Page 83 of The Moon Blessed King
‘Before Prince Elician wasshamefullycaptured by Alelune, he gifted a child to a woman on her way to Himmelsheim.’
‘Hegifteda woman a child?’ There is something about that phrasing. Hamad gives her a very patient look.
‘Heisa Giver after all, is he not?’ he asks.
‘My lord—’
‘He raised all of Altas from the dead.’
‘Yes, but—’
‘You misunderstand me, I think. It is not my intention to use this information against our rightful king – he is and always will be our good and just ruler. But Iamconcerned now with the status of this country in his absence. And therefore…the status of this child.’
‘His child…’ She repeats it again. Her head spins and she tries to focus her thoughts. ‘You think he made a Giver-born child?’
‘Yes. There are witnesses. And, legally, he is her father.’ Hamad smiles. ‘Legally, he has an heir.’ Fen’s suddenly very grateful she is sitting down, but Hamad’s smile is only growing. ‘They’re right upstairs…would you like to meet them?’
She would not. But she has no choice. Not now. She nods without thinking, and Hamad turns his hand over so he can take her fingers in his. They stand together, and he leads her to a mistake Elician knew better than to let happen.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Fenlia
The mother’s name is Kassandra. She is young and plain-looking with dusty copper skin and curling brown hair. She is dressed in simple linen layers with basic ties. Her daughter is her mirror image in every way, but someone has seen fit to dress the toddler in fabrics so fine they could only have come from Hamad. They are in his house colours, after all: blues and greens and golds.
Fen’s jaw clenches. She inspects the mother and child with a careful eye. Kassandra looks terrified, but the little girl seems only curious. She clings to her mother, one hand clenched tight in Kassandra’s fist, but she peeks out from around Kassandra’s limbs, sucking on a thumb and looking mystified by Fen’s presence.
‘My lady Kassandra,’ Hamad greets her. He walks forward, arms spread wide like he intends to take both Kassandra and the child into a warm embrace. Kassandra’s hand tightens around her daughter’s. She doesn’t initiate contact with the man. He lets his arms fall, but not his grin. ‘This is Princess Fenlia, King Elician’s sister.’ The qualifier is not necessary, especially not if Kassandra has come from Himmelsheim originally. They know Fen there; all the city knows her name.
‘Your…Highness,’ Kassandra greets politely. She isn’t happy. Fen approaches. She stands before Elician’s Giver-born child.
‘May I?’ she asks Kassandra quietly. Kassandra’s expression is one of pure resignation. She has no say in what is about to happen, and she cannot stop it from transpiring even if she wishes to. She nods as if Fen needs her permission, and Fen gently places her hand on the child’s head. She closes her eyes.
She can feel her brother’s energy swirling through every part of this girl’s genetic code. ‘What’s her name?’ she asks miserably.
‘Aniya,’ Kassandra whispers. The girl is beautiful. She has dimples on each cheek, a cute little button nose. Fen does not need to guess what she will look like as she ages. She will look just like her mother.
‘Aniya. A beautiful name,’ she murmurs. It meanshappy blessing. She wonders how often Kassandra has snuggled her little girl, delighted in her presence alone.
Not the least bit pleased or amused or expectant, Fen says, ‘Lord Hamad, if I may speak with Lady Kassandra alone? There are…delicate matters of womanhood that must be discussed before I can confirm this child is my brother’s.’ Hamad frowns at Fen’s request. ‘Truly, propriety here must be observed, don’t you agree?’
‘Of course, Your Highness.’ He tips his head and sees himself out. Fen gestures to the simple bed that Kassandra and Aniya have been offered. She casts a glance over her shoulder and confirms the room has a lock on the outside. Kassandra is a prisoner here in all but name.
‘Tell me how you met Elician,’ Fen murmurs softly as she sits beside her.
‘You already know then?’ Kassandra asks, just as soft.
‘Yes, I can sense him.’
‘I didn’t know he was the prince,’ Kassandra says. There are tears in her eyes. ‘I didn’t know. Aisha and I…we just wanted a child and – and adifferentGiver started the process, I swear. The prince – we met on the road. He…he—I fell and he caught me and he just said he wanted to make sure I was all right and I…’
Oh, Elician.Fen closes her eyes. She can see it more clearly now.
Kassandra had already been pregnant. ‘How long had it been since you’d seen the Giver who gave you your gift?’
‘Six months,’ Kassandra murmurs. ‘More?’
‘Aniya…she would have been stillborn, Kassandra. Giver-born children need the Giver to be constantly present because the male component helps with the formation of the child. There are so many things that can go wrong, and likely did go wrong.’
