Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
“He’s apparently really good at masturbating,” Neil offers helpfully. “I mean I mostly stay in the forests with the wolves, but we’ve all heard stories about gardens exploding around Rhys’s house after a late-night session.” He sighs. “I never thought of it. He can’t even jerk off without the world knowing. If the grass around his place grows a couple of inches, everyone assumes he’s been one-fisting it. The only way I knew Brendan had figured it out was those socks. Socks aren’t supposed to be sticky. That was when I realized the boy needs to do his own laundry.”
“Thank you for the clarification, Neil,” Danny says with a long sigh. “Bris is right, of course. We have to find a way to get Rhys to… I can’t believe I’m having this conversation. When I thought about having kids, never once did I imagine I would be sitting around a table with my wife and partner and the living god inside him discussing how the hell to get our sex god firstborn laid.”
“There are many temptations in Faery,” Bris says slowly as though he knows it will be controversial. “My host thinks being there will put Rhys on a proper footing.”
They are forgetting one important fact.
“You tell your host that our son is in love with Shy.” Of the three of us, it’s Dev who is having the most trouble adjusting, and it’s affecting his relationships with our kids. He tried to meddle in Evan’s relationship with Fenrir already, and that went south. I’m not about to allow him to ruin Rhys’s relationship with that smart, brave and gorgeous girl. “He isn’t going to be tempted by anything. She is his goddess.”
Bris shakes his head. “I know he is in love, but she hasn’t proven to be his goddess yet. Not only does she have to bring forth his magic, she has to be able to contain it, to calm him. As far as I can tell, being close to Shahidi merely heightens Rhys’s issues since they won’t do what they need to do. There is also the fact that my host believes Rhys is too young to take a goddess.”
I feel my brows raise at the hypocrisy. “His brother said the same thing to me. It was his justification for withholding the Goddess Chain.”
“He’s four years younger than Dev was,” Danny points out. “I’m with Z on this one, but we need to all be on the same page.”
Dev’s back, his eyes normal again, but I’m getting used to that frown of his. “And that page is the one the king chooses to be on, I assume.”
Danny sighs and sits back. “Devinshea, you are pushing our children away. You have to accept that they are adults and understand their hearts. Evan loves Fenrir.”
“And Fenrir is destined to be the king of the wolf packs,” Dev points out. “They will never accept a companion as a queen. There have already been attempts on her life.”
“Which we have successfully stopped,” Sasha interjects. “Your Grace, the situation with the wolves is complex, but I need you to understand Fenrir has called for her. There is no other mate for Fen. He will never give her up. So his father and I have a plan, one which we will implement when Fenrir is ready.”
Danny grins, but it’s a predatory expression. “Kill every fucking wolf who refuses to accept their marriage?”
“That seems extreme,” Neil begins.
Sasha shrugs. “I figure we only need to have Fenrir challenge ten or so of the strongest alphas to let the packs know we won’t stop. They can accept Fen’s mate or they can lose a generation of alphas and unite under Fenrir only. He can be a modern king or a ruthless dictator. It’s up to them.”
“Evan is seventeen.” Dev’s hand slaps at the table. “She should be finishing high school, not be in the middle of a fucking political campaign.”
“I assure you, Your Grace, that neither Fenrir nor Evan sees their relationship in those terms.” The Russian sits back and seems to consider my faery prince. “I know you have anger because you lost those years with your children, but that is the reality of the situation. I watched those children grow. Those children have been the center of my life for the last twelve years, even while my own child grew up with a different family. Fenrir loves Evan and Evan loves him. It is the same with Rhys and Shy. Did you know the dark prophet visited Frelsi when Shahidi first came here?”
Dev studies Sasha for a moment. “No, I did not. Do we know why Gray thought Shy was important? Or was it Harry? Shy brought Harry with her. I know he had a profound impact on the rebellion.”
Sasha’s head shakes. “No, it was Shy. I know this because he came in full prophet mode. He did not speak to the rest of us. Merely watched for the moment he was supposed to witness. Would you like to know what that moment was?”