Heart thrumming wildly, I held my head a bit higher, nervous but also determined to finally say it. “Prince Elias of Bremloc.”
“What? But you can’t be. This is… it’s impossible.” Varys dropped to his knees, emitting a pained cry. “I heard the baby died.”
His reaction surprised me. He had been the king’s closest advisor back then, so it made sense for him to have known my dad. The grief in his voice was unmistakable though, going beyond that of a mere acquaintance.
Varys had cared for him.
“My mom hid me away,” I explained, fighting a sudden lump in my throat. “Sent me somewhere they wouldn’t be able to find me. When I returned to this worl—I mean, realm, they sensed my life force and started hunting me again.”
Varys stared at me in disbelief. “The moment I first saw you, I noticed the striking resemblance, yet the possibility never crossed my mind. When news reached Bremloc of Elias’s death, we were told his wife and child died right along with him. Ashes were all that remained of them. Only Elias’ body was recovered from the rubble.”
The sorrow in his voice seeped into my chest. “Did you know him well?”
“Aye. I did.” The demi-wolf offered me a watery smile. “My father served his, so I lived in the castle. We grew up together. Elias was… special. Different than the other royals. His passion for life was unparalleled. As was his generous heart.”
Speaking of hearts, mine ached right then. “I heard he was well-loved by the people.”
“He was.” Varys rose from the floor. His poofy black tail drooped behind him. “He devoted his time and money to providing housing for the poor, supporting war orphans, and fighting for demi-human rights. Elias believed we were all equal. He’d often sneak out at night, grab me, and visit taverns and mingle with the townsfolk, never placing himself above anyone else.”
I smiled down at the floor, vision blurring.
“You’re truly his son?”
A tear slipped from my eye as I nodded.
Onyx stepped closer to the tall windows and watched the rain fall. He hadn’t said a word since I’d revealed my identity. His expression was so damn hard to read.
Was he angry at me? Upset that I’d kept it from him until now? He’d admitted to hating the royal family, and there I was, a part of that family.
Lightning shot across the overcast sky, followed by a low growl of thunder. As usual, the sound made me uneasy. Lake rubbed my lower back, an instant comfort.
“It all makes sense now.” Onyx looked at me before slowly closing the gap between us.
“What does?” Heat swarmed my veins at his proximity.
“Why you remind me so much of him.” He pressed the pad of his thumb to my bottom lip, brow furrowed. “Golden hair and green eyes that burn with a quiet intensity.”
Understanding dawned on me. “The boy from the forest? The one who gave you honey cake?”
“Your father.” Onyx traced the curve of my jaw. “So alike, yet so different.”
“Different how?” I asked, losing some of my vibrato. His touch, like last night, caused a flurry of hot tingles over my skin.
An impish smile touched his lips. “He never gave me such a headache.”
“Rude.” I pushed against his chest, only to have my wrist caught between his fingers. The touch sent an electric current all throughout my body. “How long did you know him?”
“Many years,” Onyx answered. “He would often journey to the forest and meet me at the same stream. Elias was a mere youth of sixteen when we first met, and before I knew it, he was a grown man.”
There was a gnawing in my gut. “Were you in love with him?”
“No,” he said. “I never had those feelings for him, nor him for me. We were friends and nothing more.”
“Ah. Cool, cool.” I tried to hide my relief at that fact.
“Why do you ask?” Onyx leaned in closer, breath fanning over my mouth. His tone was low and soothing, like a deep note played on a cello. “Jealous?”
My head spun as his cedar scent enveloped me. Rain tapped against the window, but I felt like I was curled up in front of a cozy fire. “No.”
