Davos and Mikos were both on their feet at that point, and Mikos started to charge around the table to confront Larz, but Blake threw himself in front of him.
“Stop this right now. There’s been enough violence, and Larz is right. You and your father should never had gone behind Larz’s back and taken Janos into custody. I told you so at the time. I can only imagine what you’d do if someone did that to you. So don’t try me, Mikos. You arenotgoing to brawl withyour brother here in Vannos’s home. Iforbidit.” He gave Mikos a furious glare and then transferred it over to Larz/
Mikos’s face was like a thundercloud, but to my surprise, he backed down and even gave his omak a brief nod before turning away.
Blake shifted his attention to Larz. “Larz, this is Vannos’s home, so don’t come charging in here like you’re in some low-class tavern, itching for a fight. I know you’re angry about these attempts on your mate. Anybody would be. But before you go throwing out accusations, I might remind you that you happened to bring along a murderer of your own when you arrived, so I wouldn’t be throwing stones, if I were you.”
Another obscure human reference, but everyone else seemed to understand it and I got the gist of it myself. And if some of the details about the other attempts on Janos’s life might still be in question, it was an undeniable fact that Luc Dimitri had just tried to kill Janos with that pillow. Larz’s own son had witnessed it, so Blake had him there.
Larz had the grace to blush at the consort’s words. I was again amazed at how these men responded to this small but fierce human. If my own omak had stayed with my father, would I have had a similar relationship with him? I guess I’d never know, and I felt an old, familiar ache in my chest at the thought of him. I didn’t even know where he was or even if he were still alive.
“Come over here and sit down with us, Larz,” the consort continued in a more conciliatory tone. “Please, darling. I’ve barely had a chance to talk to you. The rest of you should sit down too.”
After a slight hesitation, Larz came over to sit down with his family. Mikos, who had just been served a large plate of the ribs and hadn’t yet touched them, pushed the plate over toward his younger brother.
“Do you still like taragg ribs as much as you used to?”
“I-I confess I haven’t had any of them in years.”
“Then you’re in for a treat. Have a glass of this Moravian wine too. It’s one of Vannos’s favorites and not half bad. I’ll have another glass with you.” He leaned across the table to pour a drink for Larz, as every other family member watched in stunned silence. These may have been the first cordial words Mikos had spoken to Larz in years. Mikos’s consort reached over and squeezed his hand as he sat back down. Larz just looked surprised and a little wary.
King Davos cleared his throat. “What I would like to do is to put your entire family under our protection for the time being and take you all back to Tygeria, son. Janos can appear in front of the council and explain what happened when you were kidnapped years ago, clearing his name of any wrongdoing concerning the actual kidnapping for once and for all. You can be there with him, of course, as well as the rest of us. We’ll issue a statement of support for Janos and speak on his behalf.”
“Forgive me, Father,” Larz said, in a tone that wasn’t exactly angry, but a bit condemning.
“But you should have done that years ago.”
“I’m sure you’re right. But as my consort tells me, ‘Seeing behind you is twenty.’”
Blake smiled. “I think what your father means is ‘hindsight is twenty-twenty,’ a human phrase, which means that we can always clearly see what weshould have donein the past. But our child had been kidnapped. We didn’t even know if you were still alive, and then we got the word that you were being used as a slave, and that Janos could have told us he had you all along, but he never did out of some kind of spite or revenge. We were upset and confused and yes, filled with guilt. We thought you must be confused and mistaken in your feelings for Janos. There was just a lot for us to work through when we found you. It was a longtime ago, and I think there was plenty of wrong thinking to go around,” Blake said softly. “It’s time we ended all of it.”
I felt like I should excuse myself because the conversation had become so personal. I was trying to think of the best way to do that, when Blake turned his lethal charm on me.
“General Vargarra, I’m sorry to speak of these personal matters in front of you. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
I bowed deeply to him. “Your Highness, there’s nothing to forgive. I should go and…”
“No, please stay. You know, I’ve seen the way you look at my grandson Taran and how he looks right back at you.” Prince Larz’s head whipped around to stare at me, as his mouth dropped open. I couldn’t even look at Prince Mikos.
“I think,” the Consort continued, “you might be a part of our family soon.” He laughed at the look on Prince Larz’s face, and probably at the one that seemed to be frozen on mine. “Why be so surprised? Taran is in his late twenties now, and a full-grown man who can make his own decisions about such matters. I personally think it’s an excellent match for both of them. But we can talk about all that later. For now, Larz, will you agree to come with us and go before the council? Then afterward, you can return to Laltana and resume your duties there as the King’s Governor, and we’ll have no more talk of treason and other foolishness.”
Silence fell over the room when he finished, and I noticed King Davos was smiling at his consort fondly. When Blake came back over to stand beside his husband, the king leaned down and said something to him that made him blush. Davos then looked back over at his son, Larz.
He spoke softly, as if uncertain of Larz’s answer. “How does all of this sound to you, son? Will you go with us to Tygeria?”
“What does Mikos say?” Prince Larz asked.
All eyes turned to the royal prince, and he gave an elegant shrug. “I wanted you to be seen by a physician. I thought some of your behavior was erratic.” He looked at his brother defiantly. “I still do…but it seems I’m outnumbered. I’d like you to come home with us to Tygeria, Larz. I’d love it if you spent more time there. It would make Omak—and the rest of the family—very happy. Maybe it would help right an old wrong that was done to you.”
“And to Janos.”
“Yes,” Mikos said softly.
“Do you acknowledge that he didn’t know about my kidnapping and had nothing to do with the attack on the other boys and men on that ship?”
Davos returned the steady look Larz was giving him. “I do. It’s been investigated thoroughly, and I’ve read all the reports. Though he still should have told us as soon as he knew about you.”
After a long, tense moment, Prince Larz nodded. “Yes. We both regret that very much.” Larz leaned back in his chair, looking deep in thought. “What about my Royal Guard? What would happen to them? They aren’t all responsible for the actions of Luc Dimitri.”