Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 162269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 541(@300wpm)
There were bloody twenty of them.
When he’d asked after the message, the man had simply said she had called to Ha-Lah to get a communication to Jorie to make haste in visiting her in Fire City.
She had sent this same message twenty times.
He did not like her mother.
But it was him she would turn to if her mother distressed her.
Not her big brother.
“Oh, allo there, King Mars,” Tril said false casually, dipping her chin and not meeting his eyes.
Allo there, King Mars?
He swallowed back a growl.
“Is my wife in our chambers?” he demanded.
“Um…yes, she awaits you.”
“Tril?” he called.
“Yes,” she said to the floor.
“Tril,” he bit. “Look at me.”
Her eyes came slowly to his, and when he looked into their bright, happy depths, his stomach flipped, and he strode away from her without a goodnight, covering the remaining lengths to their bedchamber door in fewer strides than it normally took.
He pushed through, went right, and saw her juggling Piccolina on her way to their bed.
Her gaze came to him and she smiled brightly. “Allo, my love.”
“You carry my child,” he declared.
She blinked and then frowned.
Then she asked him, “How did you know?”
“For that purpose,” he began, “you haven’t been taking pennyrium for weeks and I just saw Tril outside our door and she’s about to burst with happiness.”
She glared at their door and muttered, “Bloody Tril. She’s the best friend of a queen and she can’t keep a bloody secret.”
“You wished to keep it a secret?” he asked dangerously.
“No,” she snapped. “Of course not. But when my blood did not come and I asked mother here to ask after her symptoms when she was carrying me, and they mimic things I’m feeling, and I felt sure I was expecting, I decided to tell you.”
She then lifted her arms out at her sides, and in doing so, Piccolina took that opportunity to race down one and leap toward Mars.
With practice, he caught the wee love, put her on his shoulder and continued listening to his wife, who was still complaining.
“I mean, I wore a new nightgown to celebrate after I told you and everything.”
She did not wear that nightgown long, for it was in tatters on the floor while she was naked and taking his cock in their bed.
“I’m reading…from this…you’re pleased…with the news,” she pushed out between thrusts, scraping his scalp with her nails.
“Bloody…yes,” he replied.
She grinned up at him.
He kissed the grin on her face and set about the serious business of celebrating.
It would be when Silence was recuperating after giving him their son that Mars would take the piercing in his cock that demonstrated his body was hers and hers alone.
It was an unnecessary gesture; she already knew that.
But it was important regardless.
So, it was done.
King True
Temple to Wohden, Notting Thicket
WODELL
“You don’t seem very nervous,” Bram noted.
“Why would I be nervous?” Alfie asked.
“She’s a handful, that one. Bossy,” Florian stated.
“Thank the gods,” Alfie muttered.
True grinned.
The door opened and the priest took one step in.
“She arrives. All is ready. If our future husband can take his place?”
He didn’t wait for responses.
He moved out.
“Do or die,” Luther said.
“True down, Alfie down, you’re up next,” Wallace said to Luther.
“Not a chance. Bram’s up next,” Luther retorted.
“I do not think so, it’ll be Florian,” Bram declared.
“I’ll be last, for so many wenches, it would be a shame to tie myself to one and not let others have their piece of me,” Florian decreed.
All of this nonsense came as they moved out of the door.
True walked beside Alfie as he wheeled.
They did this slowly, letting the others fall ahead in front of them.
“I know she carries your child and you two are not speaking of it, for you don’t wish to take the light away from Bronagh,” Alfie said quietly.
True studied his man intently as he asked, “You are loyal and wise and smart enough to fall in love with Bronagh, and you are also a healer who can sense a pregnancy?”
Alfie chuckled, shook his head, and replied, “Bronagh is a nurse.”
“Ah,” True murmured.
“And there is the added evidence that anytime she doesn’t think someone’s looking, she has her hand to her stomach. And anytime you’re with her and you think no one is looking, you have your hand to her stomach.”
It was then, True chuckled.
“I am happy for you, my friend,” Alfie said quietly.
“I am as well. But today, I am happier for you,” True replied.
He clamped his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
When he did, Alfie lifted his and patted True’s.
True walked, and Alfie wheeled, into the sanctuary.
He saw right away his wife, sitting in the front pew, did indeed give it all away for she sat with her hand as Alfie said.
Resting over their babe in her belly.
Her other hand, as it often did, was wrapped around the veneration to her mother that hung at her neck, close to her heart.