“I don’t know. One minute, I was frozen and then I washere.Wherever this is.”
Falcyn fisted his hand in her long flame-red hair that parted to show off her pointed ears.
Urian couldn’t move or breathe as her translucent, vibrant green gaze seared him. She was still one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen.
Her presence staggered him. He fell back and leaned against a stone for support, because he didn’t trust his legs to hold him. Not right now.
She pulled back to stare at Maddor. “Falcyn is your father, Maddor. Just as Blaise is your son.”
That sucked every bit of the air from the room and had the same impact as a nuclear bomb detonating in their midst.
Blaise stumbled back. “W-w-w-what?”
Xyn nodded. “I was there when you were born. Your mother was furious, thinking your albinism had to do with Max’s curse.”
“What curse?”
Falcyn winced. “I never told Blaise the truth, Xyn. He had no idea aboutthat.”
Her jaw went slack. “I’m so sorry. I assumed he knew.”
Falcyn shook his head. “By the time I learned about his birth, he was grown. I didn’t have the heart to tell him then. Thanks, sister. You were always good at ratting me out.”
Maddor sat down. “Blaise is my son? How?”
Xyn sighed. “Ormarra. She hid her pregnancy from you and was hoping to parlay Blaise’s birth to her advantage.”
“When I was born deformed, she tried to kill me.”
Brogan moved to hold Blaise. “You’re not deformed!”
“And I killed her for her actions against you, Blaise.” Xyn said. “You were still wet from cracking open your egg when I took you to be raised by your adoptive father. The only truth you knew was that your father was the leader of the mandrakes.”
He’d just assumed it was the mandrake before Maddor because only a tiny handful of fey knew Maddor was the first of their breed.
Another lie told that was meant only to wound and hurt, and divide a family.
Damn those who sought only to make mischief for mischief’s sake. They were the root of all evil. Not greed or money.
Maddor growled at Xyn. “You should have told me about him!”
“I was planning to once I knew he was safe, but I was trapped here before I had the chance.”
With a fierce roar, Maddor started for Xyn, only to be stopped by some unseen force.
“You can’t harm her,” Brogan reminded him. “I haven’t given you her name.”
“I hate all of you!” he roared.
Falcyn glared at him. “How dareyou!Feel free to hate me all you want. I deserve it. Blaise, however, has never done anything to deserve your animosity for him. He’s your son. One you’ve treated like hell and mocked over the centuries for no reason whatsoever. You owe him an apology.”
Maddor gaped at Falcyn. “You’re daring to lecturemeon parenthood? Seriously?”
“Yeah and I’ll bust your ass, boy! Don’t ever think I can’t take you in a fight. I promise you, I’ve eaten much tougher hides than yours and used their scales for shoes. If you want to act like a child, then I’ll treat you like one.”
The real Crom made a noise deep inside the dragon’s body.
“What’s going on, Brogan? He about to spew?”
