Page 63 of Dead Crown
Lumi shrugged. “You probably know more than me. Honestly, I know almost nothing. He wasn’t the sort to talk about his plans at all because my only purpose was to make a baby. He didn’t even say what would happen if I still couldn’t have a baby. I think…he planned to get a woman.”
Jaki made a face. “So you could forcibly impregnate her?”
“He never said it, but I think so. Caring for a second prisoner would have been an issue. Anyway, I do know he got rid of the court because it was expensive.”
“We eat stuff like horsebread now,” said Jaki. “I did it to save money. Father does little beyond basic work, and he spends too much on food, wine, and entertainment.”
The fact that he’d been fucking his half-Uncle was another weight, and Lumi spoke without thinking. “He never once suspected who I was.”
Jaki was silent for a moment. “I don’t think he would have believed it if you admitted the truth. How…how did you get through those three years?”
“I pretended I was free. I guess I’m good at acting to some extent because I had to pretend a lot so Tivar wouldn’t get mad. I just wanted to survive at first, and…” Lumi stopped. Jaki probably didn’t want to hear that shit. “I want to take a nap, okay?”
Chapter Fourteen
What was Jaki supposed to say to that stuff? Sorry? It’s okay? It would never be okay, and he wasn’t sure how Lumi had even managed to keep himself together enough to function after what he’d been through.
Jaki wasn’t sure if he’d want to survive while alone and suffering for years and years. Then again, the drive to live was often strong for many beings, and it had somehow stayed in Lumi. His daughter helped now. He didn’t hate her despite being Tivar’s. Besides, it wasn’t like she asked to be born to them, so it wasn’t her fault.
Jaki lounged on the floor against the wall and dozed for a bit until it grew dark. He lit the lantern in the cabin and stretched without bumping anything. Jacqueline made a noise on the bed next to Lumi who was dead asleep.
She was probably hungry or ready to be up. Jaki leaned over Lumi to properly look at her face as she quieted and went still. Maybe she’d been dreaming. The dye on his brother’s ears had faded a lot. While pregnant, why bother changing his looks since he’d be stuck in a room? Tivar must have trimmed his hair since it was shorter than Jaki’s which came past his shoulders now, and it wasn’t very neat. Most of the grey from the glamor shampoo had worn off, although Lumi still had patches in his white hair.
Jacqueline certainly took after Lumi with her white hair. She had tufts on her pointy ears, and the rest of the white fur was fine. The pink of the skin showed.
She grunted in her sleep, so Jaki gently picked her up. Maybe if he could keep her calm, Lumi could sleep for a little longer. He certainly needed it. People didn’t typically go on long trips rightafter birth, and while he hadn’t complained, he still had to be feeling the effects from it. Sitting on a horse for hours was even tiring for Jaki, and he didn’t want to imagine what it would feel like after pushing out a baby.
He carefully sat by his brother’s feet. Hopefully, he wouldn’t get mad about Jaki holding her. It was his niece after all. Jaki knew to support her head, and he got comfortable with her.
Babies weren’t really his thing since they often cried a lot, and none of the courtiers brought children to court. It wasn’t allowed in a place where public debauchery might happen. He had little experience with them, and holding her felt a bit awkward since she was small even though she wouldn’t break like a glass ornament. He figured he’d better get used to having a niece.
Jacqueline was quite cute as she yawned. She squinted at him with an expression like the sight of his face offended her delicate sensibilities.
“You certainly are a Princess,” he muttered as he touched her chin. “Don’t cry, okay? Let your Father sleep a little longer. He’s quite tired.”
She grabbed his finger with one tiny hand. He assumed he’d have a baby one day, although it was always a “later” thing in his mind even though Father said he needed an heir.
He shifted Jacqueline to move her to his other arm the way he’d seen Lumi do, and he reached to turn up the lantern just a little. The tiny window showed it was completely dark outside now. He looked down at Jacqueline and noticed her eyes as she continued watching him.
They were pink.
Lumi’s were green like the sea ice in the north, and Reesing had the same color. Elswere said Jaki had gotten his eye color from his birth mother, and nobody else in the Royal Family had pink. Tivar was adopted, and he didn’t have pink eyes either.
She also had tufted ears like Jaki.
He glanced at Lumi, who was still asleep, and thought back. They’d only fucked once. That was it. It was the right timing, but…
It only took one time. Lumi had used his heat like always. Perhaps the herb failed, but it was more likely that Lumi hadn’t had time to take it. He’d had the guards haul Lumi out of his room early that morning. Not once had Jaki thought.
Lumi had never gotten pregnant before with Tivar.
Her name suddenly made sense. Lumi must have guessed, and now that Jaki was staring at her, he could tell she also had his nose along with the same coloring he shared with Lumi.
She wasn’t his niece.
He’d damn near pounded Lumi into the floor that morning, and not once had he thought of consequences, herbs, or anything. The only thing on his mind that morning had been hate and lust. Hate because Lumi had been a spy endangering them and refusing to break, and he shouldn’t have wanted to fuck someone sent by the enemy who wanted to see the Ice Court fall.
Yet, he hadn’t been able to get rid of the lust and the encompassing desire to bury his cock in his own brother. He’d been disgusted at himself for being unable to squash it, and he’d finally broken and given in. More hate for himself followed for allowing his lust to get the better of him, and he’d taken it out on Lumi by sticking him out in the open hallway while naked.
