Page 123 of His Realm

“Well, if there’s one, I’d be over the moon.”

She nodded.

“And I want to ask Keres to be our surrogate. I don’t know if she will, but⁠—”

“Of course she will. I suspect she’ll be deeply moved.”

“Well, we’ll see. But that’s just the most amazing thing ever.”

“Yes, it is, and I would have never even thought of it if you hadn’t spoken to Nerilla.”

It had to be real. There was no other explanation.

I fell asleep while she was there, which was rude, but when I woke up, stretching, smiling at her, she said I had visitors waiting.

“Of course,” I said, my voice all creaky.

Tiago was the first one in, and when I struggled to sit up, he was there fast, leaning over me, telling me not to waste my strength.

“You scared me to my core,” he murmured, wrapping me gently in his arms.

“Same here,” I confessed, hugging him tight. “I thought I lost you.”

Behind him was Hadrian, who was also very careful when he hugged me. “I am so very pleased to see you with your eyes open,” he murmured, and because it was Hadrian, and he was always genuine, I felt how much that meant. “We all kept vigil.”

I was thinking that there had been a lot of people standing around keeping watch over me at some point. Isabella told me they all took turns, only Varic being the constant.

“You must have been terrified for Tiago as well,” I said to Hadrian.

His brows furrowed. “Once the bolt was removed, and the poison left his system, Tiago was well. He is powerful and recovered quickly.”

Glancing over his shoulder, I saw Tiago make a quick cutting motion with his hand that told me to shut the hell up. Apparently, I was not allowed to bring up sore subjects.

“Of course he did,” I told Hadrian. “There was never any worry.”

Quick nod from him before he said, “Varic would have never left your side, but once we were assured that you would live, only needing to be rested enough to wake, then was he forced to see to pressing matters.”

I got the feeling he thought I doubted Varic’s devotion or worry. “I know he would have been here if he could,” I assured him.

Zev pushed Hadrian aside then, kneeling beside the bed, his face scrunched up, looking like he was going to cry. I reached out and put my hand on his shoulder. I checked the left one, and his arm looked the same to me.

“Tell me,” I prodded him.

He stood up and I saw the glove on his left hand. When he took it off, there was a robotic hand that turned back and forth, made a fist, and then opened.

“You’re bionic,” I said, smiling.

“I am learning to be. The technology is more than I imagined and the prince has spared no expense on my behalf.”

“Of course not. You’re family.”

“He did it because I saved you and the queen.”

“It’s not just because of that and you damn well know it.”

“I wish I could have remained at both your sides.”

“You were amazing.”