Reign the Earth (The Elementae #1)(48)

I came closer to him. “My place is by your side,” I said.

His hands caught me, pulling me to him. “What of the mills?” he asked.

“The mills will run in my absence. I will have Adria see it done.”

His mouth was hard, but he nodded. “Very well.”

In less than an hour and well before the light of day, we were led through the halls of the castle, coming out into the cool dark of the courtyard.

“What is the meaning of this?” Calix grunted.

I peered around him to see Kairos on the walkway, turning to smile at us. “Good morning.”

“What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “Seemed like an excellent time for a walk. Where are you two off to?”

“The south,” I said, and Calix squeezed my hand hard.

“It’s business of state,” Calix snapped. “You can either remain here or return to the desert, but you cannot accompany us.”

Kairos grinned. “Surely if it’s safe enough for my sister, it’s safe enough for me.”

“Kairos,” I said, stepping in front of my husband and meeting Kairos’s eyes. “The king said you cannot come.”

His eyes searched my face. “Very well,” he said. “Watch the skies, little sister.”

He kissed my cheek, sliding past me. I watched him go before Calix hurried me along, and it took several long minutes to realize that Osmost was not on his shoulder.

“Did you tell him we were leaving?” Calix demanded.

“No,” I said, turning to my husband.

“Your brother is outlasting his welcome,” he told me gruffly. He brought me to the carriage that was waiting for us and offered his hand to help me inside.

I sat on one cushioned bench, and a moment later he sat beside me in the darkness, his arm sliding around my tense shoulders. I sat forward, and his arm fell away from me.

“Wife?” he asked.

“It means a great deal to me that Kairos is here. You know that. You don’t need to threaten him.”

He shifted a little. “I did not threaten him.”

“ ‘Outlasting his welcome’?” I repeated. “You—you just gouged out the eyes of a man for less.”

“I’m sure his eyes haven’t been gouged out just yet.”

I shook my head, though it was dark enough that he couldn’t see. “I cannot watch you be so casually cruel with an easy heart, Calix. I can’t.”

There was a long silence in which I could feel my heart beating, the risk of displeasing my husband rushing in my veins.

Then he sighed heavily. “He can stay a little longer,” he allowed. I felt his hand cover my stomach, his touch possessive, caging me. “After all, hopefully he will be an uncle soon enough.” His lips brushed over my temple, his body curling around me. “I’m not cruel, Shalia.”

“You terrorize people,” I whispered to him.

“Sometimes I have to,” he said. “A ruler cannot be emotional about life—every day I have to choose a path that will save the most lives. But I will never be able to save every life. It is a terrible burden.” He was silent a long while. “Is this just about the guard, Shalia?”

“Who did maiming that guard protect?” I asked, avoiding his question, certain I did not want to confront him about his past and what I knew here, in such an enclosed space.

“Him,” Calix said. “I was protecting his life. Every time he glanced at you, I would see it in his eyes—his memory, his desire. And before long, he would force my hand. Men are animals of nature, my love. I could see his heart like I see my own.”

I shook my head, anger making me resolute. “Perhaps that has made you a good king, Calix, but I cannot think such ruthlessness will make you a good father.”

“The only ruthlessness my children will ever see is the swift death of anyone who tries to hurt them. Or you.” His hand tightened on my stomach, gripping me until I made a noise, and he sucked in a breath. “Forgive me, my sweet, forgive me,” he murmured close to my ear, his fingers skimming over me. “The thought—I don’t know what I would do if I were to fail as a father. The thought chills me. But I have to trust that this is your purpose—to show me what it means to love, so that I can love our children. I can’t wait for the day you carry my child, Shalia. It is my every hope.”

“It’s so very important to you,” I whispered, looking toward him.

“A man is nothing—his legacy nothing, his lifetime nothing—until he has someone to continue on in his stead. All I achieve is useless without you.”

Warmth curled around my heart as the carriage moved, rolling gently into motion to carry us south. “I want to have many children,” I admitted to him.

His mouth kissed my cheek, slipping closer to my lips, and it made the warmth travel to my bones. “I will give them to you. I will give them all to you.” His fingers spread on my belly, like he was willing life into being there.

I covered his hand.

“A son to start,” he whispered. “My heir. I will grow him up in my image and teach him how to rule. Then perhaps a little sister, someone for him to protect and care for. A girl with your beautiful face. And then another girl—she’ll be the mischievous one.”