Beyond the Books

A Father's Confession

And today, Wynter had barged in without a trace of that blossoming warmth in his features. He'd come to them as a male, fearing for his life. As a son, fearing for his parents. And Kallias might as well have said he was disowning Wynter, no matter how many times he had claimed otherwise.

By the Cauldron, he'd told Wynter that he would allow the Court to see the baby as his Heir Apparent, if that's what it took to keep the peace. After Wynter had said repeatedly how afraid he was of that happening. Of being replaced, forcefully or otherwise.

It didn't matter that a High Lord was chosen based on his power and strength. It didn't matter that Wynter was the firstborn, the obvious choice for a future High Lord. It didn't matter that they didn't even know if the baby was a boy or a girl yet.

    No, what mattered was that Kallias had said he'd replace Wynter. Strip him of his birthright. His title. The thing he'd believed himself to be since the day he was first told what he was, and what he might one day become.

Kallias dug his fingers into his hair, his nails scraping painfully over his scalp. "Then you stole my childhood for nothing. You taught me everything I know for nothing."

He remembered what a bright eyed learner Wynter had been, curious and eager to please. He'd caused plenty of trouble too, but only because he was bored or... Kallias rocked back onto his heels, his eyes burning. Or because he had simply wanted his father's attention.

How had he failed his son like this? Every lesson he'd planned. Every trip they'd made. Every discussion, meeting, and summons they'd held. Wynter had done it all without complaint. He'd been the golden child. The studious pupil. The dedicated son. The perfect Prince. And when he acted out or misbehaved, it was for Kallias. To catch his attention. To find a reminder that he did care. That he was watching. That he was proud.

"What did you say to him?" He'd never even heard the door open. The hem of Vivane's skirt entered his vision. "Colette just wrote to me. Wynter ordered them to leave. He's barred everyone from the townhouse. What did you say to him?" He couldn't answer. "Kallias, what did you say to my son?"

He still couldn't speak, so he lowered his mental shields and allowed his memories of the conversation to pass across the Mating Bond. He was aware of Viviane's icy anger growing with every word.

"How could you say that to him?" She demanded. "After everything he just told us... After everything he just told you, how could you say that? He's spent his entire life trying to be who you wanted him to be! Trying to be the perfect Heir, so that someday, he'd be the perfect High Lord. So that someday, he would finally make you proud! How could you say that to him?"

Kallias didn't even have the strength to admonish her about over-exciting himself. Minutes passed, and he finally found his voice. "I was thinking of the Court," he rasped.

"You should've been thinking of your son."

Her words resonated within him, snapping the last of the shock that had gripped his mind. Kallias stared up at Viviane, but did not rise. "I have always been thinking about Wynter. Everything I've ever done has been to prepare him for what he might face in the future. I...I did my best. I just wanted him to be prepared. To know. To have a plan. To, to, to..."

"To keep him safe," he gritted out. "To do whatever was necessary to keep him safe. Appeasing the Court and the people might be the only way to do that now."

"So you would take away the one thing Wynter has clung to as a steadfast truth to keep him safe? The one thing that might have been keeping him safe, keeping him alive, until now?"