Karein could do very little to stop the incoming apocalypse.
* * * *
“And make sure you don’t do anything to insult them.” Queen Onyerre scowled at Sari, her blue eyes glittering with barely concealed disgust and satisfaction. “In specific, pay heed to respect your mating. I know that it’s probably hard for you, given that whoring is in your genes, but—”
“Be silent, Onyerre!” Sari’s father snapped, interrupting her rant. “This is too important for you to add further tension to the situation.”
Sari remained silent, knowing that speaking would only make things worse. Onyerre chose any occasion she could find to shower Sari with insults. Although under normal circumstances, she tried to be more elegant about it, she seemed to have decided to clutter as much venom as possible in Sari’s remaining time in Rose Noire.
It was perhaps fortunate that Sari’s mother hadn’t come for this meeting. It was supposed to be a conversation between the members of the royal family, to give Sari some general guidelines he should follow. Eanera had been invited, but she hadn’t shown up.
Sari had to admit he was a little disappointed, but his mother knew best. Perhaps she hadn’t wanted to encourage further hostility from Onyerre’s part. Whenever the two of them were in the same room, chaos inevitably followed.
“I’m right, and you know it,” Onyerre argued with Selbrian. “You’ve been far too lax with him. He is spoiled, and once he leaves the constraints I’ve managed to erect, he’ll go wild.”
From that point on, Sari tuned them out. Inserting his hand in his pocket, he idly toyed with the wooden wolf he’d stolen from Caelyn and Graham, back in Eternelle. He didn’t know how he’d explain having it on him if someone found it, but he didn’t want to risk losing it either. For some reason, the wolf gave him the same sense of peace and strength that a visit to the Obelisk of Eternelle granted him.
He wondered how Shtamakarein was truly like. So far, all he had to go by was rumors. His father claimed that he and the draechen prince would have a little time to get to know each other, but would it be enough?
“Did you know that draechen lay eggs?” A voice suddenly snapped him out of his musings.
Sari turned toward his brother, Darian, who stood next to him, grinning. “Pardon?” Sari asked.
“Draechen lay eggs,” Darian repeated. “Tell me, Sari, will we see you hatching eggs when we come to visit?”
Darian was the oldest of the royal offspring, and the heir to the fae throne. He and Sari rarely, if ever spoke, which was probably for the best, given the comments he made whenever they did talk. Sari was tempted to ignore him this time around, but even he had his limits.
“It’s unlikely,” he answered. “I don’t think my body is compatible to producing draechen eggs. It would be a physical impossibility for me to give birth like that.”
“Does that mean you’re considering a child with the draechen?” Darian chuckled. “I probably shouldn’t be surprised. Like mother, like son. You’d do anything to secure your position.”
“Actually, I wouldn’t bring a child into the world to use him or her as a tool,” Sari answered. “And I don’t know if my mate and I will have children. I’m of a firm belief that certain people don’t deserve to breed because they’re only capable of bringing misery onto themselves and others.”
In truth, Sari didn’t even want to think about building a family with Shtamakarein in that poisonous environment. He had no idea if it was even possible as he’d never studied draechen physiology in his life. But he wasn’t referring to Shtamakarein when he said that. He just couldn’t resist using the opening to show his brother that he wouldn’t allow anyone to walk over him, not even the heir apparent of Ivenia.
Onyerre was too engaged in conversation with their father to react to his comment, but Darian hissed angrily,