Page 72 of A Fate of Wings

“Later. I’ve been hard since the throne room.”

I laughed but kept him at arm’s length.

“I love your laugh. It feels like an eternity since I’ve heard it.”

I wanted to stay laughing to keep him happy, but this was too important. The smile dropped from my face.

“This is important, and you may not agree with me, but what I’m about to tell you must remain a secret.”

“You’re trusting me?”

The gentle wind blew his words to my ears and sent my hair flying back from my face.

“Yes. I trust you.”

“Okay.” He nodded. “I trust you too.”

I gave him a sad smile. “When Melanie sent me to Earth, and I had no memory, I…”

“I knew you’d have another lover.” He scowled.

“No. I didn’t. I promise.”

“How? You’re the most exquisite woman I’ve ever seen.”

I’d never tire of his compliments. Of how they made me feel happy, cared for, and loved.

“Flattery will get you everywhere in a minute.”

He grinned and licked his lips.

I was about to wipe the smile from his face.

“I had a child. A son.”

The smile dropped as I’d predicted.

“He’s the spitting image of you. Except for the horns and the wings.”

“I have a son?” His lips spread bit by bit into a grin. “Let’s go get him.”

My eyes welled. “We can’t.”

“Like Hell we can’t,” he said.

“Think about it, Rozronuuk. My sister is a traitor and who knows how many knew of her plans?”

“Your sister is in the dungeon. She won’t get out, and I’ll find and kill anyone who isn’t loyal to you.”

“I believe you.” I grabbed his arms. “But he’s the firstborn. The heir to the siren throne. A male. Sirens don’t birth males. Ever. No siren will accept him as another siren, let alone as theirfuture king and leader. He’ll be a walking target his entire life if he lived here with us.”

So many emotions flickered over his face it hurt my heart to look at them.

“This is my fault,” he ground out through a tight jaw. “I should never have let my demon power out when we mated. If I’d controlled the urge, then there wouldn’t have been a chance for you to fall pregnant with a part-demon child.”

He thrust out of my hands and flew up into the sky, threw back his head, and roared to the heavens and the gods.

I gave him his moment. The chance to let out his rage. I suffered his rage too at the unfairness of our life together. If I could abdicate the crown to Melanie, I would have, but she’d sought to take it for herself. If she’d just waited, the crown would have been hers. Not now. Now she wasn’t fit to rule the sirens. She’d never put our people’s needs first.