Page 45 of The Prodigal Prince

Thor chuckled. “I never called him an idiot. I did call him a moron once. He deserved it.”

Queen Eliana grinned. “Yes, he did.”

Neither one elaborated on that story, but it had to be a dilly if the king’s head of security called him a moron and stayed on staff.

“The point is that we both understand why you would disappear to protect your son and his mother. We also understand why the prodigal would come home again, especially now that the danger is past.” The queen’s understanding smile relieved Mac.

When he looked at Fiona, he could see understanding on her face as well. That relieved him even more.

“How long have you known who my father was?” Mac asked them.

“I’ve known your whole life,” Thor told him gently. “There was no reason to interfere, not with Queen Carlotta as your mum. King Edward has suspected that you were adopted from the beginning. I don’t believe he knew for certain who your father was until several years later.”

The queen squeezed her husband’s hand. “He’s always done his best to look out for you in that sense, just like he did for my children. He and Alfred were best friends. It was his influence that first began to crack the hold Isaiah had on Benjamin. I didn’t know about your paternity until much more recently, but it does make you my nephew, and I am exceedingly glad to have the chance to get to know you.” Tears had filled the queen’s eyes, but she blinked them back in that way women seemed to have mastered.

Thor sighed. “King Edward and I have discussed it a couple of times during your prodigal years. If we’d known you were about to leave, we would have intervened, tried to help you in some way. Instead, we knew as little as anyone, despite spending a fair amount of time in the same area where you live.”

“I appreciate the thought.” If Mac had known he could go to men like Thor, maybe the last few years would have played out much differently. “I was usually able to tell when some of the families would be in town. I would be extra careful then.”

“And with his hair, beard, and glasses, he was barely recognizable,” Fiona interjected. “If you’d seen him in a time and place you didn’t expect to, you may not have realized it either.”

Thor nodded. “It’s my job to notice those things, but you’re correct.” He checked his phone. “If you’ll excuse us, we do have somewhere we need to be.”

They all stood and walked to the door.

The queen placed her hand on his cheek. “I don’t believe any of my children are aware of your relationship, but please know this. You are always welcome as a member of this family.”

The words touched Mac in a way he didn’t expect.

Maybe it would all be okay.

* * *

The momentbetween Mac and his aunt, the former queen, was a touching one Fiona didn’t want to interrupt.

It ended soon enough as the queen and her husband left the room.

Mac blew out a breath. “I don’t know what I expected, but that wasn’t it.”

Fiona waited for him to go on.

“It does confirm to me that I did the right thing. If I’d known about Edward or Thor, things could have been different, but given the information I had at the time, I did the only thing I could have done.”

Fiona knew she’d had it much easier than most single moms, but at times, it had been hard - so hard. But given what she knew now, she agreed and told him so.

“I’m glad you understand. I always prayed you would when the time came to tell you.” He took her hand as they walked back into the sitting area. “I’m not happy about what happened with Gray in San Majoria, not at all, but I am glad I was there, and it pushed me to find you.”

Though Mac seemed to have something on his mind, they only made small talk. Fiona took out her ereader and opened a new book - this one, from November 2023, was a young adult, space romance/adventure story by E A Hendryx. Fiona had read several of the authors books in other genres and had been looking forward to finding time to starting this series.

As expected, she was immediately drawn into the story and before she realized it, enough time had passed that the sun was setting, and Mac was answering the door to a staff member pushing a cart with a snack on it.

Gray came running in a few seconds later. “Mummy!”

Fiona laughed at his affectionate title. “What did you call me?”

“Mummy?” He sounded less certain and more apprehensive.

She pulled him in for a hug. “Where did you hear that?”

---