I didn’t know what to expect when it came to my father’s family. I didn’t have any memories of them. They lived very far away in the lowlands, but I believe they visited once when I was little. We entered the drawing room, where a group of people were standing together with drinks in hand. Cena was among them, laughing with another girl.

“There you are. My son.” A man with short blond hair held out his arms to my father.

“It’s been too long,” said my father.

The two embraced. 

“Arbela, Your Grace.” He held out his hand. “Still as beautiful as I remember.”

“And I’ll remain so for centuries to come,” she replied with a fake smile.

He kissed the back of my mother’s hand. His gaze landed on me.

“Alric,” she called.

Swallowed hard, I stepped forward. 

“This is your grandfather, Lord Constantine Sullmane of the lowlands.” My mother looked him up and down. “The bottom of the lowlands. It's why neither of us bothered to visit each other. It’s not worth the trip.”

The tension in the room was growing. My parents had a complicated relationship, and I felt this dynamic transferred to my father’s family.

I nodded. “Hello, um… Grandfather.”

“Look at you,” my grandfather laughed. “You were this big when I last saw you.” He held his hand near his knee. “You’re all grown. Come here, let me take a better look at you.”

I stepped forward.

“You clearly took after your mother's side. What happened to your cheek?” He scanned my face.

“Mishap with a sword. It’ll be gone by tomorrow.” I forced a smile.

“Still struggling with the sword, then?”

Lowering my gaze, I shrugged. “I will try my best.”

My mother glared at her husband. “I see you two regularly write.”

“He’s my father,” stated the king. “I get to see him once a year. I’m going to write.”

“You’re young, Alric—very young for an elf. It’ll come with time.” My grandfather patted my arm. His hand moved toward my face. “Such long hair.” He lifted a piece. “Is this the common style in Thaloria?”

I tried not to let how I was feeling show in my face. Besides myself, all the other men had short hair—the longest coming to their shoulders. Maybe I should cut it. I was tired of every visitor commenting on it. 

My mother grabbed my upper arms and pulled me closer. “We’re simply making sure Alric doesn’t forget that he’s an eternal and not a mor—” My mother bristled by my side. “Why is that here?”

“Arbela,” exclaimed my father. “Honestly, have some decency.”

My mother grabbed my sister’s wrist and dragged her away from a tall man with light brown hair. His ears had a slight point to them, but he was too broad to be an elf. The man stood out from everyone else and would have fit in better with mortals.

Cena slipped behind me. “What did I do?” she whispered.

I shrugged. “I don’t think it’s you.”

“Your Grace.” Another man stepped forward and reached for my mother’s hand. “Elrod.” She faked a smile. “What is your bastard doing here?” 

My chest tightened at her comment, and I glanced at my sister. She looked just as startled by the comment.

“It’s been years, Arbela,” said Elrod. “It’s time we get past this issue and come together as a family. Your children should know their uncle and their cousin.” He glanced at the tall man. “Hal has been treated as a member of the family since his birth.”

“Your family, not mine,” she stated. “I find it disturbing you’re parading him around like he’s your heir. The banquet is meant for royalty and nobility.”

“As I said, Hal is an official member of the Sullmane family,” replied Elrod.

My mother shook her head in disgust. “Do you have any respect for Clarissa and your own daughter? You’ve given up on them out of desperation.” She pointed to a blond woman standing in the back. “An eternity awaits you, but you couldn’t wait for Clarissa to give you a son. You had one with a mortal because you lack patience. The least you could’ve done for all our sakes was fuck an eternal because I will not have him here. I will not glorify what you did. I believe in the gods’ words, and you have spat on their gift to our people.”

“Arbela.” My father stepped in front of her. “Elrod, I apologize.”

“You’re a fucking king; you don’t apologize,” my mother stated.

Cena clung to my arm.

“Enough,” said the king firmly. “We’re family. Fighting isn’t going to change anything.”

My mother laughed to herself. “Family—the mortals and the fae finally let an eternal kingdom host the annual banquet, and your brother arrives late. The fae traveled from the islands, and they were here on time. If we want to become a supportive family, we’re already failing.”

“We didn’t do it on purpose, Your Grace,” said Elrod. “Sullmane is the only elven city in the lowlands. The elves depend on us, and a few issues needed to be resolved before we left.”

“A kingdom filled with the banished and mixed,” she scoffed. “I suppose that comes with all sorts of issues.  

Elrod mustered a pleasant expression. “We do our best, Your Highness. Maybe if the highland elves would come out from their forest and mountains to help with our issues, we would have arrived on time.”

“That would be a waste of their time, so it’s better that you arrive late than bother them. Excuse me.” My mother lifted her chin and patted my father’s arms. “Arkin, I need to leave before I kill your brother and his bastard.”

“May the gods forsake us, Arbela,” he called after her. 

I shuffled out of my mother’s way as she headed for the exit. 

“If anyone should be upset by Hal's presence, it should be Clarissa,” said the king. “Arbela!”

We all stood frozen for a moment until she was out of sight, and her footsteps had faded away. I swallowed the lump in my throat and peeked at my sister.

“Did she mean that?” Cena whispered. 

I shook my head. “No. Well, I hope not.”

“Well, that was a normal family reunion for us,” laughed Elrod. “Brother, it’s been too long.”

The two embraced. 

“Only a year,” my father laughed. “It has been too long since you’ve been my guest. Thaloria has changed so much since you were last here. The light source is expanding. We hope to have the entire city lit in the coming years.”

Elrod laughed. “You have a long way to catch up to Sullmane. I told them that if another elven kingdom is established, it should be our city. Thaloria was too undeveloped, but the highland elves”—he nodded toward the door—“wouldn’t hear of it. Sullman was too far south.”

“You would’ve had to move to Thaloria,” said my father. “Sullmane doesn’t need a lord and a king.”

“True. I don’t think he needs to be introduced, but this is Hal.” Elrod motioned to his son.

“Your Majesty.” He bowed. 

“Welcome; this would be your first banquet.”

Hal nodded. “Yes, and from what little I’ve seen, the journey was worth it.”

My father chuckled. “If I recall, you were a baby the last time I saw you. My wife threw a worse fit that day. You’ll have to forgive her. She was raised in Lumeria and is very traditional regarding purity.”

“I take no offense. The queen is not the first to disapprove of my existence.”

My father shrugged. “An elf that can hold his own against a mortal—what is wrong about that? How old are you now?”

“Nineteen,” said Hal. 

The king smiled. “A year younger than Alric.”

I stepped forward and shook my cousin's hand. “It’s good to meet you. So I’m guessing you’re half mortal.”

He nodded. “My mother is mortal.”

“It explains….” I motioned to his appearance. “You’re quite tall.”

Hal grinned. “Compared to an elf, yes.”

My father slipped in front of me. “Are you participating in the tourney tomorrow?”

“The sword,” answered Hal.

Elrod bumped into his son. “Hal has a natural talent for it. Hopefully, he can bring some honor back to our people. It always turns into a tournament among the mortals while the rest of us watch. What about you, Alric? You must have been practicing.” He rubbed his cheek. “Do you plan to take on the mortals and fae?”

I shook my head. “No.” I motioned to my face. “This was an accident. I won’t be participating.”

“Shame,” said Elrod. “Another time, perhaps.”

I didn’t know how to respond. I doubted that I’d ever compete in anything besides archery. I was terrible at archery, but I might stand a chance after a hundred years of practicing.

My father started talking with his brother and father. Cena and I faded into the background. She slipped away to speak to what I assumed was my aunt and her daughter. I went to the wet bar and filled a glass. Leaning against the wall, I watched my father being over-animated toward Hal. I had nothing against my cousin, but I would agree with my mother that it was insulting to my aunt that my uncle brought him. She was an elf, and Hal clearly had something extra in him. 

I swirled my drink. The more I listened to them, the more it became clear where my father’s obsessions with mortals were rooted. His brother had a fancy half-blooded son, and he wanted one too, and the only thing stopping him from actually doing it was my mother. She’d kill him, and I’d have to say, I wouldn’t blame her.