I smile to myself. That man. He’s so different from the one I met last summer. A small, amused laugh flees my lips. Last summer. It feels like a lifetime ago. As much as I’d like to sit here all day, I know my father wouldn’t like it. I just wish he would wake up so I could talk to him. Make sure he’s doing okay.
Well, at least as best as he can be.
I text Sebastian back.
Me: No, but thank you. I’m on my way down now.
Standing, I give my father a kiss on his forehead, tell him I love him, and step outside to find the nurse and his aide talking.
“Good morning,” I greet them in French since neither speaks any English. “Can you please call or text me when he wakes up? I’d like to know how he’s doing.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
I give them a wan smile and head down to the breakfast room. Everyone is already there waiting for me. All three children are running around, chasing each other, Althea is reading something on her phone while she sips her coffee, and Rowan and Sebastian are standing by the buffet, talking.
“You missed yoga,” Althea comments without lifting her gaze from her phone. “How’s your father doing?”
I shrug, walking in and fixing myself a huge plate. I’m freaking starving. This pregnancy has come with a lot of hormone swings and a big appetite. “He hasn’t woken up yet. I think whatever they gave him last night really knocked him out. I asked them to call or text when he wakes up.”
“Good. Now come and sit. Tell me all about Caleria. I haven’t been to the island since I was a girl.”
I take a seat beside her, but before I can tell her about the island and the honeymoon, Sebastian drops a kiss on my lips, and the girls are jumping in by asking if we can go to the winter festival.
“Absolutely not,” Sebastian declares without even missing a beat.
“But Papa,” Sabrina whines, finally sitting in front of her plate. “We want to go. I want to go on the rides.”
“Yes,” Phaedra chimes in, sitting beside Sabrina while Zayer climbs on my lap now that he can no longer chase his sisters. “Why can’t we go? The curse is gone.”
And just like that, the room falls silent.
“I would like to go as well,” I throw out. I won’t undermine his authority in front of the children, but he needs to know I’m on their side with this.
“Yes, that does sound fun,” Althea agrees. “Especially since I believe you two boys have someplace to go this afternoon.”
That makes me frown as I turn a questioning brow at Sebastian.
He makes a dismissive noise, but I don’t miss the quickdispleased look he gives Althea. I get the impression that was something he didn’t want me, the children, or both to know.
“If you go,” he relents, not even bothering to address that comment about him and Rowan going someplace, “you have to bring royal attendants, one for each of you.”
Phaedra pouts a bit at that. “But Papa, they make us stand out. More than we already do.”
Again, I agree, but again, I won’t go there.
“I’ll have them wear civilian clothes and keep a small distance so they’re not so obvious, but if you want to go, that is my condition.”
Sabrina opens her mouth to argue because that’s what Sabrina does, but Rowan jumps in with a charming smile. “My darlings, I hear they have hot chocolate bombs there. They’re my absolute favorite. Will you be my heroes and get me some?”
“Hot chocolate bombs?” Sabrina questions.
“Oh!” Rowan comes over and lifts her up, takes her seat, and drops her back down on his lap. “Eat your breakfast and I’ll tell you all about them.”
For the rest of breakfast, Rowan charms his nieces and nephew while I eat, and Sebastian sips his coffee, intentionally not meeting my eye. I tear a piece of bread and chuck it at him, hitting him directly in the forehead and making everyone laugh.
“Are you trying to start a food war?”
I snicker. “You mean a foodfightand no, I’m not trying to do that. Food is far too precious to me right now. But I’d like to know what you’re not telling me.”
