Page 29 of Impaled By His Omega Prince
When his eyes rose, confusion and slight shock mottled his features. “Is this your moonborne?”
Lumic turned his head and glanced at Askara, urging him to step forward. “He saved me. And the goddesses say he will bring great power to our kingdom.”
Pallosar tensed at those words and frowned. The beat of silence extended before Askara bowed low, his horns a defining characteristic of the type of alpha he was in plain view. There, Pallosar couldn’t deny what he was.
“You were the one who impregnated my son while he was imprisoned?” Pallosar’s gaze narrowed.
“I presume I am. I apologize dearly for doing so without your blessing…” Askara did not lift his head but stayed low. From what he’d told Lumic in their time together, he was not uneducated in his station. Merely hidden from the world.
“You presume?” The incredulity in Pallosar’s voice rose a notch before Lumic intervened.
“Father, it… Our time together was at my firm insistence, but it would have been a bit fairer if Askara knew certain things…” Lumic cleared his throat. “He is not educated on his body, nor an omega’s.”
Pallosar blanched and Kershai snorted.
“You’re that innocent? Oh, you poor creature. Lumic taught you a few good lessons, I hope.” Pallosar lost all of his anger in a blink and urged Askara to enter their solar. Where Lumic had a sitting parlor, the smaller version of a solar, the king’s quarters had the large expanse of a room often used for family affairs. The great room, attached to their bedroom by a small door behind a curtain, served as Lumic’s nursery the first year of his life, so he was close by Pallosar to nurse when he cried.
When Askara followed, he said nothing but shrank slightly under the attention. The poor alpha didn’t know what to do with himself, fingers fidgeting. “I wouldn’t say I am—I fight well, I’ve been told.”
“And die well, too. We need to speak more about that.” Kershai shot Pallosar a hard stare that spoke of lots of gentle treatment and long talks. “But we need to talk more about the goddesses laying claim to Croatens.”
Pallosar’s face twisted into a moue of distaste. “With our curses? They expect us to—”
“Mother Moon has assured me that there will no longer be a plague upon your crops. Brother shall no longer kill brother, and nations will ally with you.” Askara lifted his head, focusing silvery eyes on Pallosar with a slow blink that softened the king’s demeanor.
“That’s good to hear.” Pallosar didn’t look convinced.
“The goddess is also giving us something equal to vitalis. If we build her a font, the water that rises will be blessed to heal others. The moon will give us Salusis. Salus omni, the healing water.” Lumic tried to meet his father’s eye but ultimately shied away as his expression twisted.
“And my Mother sun will give more blessings.” Askara’s hopeful tone drew Pallosar’s gaze again. Those big, silvery puppy dog eyes could melt even the coldest omega heart.
“And what is it the sun wants?”
“I’m not sure. We’ll ask her in the morning, but the moon blesses me and has approved our union…” Askara offered a hopeful smile. “And I’m sure Alluin will squirm over it.”
The thought brought Pallosar amusement. “Fine. We should expect Nemiah and his consort soon. I assume your union needs to be witnessed by the goddesses? We have little time for the arrangement—as it may be difficult to hide Lumic’s condition soon.”
Lumic’s cheeks burned with the thought of standing before a crowd swollen with child. “Better arrange for the ceremony sooner than later. Nothing extravagant.”
“Fortunate you are that Croatens does not have foreign allies I’d need to invite to the matter. We’ll wait for Alluin’s word and proceed.” Pallosar gestured for Askara to rise and opened his arms, inviting the male in for a hug. “I may not know you well, but we shall in time, alpha with dragon horns.”
“Illix,” Askara corrected, tensing visibly as Pallosar embraced him. Lumic, knowing his father well, sensed a surge of magic, probing and searching his mate.
Pallosar chuckled, his gaze wandering toward Kershai. “They are pointed and twisted like an illix, but it is dragon. I know dragon horns well.”
“So, you would approve if I wished to give myself freely to Lumic?” Askara’s voice held a note of hopefulness to it, as if Pallosar’s opinion even mattered at that point. He could decide not to make Lumic king, which would suit him just fine.
“I suppose I have no choice. Were it up to me, and were Lumic not in the family way, and the goddesses not looming over us— No. I cannot lie. I would not approve.” Pallosar sighed. “But the odds are in your favor, and you feel strong. Do you know your thalms?”
“Father,” Lumic’s tone snipped, warning. “I’ve got as many thalms as Da. I can balance out anything in our union.”
“Thirty,” Askara piped up, his shoulders pinching.
Pallosar choked and pushed away from Askara, ending their hug with bright, wide eyes gleaming with joy. “Oh, you would have been a good pick even you were a commoner!”
Askara chuckled hoarsely through another hug before Kershai separated them. “The two have catching up to do, my sweetvine.”
Lumic shot forward, giving Kershai and Pallosar a tight hug before dragging Askara off.
