Sumi gaped. For an elderly woman, the matriarch of the War Hauks still had a lot of fight and strength in her.

“He is now an eton Anatole,” she said in Fadima’s ear. “Any harm, and it will be from your hide recompense is taken.”

Fadima’s jaw went slack. “Seriously?”

His grandmother gave a curt nod. “Yes.”

Fain made a little-kid gesture of sticking his thumbs in his ears and poking his tongue out at her. “You can’t touch me.” He sobered as he looked over at his brother. “Damn, to have had these wicked powers when we were young.”

Laughing, Hauk returned the sword to its brackets. “I know, right?” He winked at Dimie. “And not that I’m not thrilled to have you over, coz, but why are you here?”

She inclined her head to Sumi, who was removing her gloves and returning them to the sword’s case. “To train our princess on how to fight an Andarion female.”

His grandmother rose to her feet. “I asked her to do this as a personal favor. Dariana sent over word this morning that she wants Sumi in the ring, day after tomorrow.”

Hauk scowled. “Why so soon?”

“Dariana is with child and cannot legally fight after that date.”

CHAPTER 29

Sumi gasped at the last thing she’d ever expected to hear. And by the look on Dancer’s face, she knew he was equally as shocked. “Dariana’s pregnant?”

“How?” Dancer growled at the same time Fain cursed under his breath.

Their grandmother sighed heavily. “It’s Keris’s child. Dariana had the DNA test run already because she knew I would require it. Apparently, she was artificially inseminated almost three months ago.”

Sumi couldn’t believe it.

Fadima curled her lip in distaste. “Darice confessed that she never intended unification. She was planning to tell you of her pregnancy during Disclosure and reject you again.”

Sumi seethed with the news. Before his entire family. What a whore!

His jaw ticcing, Fain crossed his arms over his chest. “How does Darice know?”

Fadima answered. “Dariana went home in a fury after Sumi challenged her. So much so, that once Darice overheard her ranting to a friend about her intentions, he left immediately to stay with our yaya. He wants no part of Dariana’s dishonorable conduct and is ashamed to call her mother. He will not go home until she does right by you.”

Dancer looked as sick as Sumi felt. “I never meant to cause friction between mother and son.”