“We won the war, Mate,” I said. “I'm sorry it took so long for me to come after you.”
The thud of the ship hitting the dock punctuated my words.
“King Lyrandir,” Risarren drawled. “You're impeding our journey.”
“I don't want to hurt you, Risarren,” I said. “You're my mate's father and you fought for me today. There's no reason for you to abduct him. You're welcome in my kingdom.”
“He's insane, Ly,” Aras said. “He thinks we can rule Serai.”
“What the fuck is it with people wanting to rule the world?” I muttered. In a normal tone, I asked Risarren, “Have you even considered how much trouble that would be? You can't monitor the entire world at once.”
Risarren grinned. “Yes, I can, Your Majesty. I have legions of spirits to help me. Or I will, once my son joins me.”
“Let's just kill this motherfucker,” Ellas said. He looked at Aras to ask, “You don't mind, do you?”
“He's my father!” Aras shouted.
“Is that a no?”
Aras looked at me.
“It's your decision, Mate,” I said. “Do I offer him friendship or death?”
Aras looked at his father. “I won't help you. Not ever. But I would like to know you.”
Risarren made an annoyed sound. “You're so like your mother. She wanted power. She was fascinated by my sorcery. And yet, she shied away when achieving more power meant doing certain things she viewed as wrong.”
“Like trying to take over the world with an army of spirits?” Ellas drawled.
Risarren ignored him and went closer to my mate. “You don't see it yet, but you will. Once you open yourself more to the power, you will see its potential, and then you will become the man you're destined to be. I saw it. It's why she took you from me.”
“What?” Aras growled. “What did you see that scared my mother so much that she would run from you right after giving birth to me?”
“It wasn't my vision. It was what it inspired me to do.”
“Great fuck, just tell him why his mother ran from you!” I roared. “She died in that forest because you forced her to flee. So tell your son why. Why did she run?”
Aras stared at me, his eyes wide and shaky. He glanced at his crew, all of them held in spirit arms as well. Then swallowed,squared his shoulders, and stared at his father. “Tell me. You owe me the truth. I never got to know her because of you.”
“So dramatic,” Risarren huffed. “There was no reason for her to flee. I was only going to enhance whatever magic you were born with. It wouldn't have hurt you. Much.”
“Much?” I growled. “It wouldn't have hurt him much? Just enough that his mother thought a post-birth escape necessary.”
“That was her choice!” Risarren snapped, pointing at me. “I didn't want her to die. I . . .” His expression rippled through emotions before settling back into fury. “She left me! She took my son and left me! Well, now I have him back, and I'm not letting him go. The procedure would have been easier on a baby, but I can still join us. I can still—”
“Join us?” Aras asked. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“It will open your mind and give you access to powers you couldn't even dream of, Son. And through you, I can reach the divine. I can summon gods! You will be a conduit for the divine!”
“A conduit?” I snarled. “You just want to use him as a tool to gain more power for yourself! No wonder your woman ran from you. You're a fucking monster.”
Risarren narrowed his eyes at me. That was all the warning I got. Then I was lifted from the deck by unseen hands. Those spectral fingers closed around my throat as ghostly arms bound my arms to my sides and constricted until my ribs cracked. I couldn't make a sound. My parents and Ellas tried to help me, but their hands went through whatever held me. Mymother was crying. My father leapt for the sorcerer. Then he was in the air too. Then Ellas and my mother.
I was going to get us all killed.
Above us, dragons roared and dove for the deck, but again, there was nothing to be done. In desperation, I summoned my magic, but Risarren only laughed and waved the boiling water away. My most powerful attack was like the buzzing of an insect to him.
“Release them now!” Aras roared.
