Lake stared at the demon lord, silent but his breaths kicking up a notch. Not long ago, he’d told me the story about Varys.
“He was the king’s advisor, right?” I asked. “Why did Varys betray him?”
Tingles erupted over my skin as a pair of deep red eyes trailed to me. “The question you should be asking is: what did the king do to force Varys’ hand? Is it truly a betrayal if you were wronged first?”
Lake shifted forward in his chair. “That’s what my father believed. He said Varys was devoted to the royal family and wouldn’t have turned his back on them or the kingdom without reason.”
“Your father sounds like a smart wolf. Listen to him.”
The voice came from the doorway.
A man with shaggy, gray-streaked dark hair stepped into the room. He wore formal attire consisting of a black suit jacket, a charcoal undershirt, and fitted trousers. A toned physique but not bulky, more of an athletic build. Black wolf ears protruded from his hair.
“Varys,” Onyx greeted him. “Your timing is impeccable as always. Please join us. Fane prepared lamb for tonight’s feast.”
“Fane. A demon after my own heart.” Varys approached the table. A fluffy, black tail moved behind him with each step. His gaze swept over Lake as he reached his chair and sat down. “A relief to see you’re recovering from your wounds. They were quite severe, yes?”
Lake only stared at him. I couldn’t read his emotions like he could with me, but I saw the mix of shock and anger in his expression.
“I see,” Varys said with a knowing look. His eyes were a light shade of brown, like sun-warmed sand. “You blame me for the mistreatment of our kind. You’re justified in that feeling. I bear the weight of that guilt every day of my life.”
“My father believed you had a reason for it,” Lake rasped. “Even so, your betrayal is what… it’s why he…” A tremble passed through his body, and his hands balled into fists.
“They killed him.” Varys sobered even further. Not a question. The pain in Lake’s voice made it all too clear. “You have my condolences.”
“Did you know him?” Lake’s fist relaxed before he took my hand. Holding me seemed to calm him. “His name was Arden.”
“Arden.” Varys pondered for a moment. “Ah, I wonder. Was he a carpenter by chance?”
“He was,” Lake said, his tail wagging before he forced it to still.
Varys softly smiled. “I regret to say I didn’t know him well. Our paths rarely crossed. He occasionally worked at the castle. Designed and built several structures in the royal garden, such as the gazebo and benches.”
The gazebo? The place where I often met Prince Sawyer for tea… had been built by Lake’s dad.
“Now that I think about it…” Varys regarded Lake with a scrunched brow. “I believe you and I have met before.”
“We have?”
Varys nodded. “Arden brought his son with him to the castle once. A wee, tiny thing with a mane of silver hair and bright purple eyes. The two of you were in the garden, and I was passing through on my way to a council meeting. You ran up and hugged my leg before giving me an orchid you’d plucked from the flowerbed.”
I smiled at the mental image of a little Lake. Big purple eyes, silver hair, and a small fluffy tail. I would no doubt die from the cuteness. If only pictures and camera phones were a thing in this world.
“I had a bad habit of plucking flowers,” Lake said with a trace of his own smile. “Of trying to eat them too. Then I made the mistake of grabbing one of Father’s roses. A lesson well learned.”
Onyx sat quietly, listening to them talk. Our gaze met from across the table, and I quickly looked away. Geez. One shared look and my heart went nuts.
“If only your father had joined the rebellion.” A forlorn expression crossed Varys’ face. “As I said, I didn’t know him well, so I can’t presume to know his reasons for staying.”
“My mother,” Lake answered. “She passed from sickness when I was a pup. He didn’t wish to leave the home they’d built together.”
“Ah.” Varys poured himself a goblet of wine. “Much like the rose with its thorns, love, too, can be dangerous. All beautiful things are. And these beautiful things can either save us or be the reason we fall.”
“Why did you do it?” I asked, placing my hand over Lake’s. He was shaking a little. “Why betray the king? Did he do something bad? Hurt you or someone you loved?”
Varys slowly exhaled. “That’s a story for another day. For now, let’s enjoy the feast. I’m famished.”
I opened my mouth to protest, only to be silenced by a gentle squeeze to my thigh. Lake’s ears remained drooped as he met my eyes and shook his head.
