"No, you fool!" Erick whacked Raphael's head with a playful slap.
"That is a Rashak signature yes, but it's not mine. That's Alastaire's."
Raphael gasped. "How in the world is that possible???"
"You tell us."
Raphael shook his head. "Horatio Zaravan must have been out of his godforsaken mind to send his pregnant daughter to be betrothed to a crown prince of Ashrya."
Erick grinned with barely suppressed anger. "He did it with full knowledge of the fact that she was pregnant."
At Zander's questioning glance, he added. "Blackstone told me Horatio Zaravan went to him for help with the pregnancy.
"I didn't say anything because I wanted confirmation that this child really does belong to my brother."
He shrugged. "And now it's been confirmed. She's absolutely my niece."
"Wow." Raphael Summer whistled. "What would be the penalty for attempting to foist an illegitimate child onto a prince?"
