{Reipon}

Xelan kicked first, slowed way down to give his son the opportunity to block—

Pax caught his father’s foot and pushed Xelan back to stumbling while the little imp backflipped away. He stopped with his fists up, ready for more.

The Prince of Cinder smirked at his clever offspring. “Very good.”

Tameka cheered, “Kick his butt, Pax.”

That smirk broadened into a full grin, which Xelan let her see over his shoulder.

Her cheeks flushed under her gorgeous freckles from her workout. It made her eyes sparkle with humor until they shifted with mischief and a smirk for what sneaked up from behind—

Tiny arms and legs grappled Xelan’s waist and shoulders. At his ear, Pax demanded in a rasp from the strain, “S’rrender, daddy.” The boy clutched him in a tight headlock, and Xelan be damned if Pax wasn’t applying the pressure correctly.

Spots dotted Xelan’s vision, and when he went to one knee, Tameka stood with concern plain in her eyes.

“Pax?”

A three-year-old was putting down the Prince of Cinder—

His weight disappeared with a swift suddenness that left Xelan coughing into his fist.

Tameka’s warm hand brushed over the bared skin of his back that did more than soothe him. “Are you all right?”

“Hee, mommy. I beat daddy.” Pax performed a little victory hop before appearing in his father’s face. “I won, daddy.”

Xelan coughed and rubbed his throat where the toddler’s little fingers blocked his father’s trachea in a demonstration of perfect technique. He reached out and ruffled the red mop on Pax’s head while answering in a hoarse voice, “I’m fine, Tameka. Pax, where did you learn a choke hold?”

Pax shied and looked away.

Tameka and Xelan shared a look before he soothed, “You’re not in trouble, son.”

“No, baby. You did so good. We only want to know who taught you?” Tameka held her arms out to comfort the boy.

He rushed in and took advantage of his mother’s tender kisses. “Auntie Kar and Uncle Chris.”

Xelan relaxed. Of course, Karter and Para taught him some practical maneuvers. They started early with Cinder’s royal sons, as well. Thanks to Karter, Xelan could break an Icarus’ neck before he was five.

Tameka smiled brightly at the kiddo. “They did a great job, and you learned so well. You kicked your dad’s butt. Look at him. He can barely sit straight.” She winked.

Xelan resisted the urge to grin. Instead, he lowered his lids and coughed. “I still feel… a little… woozy…” Dropped flat on the ground, face first in the sandy remnants of Tameka’s training session.

Eyes fake-closed, he waited while Pax gasped. “Mommy!” Little pats told Xelan the boy jumped up and down in excitement. “Daddy went to uncon’shush!”

Laughter belied Tameka’s mock-surprised voice. “You’d better finish him then. Are you ready?”

“Ready.”

Their shadows moved, and Xelan knew Tameka lifted their son for a final kick. Xelan waited until the last moment to burst from the ground and attack Pax in a tickle fit. She turned coat and joined the Prince in tormenting their squealing toddler.

“No fair!”

Xelan grinned and pulled back Pax’s tank, proclaiming, “Yeah, well, neither is using secret moves on your dad.” He took one big breath before blowing a massive zerbert on his son’s stomach.

Tameka kept him from wriggling while giggling at his toddler cries. Xelan looked up to find them wearing matching smiles. Rare ones found only in genuine joy and bliss. These moments would grow less frequent over the coming weeks. So Xelan vowed to appreciate them while they lasted. “C’mon. Let’s go back to the room and watch something.”

Regal even when she winced, Tameka hid a frown as she reminded him, “Jack destroyed the transmitter. There’s nothing to watch.”

Right. To force everyone to listen to Korac’s Verse, they ended all signals outside of their own untraceable source. And the only recorded videos in the house were Lamia porn.

“I’ll read to you then.” Xelan put off listening to the broadcast. He needed a break from world-shattering revelations. Nox’s Verse reconstructed the framework of the Icarean Prince’s entire life. And although his memory was nacre-perfect, it was easy to push aside any instances of Nox behaving as the exemplary big brother. Because, honestly, it hurt to remember a time in his life where Xelan didn’t want his older sibling dead.

Korac’s Verse would fare much worse.

After both freckled-faced redheads in his life agreed, the family wandered inside. The highest room with a three-hundred and sixty degree nacre glass ocean view, their suites comprised a sprawling bedroom and a cozy sitting room they converted into Pax’s domain. A spacious bath accommodated their small family’s needs.

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“Pax, baby, pick out a book and get the fort ready. Mommy needs a shower after her workout.” Tameka waited for his big nod and enthusiastic run into the next room before heading for the closet. “Xelan, why don’t you tell me how the debriefing went?”

Before entering the bathroom, Xelan waited for the shower to run and the splash from behind the glass, indicating she’d started washing up. Even though he tried to restrain himself, he took in a glimpse of Tameka in the shower steam. She’d wrapped her fiery red hair in a white satin headband that matched the shower tiles. Her warm-complected curves blurred through the obstruction, enticing him. Despite the obscured details, he never failed to miss the tattoo on her hip. Gold-laced letters inked in a distinctive shape.

Wingmaster.

Before their workout, it had taken every ounce of his self-control to stave his legs from crossing the dewy marble. All his discipline to hold his arms down from lifting her legs over his shoulders like the last time they were together. Remind her of how good they could be in the shower.

But earlier Tumu, Iuo, and Lamassau were waiting for a debriefing. Pablo, too. Everyone required Xelan’s time, and the mission required his dedication. The two years gone did nothing to temper it. If anything, they needed his leadership now more than ever.

Not to mention, Tameka made a point of undressing in the closet. She might want privacy after killing so many Imminent soldiers earlier in the day.

Now Pax’s cute humming prevented Xelan from joining her. Their son was in the next room, stripping their beds for sheets and pillows to build a fort fit to protect their reading experience. When was it appropriate for them to find time as a couple? Elden knew Umbra exposed his sons to entirely too much of his affairs in that way. Maybe it gave Xelan a complex—

“So how was the debriefing? Was Tumu intrigued by the mineral? How is Iuo handling the destruction of his people’s precious propaganda machine?” Tameka asked reasonable questions.

Xelan gripped the edge of the counter and leaned toward the mirror.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Too much.

And where the fuck was Rayne?!

Old habits crept in. The desire to retire to his basement labs and work until he thought of nothing else but how things worked and how to unmake them—

Tameka shut off the shower taps.

Moving combat fast, Xelan rushed across the bathroom and grabbed a fresh towel. He stretched it open at the shower’s entry before she even knew he’d moved.

Tameka’s bright green eyes blinked at him through the steam. She looked perplexed and a little sad.

Curse him for putting the sadness there. “Tameka, I know my timing is awful in confessing this. Our son is waiting for us. But when isn’t someone waiting for one or both of us? Please know that I find you as breathtaking as our last time together. Which was—for me—only months ago. I know for you it’s been much longer.”

Tameka stared at him with her breath bated for him to finish, naked in that receding steam.

Xelan grinned at her. “Since then, I’ve seen the tattoo, and I can’t wait to taste it despite the damage it’ll cost me. I want you, Tameka. One day, we’ll get the timing down right, and I promise, we’ll bust that eighteen-hour record. Until then, I can’t describe enough to you how badly I wish one of our people went into psychology as a therapist. Because I think we could all use it.”

Tameka’s eyes widened and sparkled throughout his impromptu speech, rendering him a nervous wreck. His speech certainly saw more eloquent days. And what if he’d confessed too much to her? Did he put any of it on her—

She stepped from the shower with every curve and muscle bared to Xelan. The air this far into the bathroom cooled her skin into goosebumps. Or maybe those were further indications of her thoughts, hidden behind heavy lids. Confident, Tameka swayed her hips with her steps and met his eyes when she stopped an inch from the outstretched towel.

Elden, she was perfect. Self-assured and adept in a way that was catching. Water traveled down her skin in rivulets that Xelan wanted to chase with his mouth. Especially when she pulled the towel from him and let it fall aside. Tameka reached for him, and he bent for her, an unsteady kiss, so when she pushed him against the counter, he fell back on it. Purring into their kiss, she climbed astride him and Xelan forgot his reservations.

This.

He was missing this.

Not exactly the sex, but more the warmth from Tameka’s breasts and the solid weight of her hips gripped in his hands, avoiding the golden tattoo. Her soft moans. The grinding. Hell, the intimacy. This was all he wanted.

Her.

“Tameka.”

“Yes, Xelan.” She gazed down at him, breathless from their kissing. Her lips were fuller, and her cheeks rosier. Bright eyes left hungry for more.

“I—”

“Mommy! Daddy! The fort is done, and Thubgy got inside. We’re waiting!”

They both groaned. But it was a happy sound, made obvious by the look they shared.

Love.

For them and for their son.

This was a step in the direction they needed, but the road might be longer than they thought.

Tameka hopped down and freed her hair. Fluffing her fingers through it, gloriously naked in the muggy bathroom, Xelan hoped it wouldn’t be too long of a road. Unbidden, he recalled the sweat glistening on her strained muscles as she worked that chain dart with expert precision—

“I’ll find a sitter for him.” Xelan licked his lips as Tameka bounced into her jeans with only a black bra complimenting her breasts. “Tonight.”

She beamed at him and climbed into one of Xelan’s t-shirts, echoing an old tradition for them. Old for her. New for him. Relief transformed into guilt. “Am I a bad mother because I’m looking forward to it?”

Xelan took her hands in his and kissed her forehead. “Only if you think I’m a bad father for the same reason.”

“Never.”

“That’s the right answer.” He pulled her with him out of the closet and into the room, where Pax waited on top of his impressive fort. But the boy’s eyes didn’t move from the bedroom door—

A knock sounded.

“Prince Xelan, it’s Iuo. I’m sorry, but I have unfortunate news that can’t wait.”

Xelan glanced at Tameka with a sad smile before dropping her hands and answering the door through the foyer. “What happened?”

The Lamian Prince averted his black and blue eyes and shuffled his bi-pedal formed feet before daring to answer, “A disaster struck the promenade in Pil’s capital city. Leveled it, Wingmaster. Few survivors.”

Millions. Millions frequented and worked in that district.

Dizzy. Sick.

Xelan was about to lean his head on the cool surface of the wall until he glimpsed the deeper frown on Iuo’s face. Dreading the answer, he pressed, “What’s the rest of the news?”

Iuo looked from Xelan to Tameka to Pax, who pretended not to listen under a sheet. With a conciliatory tilt of his head, Iuo finished, “The Tribunal is charging Rayne with its destruction. Xelan, they said she escaped her prison on Cinder with Tumu’s help and attacked Pil as an act of terrorism against the Tribunal that punished her and ultimately against the Vast Collective.”

Tameka took a step closer, her eyes wide and glittering with anger. He hated the waver of uncertainty in her voice. “Xelan, what does that mean?”

Clenching his fists to stop the tremors, Xelan shifted into Atramentous. Iuo took a step back while staring into his solid midnight eyes, but the Icarean Prince couldn’t control himself.

Everything was wrong. Nothing was all right. And now Xelan must risk the last vestiges of his will or give in and lose to fate.

“Once the Tribunal convicts her, Imminent can eliminate her at will. They’ll execute Rayne if we don’t fall in line.”

Laughter bubbled from Tameka. Iuo and Xelan shared a confused glance before she beamed at them with pure confidence and love.

“They’ll try.”