny slid over me, and I lifted my chin, not backing down. I hoped he sensed that even if I wanted Liliana as my queen, I didn’t want him to be banished from her life.

Liliana opened her mouth to speak, but the Dragon Shifter cut her off. “Endre needs a queen, little vixen. I won’t be going anywhere.”

“Are you certain?” she breathed, glancing between the two of us.

A rumble emanated from his chest, and he propped up on an elbow, using his other arm to turn her back to me. The tension in my ribs loosened, and I offered him a grateful look before grasping Liliana’s waist and hauling her to me. Her back bowed as she stared deeply into my eyes.

“Then yes,” she whispered, and I crashed my lips against hers, inhaling her scent like it was the only thing I needed to survive.

Because, right now, my soul was shattered, as was Liliana’s, and the three of us needed each other to heal from the trauma of the past year.

Breaking our kiss, I rested my forehead against hers, staring into the depths of her seafoam green eyes. “I love you, Liliana.”

“And I love you, Endre.”