She hummed, leaning into him. She hated how much she craved his touch, but given the circumstances, it probably wasn’t surprising. He was all she had, now that her son was beyond her reach.
The worst part was, part of her felt perfectly content with him being her entire world and her being his. That’s how it should be, a voice whispered at the back of her mind.
Dalatteya tried to crush it. She didn’t want to lose herself in him completely. She didn’t trust Emyr at all, especially since he’d shown how crafty, resourceful, and manipulative he could be even when he’d been locked up with his telepathy limited. Now he walked this planet as a free man, coming and going as he pleased. She had no idea what he was up to when he left their seaside house for his trips to the nearest city. It unsettled her. And it unsettled her that she couldn’t seem to breathe properly until he returned.
Gods, she despised herself sometimes. She needed something else to occupy her, before she could become completely dependent on him. More dependent than she already was.
“I have news,” he said, handing her his multi-device.
Frowning, Dalatteya turned the screen on and inhaled sharply.
“I must say it isn’t the way I thought we’d have grandchildren,” Emyr said dryly. “But at least my eldest inherited my excellent taste, at least where looks are concerned.”
She stared at her son in the picture. Samir’s wrist was tied to Warrehn’s with a ribbon, and they were smiling at each other. It was unmistakable what the picture depicted even without the headline proclaiming that King Warrehn’ngh’zaver had married Prince Samir’ngh’lavette.
Dalatteya pursed her lips, unsure what to feel. On one hand, she didn’t like Warrehn, and she loathed the thought that the man who was the reason she was a fugitive had become Samir’s spouse. On the other hand, she was relieved that her son’s future was now secured. Dalatteya was well aware that the scandal around her had hurt Samir’s political standing by association. So, objectively, this was good news.
Subjectively, she felt more than a little heartbroken that she wasn’t present at her only child’s wedding and likely would never meet Samir’s children. Perhaps it was her punishment. Perhaps she deserved it.
Sighing, Emyr pulled her tighter against him. “This self-flagellation doesn’t suit you, Latteya.”
“A mother is allowed to have regrets when she can’t attend her only child’s wedding.”
Emyr hummed noncommittally and laid a proprietary hand on her stomach. “He isn’t going to be the only child for much longer.”
She froze, and then whipped her head toward him.
His blue eyes were smiling. “I’m surprised you haven’t realized it yourself.”
Dalatteya swallowed, her mind racing. “That’s—that’s—How do you know?” Her periods had been very irregular in the past few years until they finally stopped completely more than a year ago—or so she had assumed.
“I can feel her already,” Emyr said with a soft smile. “Can’t you?”
Her?
Dalatteya felt a burst of elation—and then a wave of crushing despair. “We can’t have a child when we’re both wanted criminals,” she said hoarsely, closing her eyes. “I will not have my child grow up in such circumstances, forever living in fear of being caught and her parents taken away.”
“Dalatteya. Look at me.”
She opened her eyes.
Emyr’s gaze was deadly serious as he said, “I will not let any harm come to either of you.”
She shivered, believing him instinctively and loathing herself for it. She opened her mouth to say that he couldn’t give such a promise, but he laid a finger on her lips, stopping her. “Our child will not have to live in fear. I have made all the arrangements.” He retrieved two chips out of his pocket.
Dalatteya’s breath caught. “Is that…?”
“It is,” Emyr said, studying the chips with a satisfied gleam in his eyes. “Idhron has finally arranged new identities for us. As of today, we’re law-abiding citizens of this planet.”
She stiffened. “Idhron? And why is the High Adept of the High Hronthar helping us break the law?”
Emyr sighed, looking away before looking back at her with a placating expression. “Just remember to stay calm, all right, pet? You need to think of the baby.”
Dalatteya glared at him. “Emyr. What. Did. You. Do?”
“Idhron found out about my existence years ago when he attempted to brainwash you into liking Eridan and came across the mind traps in your mind. He grew suspicious and had you followed to the safe house. Your security measures kept him away for a while, but eventually he compelled you into letting him into the house. You don’t remember that because he wiped the relevant memories.”
Dalatteya took a deep breath and counted to ten. “And then?”
“We talked,” Emyr said, looking at her warily. “He realized what I am, but he obviously saw little benefit in informing the authorities of my existence. I was living proof of your crimes if he ever needed to get rid of you politically, but he also realized that I was more useful as an ally. I agreed to let him brainwash you into liking Eridan and I have given him a lot of blackmail material against the other royal families in exchange for a favor I would collect on some day.”