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Chapter 41

41

BLAZE

“ S o…what are your plans for the Spring Prince and elf?” my father asks a short time later, after I dropped Kassandra off at my rooms and returned to his office.

I swirl the dark alcohol around in the glass before throwing it back in a single mouthful. The bitter liquid burns my throat in the best fucking way possible.

“Am I supposed to have plans for them?” I ask with feigned nonchalance, tapping the fingers of my free hand against the armrest.

My father’s office is spacious, with a mahogany desk, four armchairs, a roaring fireplace, and a mantel full of nicknacks. A rug made out of the fur of some unknown monster rests directly before the hearth, the white a startling contrast to the rustic tones of the room. Bookshelves line the wall opposite the fireplace, each one holding every type of genre in existence. He may not look like it, but my father is an avid reader, always striving to learn something new.

An eternity of monotony will do that to you.

I shift on the chair, and the wood squeaks ominously. Suffice to say, this furniture wasn’t meant to hold males as large as me and my father.

“I’m just going to come right out and ask this.” Father steeples his fingers together and leans forward. The movement causes his dark-red robe to pull taut against his shoulders and biceps. “Do you plan to kill the little prince and the elf? I’ll support you, my son, but we need to have precautions in place?—”

“No.” I scowl at nothing in particular. “I don’t plan on killing them.”

Surprise dances across my father’s features. Most fae wouldn’t be able to tell, but I’ve been around this male for centuries. I know everything there is to know about him.

He doesn’t understand why I don’t want to kill Treyton and Aleksander, and to be completely honest, I don’t blame him. I once would’ve run my sword straight through their chests without a tick of hesitation, especially after learning what Treyton did. Even now, a cold chill skates its way down my spine, and something angry and bitter unfurls in my chest.

Yet killing them will hurt my little beast. That is unacceptable. I would sooner cut off my own hands than do anything to harm a hair on her head.

I despise the fact that she’s their mate as well, but there’s nothing I can do about it besides show her that I’m the better choice. That I’ve changed. That I can be worthy of her love.

I want her to choose me, and I want it to be because she burns for me as much as I do for her. I want it to be because her heart yearns for me when I’m not in the room and she misses me when I’m away. I want it to be because my face plagues her dreams and she wakes up wet and needy, my name a desperate plea on her lips.

I don’t want it to be because she has no other options.

But how can I explain all that to my father? He wouldn’t understand. Hell, I don’t even understand. For some Gaiadamn reason, the universe decided to be cheeky and offer me a big, fat middle finger. Why else would Gaia gift me a mate who’s also mated to my enemies?

“I have plans for Aleksander and Treyton,” I tell my father at last, focusing back on my empty glass.

I suddenly wish I didn’t drain it so quickly. I need the burn of alcohol to make it through this conversation.

“Plans,” my father repeats.

His eyes narrow nearly imperceptibly in a way that makes me feel as if I’m on display.

“Plans.” I place my empty glass on the edge of his desk and move to stand. “If you’ll excuse me?—”

“Going to see your pretty little mate?” My father’s tone is casual, but there’s an undercurrent of something that causes me to freeze. Tense. Slowly turn towards him. His own focus remains on his desk, which is cluttered with papers and books. “I like her. She’s quiet, though.”

I simply grunt in response.

My father insisted on giving Kassandra a brief tour of our castle before asking to meet with me alone. My father babbled on and on about the history of our kingdom. Told her that over a thousand years ago, a warrior and his son overthrew the ruling family after they disagreed with some policies that had been implemented.

I wonder if Kassandra put the pieces together and understood the truth of who the warrior and his son were.

If she figured out it was me and my father.

I’m desperate to return to her now and finally confess the truth of who I am. What happened to me. I know she’s protected—I put a dozen of my most trusted guards outside her room—but I need to see her with my own two eyes.

Hold her.

Kiss her.

Love her.

“I never would’ve expected you, of all fae, to get a mate. Certainly not one as soft and delicate as little Kassandra.” My father chuckles as if he just told the most hilarious joke, while my expression remains grim.

After a moment, my father gets himself under control and asks the question I can tell has been nagging at him for a while now. “I suppose you’re no longer willing to marry Serena? I don’t blame you. Once you find your mate…” He gives a wistful sigh before focusing back on me. “What do you plan to do with her? With your mate?”

Tension thrums through my body.

Is that a…threat?

My father must see something on my face because he holds his hands up placatingly. “I didn’t mean it like that, son.” He cants his head to the side. “Does she know? About…you?”

I don’t respond. Don’t allow him to see any flicker of emotion on my face.

“I’m not saying this to hurt you, son, but I know firsthand what it’s like to love and lose someone.” Grief flashes across his face, and I wonder who he’s thinking of. My mother, who died years ago? One of his other lovers?

His mate?

I know he had one long, long ago.

I also know she died of old age.

I tighten my grip around the armrest as I think about losing Kassandra in such a way.

Holding her frail, brittle hand as she lies on her deathbed…

Hearing her last rattling exhale…

Watching the life drain from her brilliant blue eyes…

My heart constricts, and it’s suddenly hard to take in a breath.

I don’t give a damn that she may turn old while I’ll remain young forever. I will love her regardless.

But I won’t be able to handle watching her die.

I fucking refuse.

“That won’t happen,” I tell my father curtly, my words superimposed over a growl.

“Blaze—”

“I’ll figure out a way to make her immortal like me,” I snap. “I won’t let her die.”

Some of my father’s skepticism is replaced by fascination. “You love her, don’t you?”

This time, I don’t even need to think of my answer. “With everything that I am.”

“Good.” My father rubs a hand over his whiskered chin. “I was beginning to worry about you.”

I stare at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve watched you for centuries, Blaze.” A wry grin touches the edges of his lips. “You only really did three things—fought, fucked, and coveted my crown. I thought there was something wrong with you. How could you not fall in love at least once? But now… Now, I know the truth. You were waiting for her . For your mate.” He shifts on the chair. “I pray that you find a way to stay with your mate. Gaia only knows what you’ll do to this world if you were to ever lose her.”

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