Far From Home Two: The Monster's Heir-- a M/M/M fantasy romance

AFTER EPILOGUE: Princess Mem

FIVE YEARS LATER—

SAGE—

We were sitting in the front living area, Llyric trying out a new contraption he and Dokojn had put together. Ember and I played a game of War, the winner of our bet getting the other's ass that night, when a commotion outside drew Llyric's attention. He stiffened but didn't seem afraid of whomever was outside, so Ember and I moved to the door and opened it.

To nearly be mauled down by a furious, soaking Geir. We were inside playing games rather than out in the field due to the heavy rainstorm, but not only had Geir braved the storm, but his little bedraggled family trudged in behind him.

Amer held their newest young— a child of only a few months— to his chest. The babe was wrapped in so many blankets I wasn't too worried about chill, but Amer moved immediately to the roaring fire anyways.

They had adopted their newest child— Stefani, named after Geir's uncle Stefan— from an ex-slave from We'ren. She had come to the Moonstone Tribe seeking refuge after being freed by the emperor of We'ren's laws abolishing slavery. As Geir had predicted, we had over the years had an influx of slaves returning home. Many returned to their former tribes and reacclimated with no issues.

At least, the tribes that accepted them back. I was surprised by the nearly puritanical view the Akarans took on ex-slaves. Some refused to accept them back, seeing them as dirty and used. As weak and worthless. As if, in surviving slavery, they had broken some kind of Akaran code of bravery and pride. In submitting to slavery, they were turning their backs on their Akaran heritage.

It was amazing that such an open, accepting people had such a staunch view of submission and pride.

Others, like Stefani's maman, hadn't been able to put their pasts behind them.

The woman had given birth to the little girl, and all but shoved her at Amer before disappearing again.

Amer had confided in me and my mates that the woman had confessed that the pregnancy was the result of rape. He wanted no one else to know, so the babe wouldn't have to grow up under the sins of her father.

Llyric held the babe for hours that night, crying and rocking her, his song mourning. Only he would understand what the girl would go through when she eventually knew her parentage. Only he knew how it would feel to learn one of your parents didn't want you, and the other had pushed themselves onto an innocent woman, resulting in your birth. Only he could understand and help her carry that pain.

"That godsdammed, fool woman!"

The twins, now nearly nine, followed their Daddy Amer to the fire, flinching away from their Papa Geir. They exchanged hugs with Llyric before sitting quietly near the fire to watch their papa rant.

"Geir, what's going on?" Ember asked calmly.

"Mem! That's what's wrong! Amer's fool-headed, stubborn, idiot sister! She's going to start a godsdamned war!"

I took a step back, my heart racing. What could Princess Mem have possibly done to break the peace treaty between Akar and El'kahr? Queen Hestiel hadn't been merely joking when she had made her flip comment all those years ago— Amer had recently told Llyric that she was seriously considering taking one of the twins in as an heir. Of having one of them spend their summers with her, learning the ins and outs of the courts.

It was a source of contention between Geir and Amer, but last I had heard, they were still considering it. So what could possibly happen to make Geir this angry he would war against El'kahr?

"Geir, calm down. You're going to give yourself a heart attack," Amer grumbled calmly. "Gods above, help me deal with my stubborn husband," he cursed in El'kahrian, then switched back to Akari. "Galen sent a letter that he was mating two women in We'ren, where he has served as ambassador for Akar for the last few months. With Stefani so young, we didn't want to make her travel, or leave her behind, so Geir sent his uncle Stefan to represent the family and the tribe in We'ren. But my dear sister Mem intercepted the letter— she was visiting us at the time to welcome the new babe— and went to We'ren in Stefan's stead."

"And we didn't even know!" Geir growled, glaring at his mate as if it was his fault. "We thought she went home! But no, she went all the way to godsdammed We'ren Empire! How did we find out, you ask? She's gone and gotten herself kidnapped, that's how."

Ember gasped and turned to Amer.

"Queen Hestiel is going to bring We'ren to its knees if they don't find the princess soon."

Queen Hestiel was cold, she was brutal, and she was unmerciful. But she was also just and fair, and one of the greatest monarchs El'kahr had seen in centuries. El'kahr was flourishing under her rule as I had never seen it.

But if there was one flaw she had, it was overprotectiveness towards her little sister Mem. Before Amer had left for Akar as their Warprize, that umbrella of overprotectiveness had included him, but she'd had to let him go. She hadn't had a choice. And he now had Geir to care for him.

Princess Mem, now nearly 20, had not flourished under her sister's rule the way the country had. Maybe the queen was too controlling. Maybe she was stifled.

One way or another, Mem was spoiled rotten and tested the patience of all those around her. She evaded her guards any chance she could, spent her days getting into trouble, and refused to let her sister even bring up the idea of marriage.

I honestly wasn't surprised she had done this.

"Yes, she is," Amer answered Ember with a sigh. "Which is why we're here. We need you three to watch the twins and Stefani so we can go to We'ren and stop an international incident. Gods be willing, we're not too late. According to Galen, the We'ren Empire has an abundance of wild mages, so they may actually be able to track her down before we're needed."

I hoped so, but I doubted it. I knew Mem— from before I moved to Akar, and from the years since. She tended to stop by any time she went to visit her brother. The girl shared her brother's quick mind and intelligence, but there was something else inside of her. Something grasping and clever, something almost... eerie about the way she viewed the world.

As if she was physically soaking up everything she saw and felt.

"We'll care for your young, Warprize," Ember said firmly, and Amer smiled warmly in gratitude. "Bring your sister back, before Queen Hestiel destroys the We'ren Empire looking for her."

TO BE CONTINUED in: Strange Magics Book 2: Blighted Abyss