It wasn’t a question, more like a dreaded realization given their uncanny resemblance, even if this was the first time Lachlan had ever seen his hero’s face.
“Yes, he was my father,” Braxton answered, nonetheless.
“When I went to the Mirror World to search for the Harbinger, I found his son instead,” I began to explain, hoping to clarify things for him. “But Braxton had no idea our world even existed. He didn’t know who his father was to us. I decided to tell him about us and the Dragons, and I brought him with me because this is his world too.”
“He was the Harbinger’s mission?” Lachlan asked, starting to put the pieces together, but refrained from glancing at us.
“Yes, Evanna’s parents asked mine to take me away if they lost the Great Battle. When Azazel was lost to us, they did.” My mate paused, looking at me as he gauged how much he should divulge. “I have Dragon powers,” Brax continued. “Some of which you have already seen.”
“Your glowing eye?” Lachlan questioned, remembering the meeting at the war room, when Braxton was able to see the path within the mountains through his Dragon Eye.
“Yes.”
“And you can understand them somehow?”
“I can, like you saw the day in the private training grounds when I told them to stand back during our fight.”
Lachlan slowly nodded; his gaze glued to the Harbinger’s face.
“My powers go far deeper than that, and if Raithian ever drained me of my magic, they would allow him to take hold of all Dragons once more. That is why my parents had to leave, taking me away from here to protect me and protect you all.”
“After Braxton came back his powers awoke, and he has been mastering them here, to help us use the Dragons like never before, to help us destroy Raithian,” I explained. “When he first arrived, I couldn’t tell him who his father was to us, and we couldn’t tell anyone who Braxton really was. But now that we discovered the truth and shared proof of Khayden Skystorm’s innocence, we are ready to share it with our people… We thought you deserved to learn the truth before they do, and hopefully, it will help clear this misunderstanding between the two of you.”
Grateful for the way I’d presented the situation, my mate lifted my hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on my knuckles.
“The queen and king hoped that one day I would return and use my powers to help you all save Caelisium. I am here now, doing exactly that. Pushing myself every day to learn everything I can about my abilities, so we can defeat Raithian once and for all.”
“I understand.” His voice seemed burdened by the weight of this unexpected truth.
Braxton let out a troubled sigh. “I have never been against you and our people, Lachlan. I am here for you, all of you, and I plan to fight until the end… Whatever that might look like for me.”
With Braxton’s words, my old friend finally faced us. “Like your father did?”
“Yes. It will be my honor to continue his fight.”
For the briefest moment, Lachlan held Braxton’s gaze, probably searching for deceit but finding only the deepest sincerity. Braxton meant every word.
Shocking everyone in the room, including me, Lachlan suddenly began to kneel, but Braxton’s hand shot to his arm, immediately stopping him. “There is no need for that.”
“But you are the new Harbinger of Justice,” my old friend objected, albeit very reluctantly. He didn’t spontaneously love Braxton simply because of who his father was, but he recognized the reverence needed because of it.
“No. I am his son. And although I plan to leave it all in the battlefield like he would, I could never be my father. He left shoes too big to fill,” my mate answered humbly because that was the kind of man he was—ironically, just like his father. “We are all brothers and sisters here.”
Pulling his arm out of Braxton’s grasp, too carefully to be truly amicable, Lachlan gave him a single nod. His gaze fell to our joined hands before reaching my eyes. “Princess…”
Without another word, he walked past Braxton and me, exiting the throne room. Yet, it was the trail of longing and pain he left behind with the icy title that cut through me. It was at that moment that I realized what everyone had been trying to tell me all along, and for some reason, I was incapable of seeing.
This wasn’t really about Braxton; it was about Braxton having me. Lachlan wanted me to be with him but that was the one thing I could never give him.
For everyone’s sake, I truly hoped that our talk was successful, and he finally let go of the animosity he harbored.
“Was the brothers part too much?” my mate asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I offered him a smile while he pulled me into his arms. “A little, but I appreciate you making an effort either way.”
His lips closed over mine gently, offering me a grateful kiss filled with hopes for our future.
“Does this mean you are ready to tell the world who you are, Prince? Because I feel a party coming, and I like to party.”
Excitement accompanied Imogen’s statement, and I grinned, pulling away from Braxton to see him cringe a little.
“I’m not sure that with Raithian’s threat, everything I have to accomplish, and my Devenish powers still out of control this is the time—”
“This is exactly the time to celebrate, darling. If we don’t make room to enjoy the small triumphs and special moments along the way, then what in this Dragon-infested world are we fighting for?”
“I agree,” Kingston offered.
“Me too,” I echoed, just as Willow reached my side, looping her arm with mine. I smiled at her, pulling her closer to me.
“Dragon infested world?” Braxton challenged, half-insulted, eyes narrowing at his mentor. “They are not rodents.”
“Honestly, that is debatable.”
Laughter burst out of us with Willow’s statement, but she just arched a brow at him, daring him to contradict her.
My mate’s lips twitched, even as he shook his head, fully knowing they were just messing with him.
“I propose a jubilee,” my guardian declared, surprising us all.
“Yes!” Willow screeched, thrilled about the idea of planning yet another celebration, as though my coronation wasn’t labor enough.
“I like the idea,” I confessed. “It will lift our people’s morale after everything they’d been through recently, lend us the perfect setting to introduce Braxton formally as the Harbinger of Justice’s son, and show them what you can do.”
“You mean my Dragon abilities?” he asked, excitement seeming to sneak up on him with the prospect.
“That is exactly what you should do!” Imogen added, clapping her hands. “Can you imagine their faces when they see your Dragon Eye, and see you communicating with the Dragons? Even making them do everything you want?”
“I don’t order them around,” he countered.
“But they will follow your lead, Prince. It is the very reason you got this gift: to lead them in war, so show our people that. Show off what you can do. Become larger than life with your Dragons and give us a true show.”
“I’m sure your Dragon family won’t mind helping you put on a magic show,” Harper proposed. “And I, for one, would love to see that.”