Page 43 of The Prince's Fealty

Tor tried to stand up, and Pel clambered up to help him, noticing the way Tor protected his side, his limp more pronounced as he took a few halting steps towards Cavun.

Time to set everything in motion.

Chapter Ten

Tor

This was not, at all, how Tor had thought his life was going to unfold. He’d had that thought so frequently recently that it should have lost its meaning, but he was still constantly surprised. He’d fallen in love, saved thousands of people by accident, had his magic bound, been branded a traitor, gambled everything to save his niece, come super close to dying, and was now about to actually commit treason—for what he was sure was the best reason ever, but he wasn’t certain his brother would see it that way.

Oh, and he hadn’t just gotten accidentally bonded, he’d accidentally gotten his partnerpregnant, which was the most irresponsible thing that he could possibly ever have done, except he genuinely hadn’t thought it was possible. Somehow, Pel was always something unexpected, and the two of them together was more than Tor had ever been able to imagine.

He wished that he’d been more cautious and more careful—except that he couldn’t regret their impending parenthood or the fact that they were together. He would just pray that they got to a more stable point where they could actually enjoy what was happening between them.

Possibly while possessing the Fealty of most of the exiles and hopefullynotfor only so long as it took Varex to learn what Tor had done.

There was so much to consider, but no time right now to properly consider it.

Tor still didn’t see how he could do anything else, not and protect his family to the best of his abilities. Not and protect a group of people who had been woefully mistreated.

Tor should have died when he went out that window, but he was still here, and he couldn’t help but feel that was for a reason.

He would make this time count.

He smiled at Pel as Cavun went to get everyone else. “I don’t suppose you would—”

“If you finish that sentence, I’m not ever going to talk to you again,” Pel said conversationally but with eyes that glittered.

Tor had known that was what his answer would be, but he’d felt compelled to ask one more time, just in case. They were all at risk, and that remained true even if he and Pel were separated by the entirety of the United Realms.

“I had to ask,” he said apologetically, eyes on the people who were coming back.

“I know you did.”

Thankfully, he didn’t sound upset. He’d gotten to know Tor pretty well, after all, and this was a pretty weird circumstance.

When Queen Istila—was she still a queen?—Tama, and Bavil returned, Tor didn’t waste any time.

“Under the circumstances, we agree to your suggestion.”

Tama and Istila looked monumentally relieved. Bavil looked grave but not exactly disapproving. Cavun didn’t look surprised at all, while the returned Beluna looked like she was questioning all of Tor’s life choices.

Tor didn’t blame her for that.

“I would like to discuss everything at greater length when we get back,” Tor told them. “If we make it back, we’ll be in a much better place to actually work on the issues you’ve raised. I intend to advocate for you with my brother at that point. I will commit to living in the exile land with you as long as I’m permitted to do so. I will still want to visit my family and friends, assuming that I’m permitted to do that, but I will spend the majority of my time on the other side of the mountains. And everything else will need to be worked out later. Does that work for you?”

Istila said, “Yes. Thank you.”

Her eyes were big and teary, and she looked like she was holding back strong emotions.

Tama had to clear her throat before she could say, “You’re giving us hope, and it’s been a long time since we’ve had that.”

Tor prayed that this would all work out, that he wasn’t setting these people up to watch that hope wither and die.

“I assume this is why you brought the exiles with you?”

Istila nodded. “Yes.”

Tor sucked in a breath, then let it out in a rush. “All right, let’s get going.”