Nightbound

From the chapel they went to the main hall, where the visiting Kyn lords and ladies offered formal congratulations to Beau, and Alys was embraced by her sisters and students. Before Alex herded the excited interns off to the banquet table set up for the mortal guests, she caught Alys’s arm.

“Korvel and Lucan are over in the gift room having a little chat.” She nodded in that direction. “While you have the chance, you might want to take Beau in there and tell the three of them what Cristophe told you. I’m guessing he let you know exactly who he was.”

Alys almost choked. “How did you know?”

“Genetics, not geology, remember?” Alex winked.

Coaxing Beau away from the visiting Kyn didn’t take much persuasion, although when he saw Korvel and Lucan standing together in the gift room, he gave her a puzzled look. “I thought you wanted a private moment.”

“Oh, we’ll have plenty of those when we get to Lord Jamys’s honeymoon island.” Alys closed the door before she led him over to the other men. “I wanted to thank you both for staying for the wedding. I know it was inconvenient, especially for you, Lord Alenfar.”

“Miss an opportunity to photograph Byrne in a skirt?” Lucan smiled lazily. “I should never.”

“Simone and I never had proper families,” Korvel assured her. “We are delighted to have you and Christian as our sisters, and hope you will someday come and visit us in France.”

“I would love that.” Alys’s smile grew uneasy. “And I hope you don’t mind adding a few more members to the family. There is something that you don’t know. Something Cristophe told me, just before he died.”

Beau put an arm around her. “I have admitted to everyone the truth about my mother, love. You needn’t worry about it.”

“But you don’t know…I’m not even sure how to say this. Cristophe was your father.” She nodded at the other men. “He was also their father. The three of you are half brothers.”

Korvel and Lucan said nothing, and Beau hardly knew what to think.

“You were shot just before Cristophe died, love,” he said as kindly as he could. “Perhaps you simply imagined this.”

“I think not,” Lucan said. His brows arched. “Unless you consider yourself too good to be my sibling?”

“No, my lord.” Beau eyed his gloves. “But how could this be? I was born in Jerusalem. You and Lord Korvel are Englishmen.”

“I was actually conceived in a slave house in Norway,” Korvel said slowly. “Cristophe gave me a vision of it. It seems he was enslaved with my mother, and they became lovers. When she was ransomed by her family, she returned home pregnant with me.”

“From what I was shown, he was also my mother’s lover,” Lucan said. “I was never claimed as son by any man.” He eyed Beau. “When he was a Templar, Cristophe spent many years in the Holy Land on Crusade. He must have sired you then.”

“He wanted to tell you himself, to claim you as his sons,” Alys said sadly, “but he thought you would be safer if he didn’t. Especially Beau.”

“Richard,” Lucan said, and Korvel nodded.

“The smith is dead,” Beau said, “and the gems destroyed. We are alive, and together with those we love.” He regarded Lucan and Korvel. “What more can we ask?”

Lucan smiled. “Permit me to inform the high lord about the emeralds. Brother.” He bowed to Beau, and Alys, and headed back to the reception.

“I wished to make that call,” Korvel argued as he followed after the suzerain. “You were merely his assassin. I was his second for seven hundred years.”

Beau turned to Alys and took her hands in his. “You have bestowed so much on me. Love, life, your hand in marriage, and now two brothers. What can I possibly give you in return?”

“Oh, I have some ideas.” She reached up and kissed him. “Let’s start with a dance.”