Oz offered a sly smile and nodded. “Of course, but I just need a moment with them first.”
King Edward nodded before disappearing into the mystical puddle.
I gasped as Dominic pulled Talon and me into his strong arms. “Thank Fate, you’re both okay,” he murmured, his relief palpable.
At that moment, surrounded by my mates, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders—we were together and safe. “I love you,” I said, pulling back slightly to meet their eyes.
“I love you, too,” they echoed together.
Our moment of reunion was interrupted by the emperor’s deep voice. “Domi’zel, you are truly blessed.”
We turned towards him, confusion evident on our faces. Dominic glanced between Talon and me before responding, “I am. Fate blessed me.”
“Yes, Fate surely blessed you with your duša, but I’m talking about the baby. It’s not every day a new king of demons is conceived,” Oz added, his smirk carrying a weight that sent a chill down my spine.
“King of demons?” Talon echoed his tone, a mix of surprise and concern.
“Conceived?” I blurted out simultaneously, my heart skipping a beat.
Oz’s fiery gaze settled on me. “You did know you could get pregnant, right?”
“Yes,” I replied hesitantly. “But someone,” I said with a side-eye at Dominic, “assured me a certain potion would prevent that.”
Dominic’s face went through a rapid series of emotions—shock, guilt, then sheer terror. “Um… I may have forgotten to take a dose or two during the chaos with Talon’s mom’s funeral,” he stammered.
“You what?” My voice rose in disbelief and frustration. Before I could berate him further, I turned back to Oz. “And why do you think I’m the one who’s pregnant? Any one of us could be!”
Oz chuckled, the sound resonating through the throne room. “Oh, you’re the one pregnant, that’s for sure. And by his power, he’s even greater than his father.”
The room seemed to spin as his words sank in. I closed my eyes and employed Talon’s count ten method, hoping to regain composure. When I opened them again, my voice was steady. “Please, explain.”
“How did you think you could wield the Warden’s Blade?” Oz inquired, the sword I had used appearing magically in his hands.
“The Warden’s Blade,” Dominic murmured in awe.
“I just picked it up from a dead demon,” I said, pointing at it.
Oz shook his head. “It wasn’t that demon’s. Only a demon king can summon the warden’s blade, let alone wield it. And you, little rabbit, are not a demon king. It only leads to one conclusion—you’re carrying a demon king.”
I stared, stunned, at Dominic, who looked just as shocked, then at Talon, whose eyes were fixed on my abdomen. Instinctively, I covered my stomach with my hands. Holy fuck, I was pregnant.
“Therein lies our problem,” Oz continued, snapping me from my daze. Talon stepped protectively in front of me, growling softly.
“Problem? Your Majesty,” Dominic stepped forward, his voice firm.
“Our Problem. Your child is far too powerful. What will happen when he’s older? Will he try for the throne? But I can’t justify killing you since you and yours defended the crown. It’s… complicated. Hence our problem,” Oz admitted, raising his hands as if unsure himself.
“That’s why you didn’t intervene when Juls betrayed me. You were scared of me. Afraid I would take your throne,” Dominic growled.
“I’m afraid of nothing!” Oz roared back. “Remember your place, Domi’zel.”
“I know my place, Oz'gelon,” Dominic retorted, using Oz’s true name, which visibly shook the emperor. “I know your true name, too. I’m not a child for you to speak to me like one.”
Oz’s face reddened further, if possible. The atmosphere was electric, charged with tension. This wasn’t going well. We just survived one storm just to jump in another.
“Hold on,” I said, hoping to cut through the tension. “Your name is Oz'gelon? I thought I heard Everett use that.”
“Don’t ever use my name again,” Oz growled before leaning back on his throne. “I can’t believe you called Everett. Of all the witches out there, you had to call him? The man is insufferable and the only witch that knows my summoning spell.”
