Chapter 258: Morvakar Outdid Himself
Talon arrived at Morvakar’s residence a few hours later. He pushed through the door and was greeted by a sight that made his chest tighten. Luna cradled her son. Damien stood close beside her, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back, every inch of his kingly composure warmed by the fragile miracle before him.
But the moment Talon stepped inside, it was as though the air shifted. The fragile, private joy of parenthood receded, and the responsibilities of kingdom and war surged forward. Luna’s eyes flicked up, sharp and queenly once more. She pressed her lips to her son’s forehead before passing him into Thessa’s capable arms. Thessa—who had been tending not only to the child but also to Morvakar’s frail recovery—accepted the baby, rocking him gently even as she glanced at her patient lying pale on the sofa nearby. Luna and Damien, now both sovereigns again, turned to face Talon in unison. He noticed the subtle shift—mates and parents one moment, rulers the next.
Talon’s sharp eyes lingered on the infant, softer than usual. "So, he’s fine?" he asked, the question sounding almost reluctant, as though he feared jinxing the fragile miracle by naming it aloud.
"Yeah," Luna replied. Her hand brushed absently across her damp brow, her face alight. "Morvakar outdid himself." She spared a glance toward the sorcerer, who lay sprawled against a mound of cushions.
"Werewolf or..." Talon trailed off, his gaze flicking back to the child, his shoulders tensing as if the answer mattered far too much.
(I love golden tickets guys! it brings more traffic to the story.)
"True blood," Damien said. Yet even in his satisfaction, he caught the flicker of disappointment shadowing Talon’s features. The Beta’s jaw tightened, and he shifted his weight uncomfortably, clearly wishing the boy had come out with a tinge of wolf genes. Damien’s pride soured into defensiveness. "So...how did it go?"
Talon exhaled slowly, raking a hand through his dark hair. "We didn’t find anything," he admitted, frustration bleeding into his voice. "Myself and Eryk searched the office top to bottom—including the entire house. No hidden doors, no underground hatches, no false walls...nothing. If he’s hiding something, it’s buried deeper than any of us could sniff out."
Damien let out a long sigh, the sound rumbling in his chest, and turned his gaze toward Morvakar, who was watching him.
"Remember that necklace I told you Gabriel gave to Isolde so I could find her?" Damien asked. The memory brought with it a rush of bitter emotions. His eyes locked on the sorcerer, searching for affirmation, for a spark of hope.
"Who the hell is Isolde?" Morvakar spat. His eyes fixed on Damien.
"My... um..." Damien faltered, for once caught off guard. He shifted his weight from one boot to the other, shoulders squared but eyes betraying him. The guilt bled through as he glanced first at Luna and then at Talon. His queen’s lips parted slightly. The king swallowed hard.
"Oh... your true mate," Morvakar said flatly. His exhaustion gave him no patience for tact.
"Your what?" Thessa and Talon gasped in unison. Thessa’s eyes flew wide, her grip tightening instinctively around the infant, as if scandal alone might threaten the child. Talon’s reaction was more visceral.
"Long story. Never mind," Luna cut in swiftly. She lifted her chin higher, unwilling to let the conversation wander into wounds not yet scabbed over. Her eyes lingered on Damien a second too long, watching his reaction to the mention of her.
"Yeah... what about it?" Morvakar pressed, his impatience clear. He waved a weak hand dismissively, his body sagging further into the cushions. He was far too drained for soap-opera revelations but far too curious to let the matter drop entirely.
"You said the only explanation was you made it, right?" Damien said carefully, trying to drag the conversation back toward safer ground.
"Would you get on with your point?" Morvakar groaned, rolling his head back against the pillows. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, as if willing Damien to stop speaking in riddles before he fell asleep from sheer annoyance.
"The theory was that Gabriel was working with a sorcerer as powerful as you... someone who can copy your spell signature." Damien paced a step, his hands restless as he spoke. His brows knitted tightly as he searched Morvakar’s face. "Can this person also make a cloaking spell?"
Morvakar cracked one eye open. "Any half-witted sorcerer can cast a cloaking spell. Even you, with your idiot brain." The insult was delivered lazily, a smirk ghosting across his face despite his exhaustion. The jab landed well enough to make Thessa stifle a laugh behind her hand, though her eyes still flickered between Luna and Damien uneasily.
"Okay," Damien retorted, planting his hands on his hips. "I know you saved my son’s life and all, but that’s no reason for you to be testy." He glanced at Luna as if to silently say: See? This isn’t a big deal. Let’s move on. But Luna’s cool silence pressed harder than any words she could have spoken.
Morvakar’s lips twitched, he let out a dry laugh. "I take what I said earlier back," he murmured. He shifted against the pillows, eyes glittering. "Let’s trade places. I want your throne. You be the exhausted sorcerer. See how much you like it."
Talon snorted, though the sound carried more bitterness than humor. Luna’s gaze remained unyielding. She knew thought that that little revelation about Isolde being Damien’s true mate didn’t sit well with Talon and as the loyal beta he is, it would definitely get back to the alpha king. The baby whimpered softly, and Thessa rocked him gently.
"Oh, grow a pair. I need you to come into Blood City with me," Damien said, a command more than a request.
Luna stepped forward before Morvakar could even open his mouth. "Are you sure about this?" she asked softly. "The council will have your head." Her hand brushed against his wrist.
Damien’s gaze softened for a fraction of a heartbeat when it flicked to her, but his jaw clenched stubbornly. "Morvakar," he said, turning back to the sorcerer, "from this moment on... I, King Damien Dragos, by the power vested in me by the Blood goddess herself, hereby lift your banishment from Blood City."
(Tell me you love me right now! Just go ahead and tell me how much you love me!)