Page 14 of Mountains of Mist and Magic

Phillippe bowed his head respectfully. “Renya, it's so good to have you home.”

Renya crossed over to him and embraced him. “It's good to be back! I missed my brother!”

Phillippe smiled, glad to see that Renya was fitting in so nicely with their family. He sensed that she had been lonely prior to coming back to their world, and he hoped that she found what she was looking for within their family.

“I take it you've finally gotten her out of your system, Brother? Perhaps now you can focus on other things.” Phillippe winked exaggeratedly.

Grayden playfully shoved him. “She'll never be out of my system.”

A rosy hue crept up Renya's cheeks, but she quickly composed herself. “How about Esmeralda? Is she out of your system?”

“Touché, Sister.”

“Renya!”

Renya's aunt ambled into the courtyard, ignoring both brothers and making a beeline towards her niece. She snatched Renya up in a tight embrace. “I have never been so glad to see you!” The women started chattering, and Grayden took that moment to pull Phillippe aside.

“I need to talk to you.”

Phillippe watched Agatha and Renya walk into the lodge. “Right down to business, huh?”

Grayden scowled, his jaw clenching slightly. Phillippe raised an eyebrow, taken aback by his brother's demeanor. Even after spending so much uninterrupted time with Renya, it seemed his brother was still a grouch. Or perhaps he was just sad to be back.

“Okay, okay. Let's head to my office—your office.”

The pair were silent as they approached Grayden's study. Phillippe watched as Grayden pushed open the door, and then went straight to the bookshelf. He pulled out a bottle of fireale that was hidden behind a book.

“Seriously? You had that in here and never thought to tell me?”

Grayden shrugged as he pulled out two glasses from his desk. “If you'd bothered to read, or even just pick up one of the books, you would have found it.”

Phillippe made a sour expression and grabbed a glass as soon as Grayden poured the amber liquid.

“So, is this the kind of conversation we need to be seated for?”

Grayden didn't answer as he sat down in his chair behind the desk.

“I see.” Phillippe sat opposite the desk. “What is it?”

“Renya's...with child.”

Phillippe's eyes widened, his jaw going slack. “How—so soon? That's—amazing.”

Grayden took a long swig of his fireale. “Even sooner than you think. She wagers that she's about three months gone. She's been pregnant since before Cressida took her.”

Phillippe smirked. “Well, good work, then. But why the bad mood?”

Grayden let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping. “I'm happy, of course. But anxious, rightfully so. Births in our lifetime have been so few, and so dangerous for both mother and child. Plus...Renya wants to go to the Sun Realm.”

“What?”

Grayden rubbed his chin. “Her father is growing weaker, and he's asked that she come to the Sun Realm and take her rightful place as ruler.”

Phillippe leaned back in his chair, his mind reeling. He hadn't really thought much about it, but he assumed Renya would live here and everything would go back to the way it was.

“But...what about you?”

Another deep sigh from Grayden. “My priorities are now split. I have a duty to this land, and to my inheritance. But I also have a responsibility to my mate and our child. This child will be born of dark and light, snow and sun. I can't help but think that he or she is...important to this world. Not just to us, but to the entire fae population.”

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