Chapter 12: Brother Kyre

I exchanged a stunned glance with Alas. The king—no, our father—released his hand from my back and stepped away, tears still glistening in his eyes as he observed us in silence.

"F-father?" Alas whispered, his voice cracking.

"Yes, my son," the king replied, his arms opening wide. Without hesitation, we ran into his embrace.

I couldn't hold back my tears. After everything, after years of believing we had no human parent, we had found him—a father. The word felt foreign on my tongue, something I had never dared to dream of, but now, it was real. We clung to him with all the strength we had, desperate to make sense of the impossible. Where was our mother? I hadn't yet found the courage to ask, but Alas voiced it first.

"What about Mother, Your Majesty?"

"Father," the king corrected gently, releasing us from the embrace.

Before he could answer, a loud voice shattered the moment.

"HELL YES, BROTHER! SISTER!"

A striking young man burst into the grand hall, running toward us with energy that seemed boundless. He threw his arms around us, then embraced the king with the same enthusiasm. I blinked in confusion, still reeling from the revelation. My father… My father. The phrase echoed in my mind, as magnificent as it was surreal.

"Well, Alas, Valentine," the king said, a fond smile gracing his lips, "this is your brother, Kyre."

"Oh, cool," Alas said, extending a hand for a bro-fist. "Sup, bro."

Kyre grinned and obliged, his name as impressive as his presence. "I should give you two a tour around the castle! May I, Father?"

"Of course, Kyre," the king agreed. "Meet me at the dining hall at noon."

Alas and Kyre took off, leaving me behind. "Father…" I hesitated.

"Yes, my angel?"

"Thank you." I hugged him one last time before hurrying to catch up with my brothers. Despite the chaos, I felt warmth blossom in my chest. I hoped Kyre was better than Alas.

"So," Alas asked as we walked, "how old are you?"

"Seventeen," Kyre replied. "You?"

"Eighteen soon."

I chimed in, "Sixteen."

"No one asked you," Alas teased.

Kyre laughed. "Must be nice to have each other, huh?"

"Not really," Alas said flatly. Typical.

"Still, I'm glad to have you as my brother," Kyre said, flashing me a grin. "Hopefully, you're better than Alas."

"Shut up, I'm the best," Alas retorted.

Kyre smirked. "Anyway, this is the hall to the kitchen and dining room." We turned into a grand corridor lined with towering windows on one side and intricate tapestries on the other.

"Wow, it's so fancy," I said, marveling at the craftsmanship.

"Too fancy," Kyre said with a shrug.

"Can we see our mother?" I asked.

Kyre's expression darkened. "I… don't know about that."

"What do you mean?" Alas demanded.

"We have different mothers."

"What?" I stopped in my tracks. "I didn't see that coming."

"The king had you with your mother," Kyre explained, "but he married another woman later and had me."

"Oh."

Kyre chuckled. "You're so innocent. It's cute."

I wasn't sure if that was a compliment, but I took it.

"Well," Alas muttered, "I guess we'll see where this leads."

Kyre stopped in front of a circular room. "You two should change. You're a prince and princess now."

A servant led me to a dressing room where I was fitted into a corset and a satin, rose-gold dress. I winced at the tightness. Spirits, how was I supposed to eat in this?

"It's an honor, Your Majesty," the servant said when I tried to brush my own hair. "Please, let me."

"You can call me Valentine," I said.

She gaped. "I'd rather call you Princess Valentine."

I sighed. "If you insist."

Once ready, I found Alas in a dark blue and gold suit. He offered me his arm, and I reluctantly took it.

"Stop fidgeting," he hissed.

"Try wearing heels," I shot back.

"What are those?"

"Shoes that make you taller."

"Well, you still look short."

"Shut up."

Kyre appeared, laughing. "Let's go."

At the dining room, we met Queen Lezabel, Kyre's mother. Her smile didn't reach her eyes, but I pushed the thought aside.

The king led us in prayer, a tradition unfamiliar to me, but I followed.

During the meal, the king noticed we weren't eating the meat.

"We're vegetarians," I explained.

He nodded. "I'll ensure the chef prepares something special for you next time."

We spent the rest of the day exploring the castle. As the sun dipped lower, casting a golden glow over the sprawling castle, a servant arrived, bowing low.

"Your Majesties, the king requests your presence in the council chamber."

Council chamber? I exchanged a glance with Alas, whose brow furrowed. The King of Aetherland is my father.

And now, everything had changed.