Chapter 435


    “Ohhh, Rafey,” I murmur, reaching for my baby boy as Cora and Rogere into the room. “I’m so


    sorry, mommy and daddy just needed a minute.” “Yeah,” Roger says, his smirk deepening. “To talk.” I


    shrug a little and return his smirk, refusing to let him embarrass me as I carry my baby over to his little


    changing table and gather the supplies I use when I feed him.


    “What happened out there,” Cora says, a little breathless as she presses the door shut and looks


    around at us, wide-eyed. “I mean – is that…okay? For them to just bring a criminal and an enemy back


    into the nation?” “It’s not precisely legal,” Sinir sighs, waving the group of us forward towards our


    little living room once I’ve got all my supplies gathered. “But it isplicated, and a very… targeted


    message that they’re giving to us.


    That they’re on Xander’s side in this, agreeing with his policies and his lineage, not mine.” Together, we


    troop into the living room and I settle onto the couch as I begin to feed the baby, hoping that he gets as


    muchfort as I will from the familiar routine.


    “Are you two all right?” Roger asks, looking between. me and Sinir, who settles on the arm of the


    couch behind me.


    “We’re fine,” my mate growls, and Roger smirks a little but nods as he sits in an armchair across from


    us. Cora looks a little confused, but shrugs, giving up trying to figure it out and sitting in Roger’sp,


    clearly wanting to be close. He wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her back against him.


    “All right,” Roger says. “Then what’s our n on how to retaliate?” “Unfortunately,” Sinir sighs,


    “they’ve yed their cards well, bringing Xander here on a diplomatic mission. Because I have to be…


    perfectly diplomatic this entire weekend, or else I risk not being crowned.” “Really?” I ask, surprised as I


    look up at him. “It’s that precarious?” “These are a King’s duties,” he says, giving a little shrug. “If at the


    first trial of diplomacy – no matter howrge the trial – I rip someone’s throat out? I’d say it’s enough to


    give any nay-sayers a strong argument for why I should not be the one to lead this nation.” I sigh,


    shaking my head and looking down at Rafe, my sweet boy. “So. We have to tolerate him.” * “I’ll send a


    message to the Atxians that Xander is not wee at any of the more informal events,” Sinir


    murmurs. “But yes, when they gather as a delegation en masse? There’s nothing I can do to prevent


    him, unless I do want to risk sparking war. Not unless he crosses a line himself.” “Well?” Roger says,


    tilting his head a little, curious.” Can we…provoke him into doing that?” “Do we want to?” I ask,


    grimacing a little. “I mean, obviously I don’t know him, but this is a man devious enough to n to get


    me pregnant and then steal the child. I don’t think he’s someone we’re going to trick into a faux pau


    that we can use to kick him out of the pce.” “E’s right,” Sinir murmurs behind me, and I look up


    to see him shaking his head and crossing his arms over his broad, muscled chest. Something stirs in


    me again as I look at him, and Sinir nces at me, the start of a smile down his lips as he senses


    my arousal, either through my scent or down the bond I just shrug a little. I can’t help it. Heughs a


    little.


    “What is with you two,” Cora murmurs, still confused and looking between us.


    Roger justughs and tugs her closer. “Don’t worry about it, Cora,” he murmurs, kissing her neck. “Ill


    exin it all to youter.” She sighs, still confused, but gives in.


    “It’s unlikely that the Atxians are going to do anything to truly provoke war – this was just their


    gambit, their way of letting us know where they stand.


    If we can just…get through the weekend without killing him, they should go away and give us more


    time to develop a better strategy for getting Xander back and ensuring that he sees justice.” “Do you


    think they’ll let him go?” I ask, curious.


    “I don’t think that Xander actually means anything special to the Atxians,” my mate replies, looking


    seriously down at me. “I’m securely in power now, and everyone knows that Rafe is my son and heir. If


    he tries to im the throne through Rafe…” Sinir shrugs, implying that it’s pot going to go well,


    internationally.


    I smile at Sinir, d to see that my clear-thinking mate has returned, pleased to have been able to


    y a part in that. And I, too, feel so much clearer now after our little…interlude.


    “So, he’s a bargaining chip,” Roger says, nodding, understanding. “They know we want him. Now they


    want to see what they can get.” “Well,” Cora says, sitting up a bit straighter, her strategic mind at work.


    I smile at her, thinking that Cora has probably the best mind for these sorts of games of all of us –


    except, perhaps, for Henry, who I suddenly wish was here. Cora could have been a champion poker


    yer, I think, had she not picked medicine.


    “I think,” Cora continues, “that our best move then is to demonstrate to them that their bargaining chip


    is actually of very little value to us.” “And perhaps,” Roger chimes in, nodding his agreement, “keeping


    an eye on him to see if he does make a misstep.” “And if he does,” Sinir growls, a sound of


    vengeance that makes me smile, “we take him.” I take a deep, contented breath now, smiling around at


    my family and down at my baby.


    “It’s a good n,” I murmur, nodding my agreement. “ Now..we just have to put it into action.” Our little


    family meeting is unfortunately short-lived.


    We spend a few more minutesing up with the details of a n, but then the knocks start toe


    at the door – hairdressers and housekeepers, stylists and party nners. Everyone we’ve asked to


    come and help us get ready for the evening – Because that formal greeting? That was just the start of


    the day.


    We’ve got dinner and the afterparty to contend with, which I’m sure will present its own challenges.


    We all change – Cora and I into more formal gowns, Roger, Sinir and Rafe into tuxedoes. I squeal


    with delight as I dress Rafe in his, even though he sleeps through most of it. But he just looks so cute


    that I can’t stop staring at him.


    Coraughs,ing to my side and looking down at my little sleeping baby. “Is it going to be all right to


    take him with us?” she murmurs. “Does he need more sleep?” “He’s getting used to being a busy royal


    baby that naps on the go,” I sigh, lifting him up into my arms.” Besides, Conner ising,” I say with a


    grin, “to be Rafe’s bodyguard again. And Rafe’s used to sleeping in his arms after all these weeks at


    the camps.” “True,” Cora says, giving a littleugh. “I bet Conne never thought he’d have that title –


    Royal body guard’ sh traveling crib.” Iugh along with her, pleased that the mood has changed so


    much in the two hours since we left the hall where we greeted all of the delegations. But I feel bolstered


    now, ready for whateveres next. And as Sinires to my side, I can see that he, too, is


    steady.


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    “Ready for dinner?” my mate asks, running a hand down the back of my sparkling silver gown.


    “Ready for war, you mean?” I ask, grinning in reply.


    Sinirughs, dipping his head to kiss me once and giving me a nod. “Come on, private,” he growls,


    giving me a light smack on the a*s. “Time to move out.”