Page 72 of Lethal King

“Speaking of my nephew…”

“Of course.”

Letting go of me, Bianca leads the way to the stroller.

Little Jakub’s smile immediately melts my cold heart and brightens the entire room. He’s got his father’s green eyes but his mother’s auburn hair—a perfect mixture of Irish, Italian and Polish genes.

His stubby arms reach out to me, and I pick him up.

“How’s my favorite nephew?” I ask, bouncing him against my chest.

“He’s your only nephew,” Bianca playfully reminds me.

“For now,” Gabriel adds.

The implication nearly knocks me off my feet.

“… Does that mean?”

“We’re pregnant,” Bianca beams.

“Still not sure if it’s a boy or a girl yet,” Gabriel says.

“What are you hoping for?”

“A healthy baby,” they both agree at the same time.

“Of course.”

For a while, everything is fine in the world. I rock Jakub in my arms and catch up with Bianca.

Then, I feel Gabriel’s hand on my shoulder. It’s heavier than the mood in the room. I know what he’s going to say before he even opens his mouth.

“Hey, look, I’m sorry about the coronation,” he starts.

“Don’t be. Shit happens. Now it’s time to clean up the mess. Are you willing to help?”

“What do you need from me?”

“Inside information.”

I catch the slightest bit of hesitation in Gabriel’s sharp emerald green eyes as he purses his lips.

Still, he provides a dutiful nod.

“I’ll tell you what I can.”

“Good, because we’ll need every last advantage we can get.”

“Is it that bad?” Bianca asks.

“No. In fact, I should be picking up my crown from Rozalia sometime tomorrow. But there are other issues.”

“Like what to do with her,” Gabriel somberly acknowledges.

“And Tytus.”

“What about their army?” Bianca points out.