Page 76 of The Ruthless Fae King
Arwen slipped her hand into Drae’s as Kailani walked over to be held by Raife, and I moved towards Lucien.
“What is it?” I asked, clearly the only one who didn’t know.
Lucien looked at me, his eyes misty. “A memory box. We were eight or nine years old and we all buried something—Raife, Drae, Axil, and I.”
That was so sweet. We could bring the box and Axil would for sure believe that we were the wives of these kings.
Kailani peered forward to look at the box. “So are you going to open it?”
Drae glanced at Lucien. “Raife and I were going to bring it to you to open.”
Lucien sighed, looking slightly sad. “Let’s wait for Axil. We’ll open it all together after we win the war.”
My heart sank a little. I was sort of dying to know what nine-year-old Lucien buried as a memory. But from the look on his face, he wasn’t ready to dig that up.
There was a knock at the door and Piper peeked her head inside. “Can I speak to you for a moment?” she asked me, and I nodded, excusing myself while they planned our trip up north.
When I closed the door behind me, Piper walked down the hall quickly, and I ran to catch up. “What’s up?” I asked her.
She turned the corner into the library and I followed, coming face to face with Lucien’s father.
I recoiled at the stench of urine and wine. Lucien’s father stood there with red-rimmed eyes and a shaking foot. He was in quite a state, and I shared a nervous look with Piper, who stayed beside me for moral support.
Vincent peered at Piper, and when she didn’t leave he cleared his throat. “I missed the wedding,” he said to me.
That’s what this was about? “You did,” I told him, wondering why he was here. He knew my rule.
His hands balled into fists as he seemed to be at a loss for words. “I was never a great father… but maybe I could be a decent grandfather? I… want to get better,” he finally said, and my heart grew wings. “I haven’t had a drink in twenty-four hours and I’m ready to go to that elvin healing place you mentioned.”
I sighed in relief, and even though I was still mad at him for all of the abuse he’d dished out on Lucien, I pulled him into a hug. The moment my arms went around him, he stiffened as if he’d never been hugged in his life.
Then he relaxed, his arms coming around me as sobs wracked his body.
Piper slipped out of the room then and I knew without asking that she was readying a carriage to take him to the elvin treatment center for healing, which I hoped would one day also heal my husband and the part of him that probably, deep down, still loved this mess of a man.
When we finally pulled away, I knew I probably had his stink on me.
He wiped at his eyes. “Sorry about that. What an idiot I am,” he muttered.
I frowned, wondering who taught him to talk about himself like that. Probablyhisfather. “I look forward to seeing you sober, Vincent.”
He nodded. “I’m… scared. It’s only been one day without the wine and I’m feeling things I don’t want to feel.”
“I think that’s normal,” I told him, but really I couldn’t imagine what it was like to be scared to feel your own feelings. I wasn’t him.
I didn’t realize Lucien was behind me in the open doorway until he spoke. “Your carriage is ready, Father.” His voice was clipped and I froze.
Vincent glanced at his son and wiped the last remnant of a tear from his face. He gave me a curt nod and then walked past me, stopping in the doorway to look up at his son, who was a few inches taller than him. “Your mom would be proud of the man you have become. A much better one than me.” His dad reached up and lightly cupped his cheek. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, and then walked out of the room.
I stood there frozen, unsure what to do to support Lucien in this moment.
“Holy fae,” Lucien said, and I stared at him wide-eyed.
“What?” I asked.
“I didn’t know he knew the words ‘I’m sorry’ existed,” he joked.
I relaxed a little, knowing we were going the joking route with this. Stepping over to him, I grasped the place his father had touched on his cheek. “He’s right. You are a better man than him, and nothing like him.” I kissed his lips and was rewarded with a smile, which turned to a wince.
