Free Atlantis Unmasked by Alyssa Day

close to him, pressing a kiss on the top of her flame-red hair. “How does Auntie Keely sound to you?”
    â€œWell, technically speaking, since we’re not married yet—”
    From the bed, where Alexios could finally see her after Ven and Erin had moved out of the way, Riley laughed. “Oh, quit being such a logical scientist, Keely. Get over here, you two.”
    Conlan was sitting next to her, his arm around her shoulder, and Alexios could just catch a glimpse of a pink face inside a bulky lump of blanket in Riley’s arms. Then the baby yawned, forming a tiny, perfect O with his gaping mouth, and everybody started laughing.
    Hesitantly, in that peculiarly awkward way of warriors with newborn babes, Justice knelt beside the bed and touched one tiny fist with his finger. Instantly, the baby opened his eyes and his little hand and clamped his fist around the finger. The look on Justice’s face was priceless.
    â€œClearly our nephew has good taste,” Keely said, putting a hand on Justice’s shoulder. “He likes his uncle already.” She looked up at Riley. “He’s absolutely beautiful.”
    â€œThank you. He is, isn’t he? It’s such a miracle that this tiny person grew inside my body.”
    Justice started to speak, but nothing but a harsh croaking sound came out. Then he dropped his head for a second and took a deep breath. When he lifted his head again, his eyes were suspiciously shiny, but Alexios was betting nobody in the room was going to tease him about it, since Justice was far from the only one in that condition.
    Alexios kind of suspected his own eyes were a little shiny, too.
    â€œWe, both the Nereid and Atlantean halves of our soul, are honored to call this child nephew. We will serve and protect him with our very lives, from now until eternity,” Justice vowed.
    Alexios realized from the pronoun “we” that the melding of the two halves of Justice’s heritage had taken an interesting turn. But if Alaric, who leaned against a wall silently watching everything, wasn’t worried, it wasn’t for Alexios to concern himself with.
    â€œIn the name of the prince and heir to the Atlantean throne, we accept that promise,” Conlan said. The words were formal but the warmth in his eyes was not. Conlan and Ven had fully accepted Justice into their family as their half brother, and all of them were the better for it.
    Riley smiled, and although she looked very tired, she was glowing as though lit from within by a thousand Atlantean sea stars. “Oh, don’t get all stuffy and formal, boys. His name,” she said, suddenly holding the bundle out toward Justice, “is Aidan. Let’s not hang all that prince-and-heir stuff on him just yet when he doesn’t even weigh ten pounds. And Aidan wants his uncle Justice to hold him.”
    Justice looked stunned. “Us? You trust us—me—with your son?”
    Keely knelt down next to Justice. “Of course she does. Why wouldn’t she?”
    â€œTake your nephew, Justice,” Conlan said. “On this day, of all days, my wife gets whatever her heart desires.”
    Riley smiled at Conlan with such perfect understanding and love that Alexios felt like an intruder on an intimate moment, though the chamber was filled with people.
    Slowly and hesitantly, Justice reached for the infant. An expression of complete and utter awe swept over his features as he gently lifted the baby into his arms.
    â€œSupport his head, honey,” Keely prompted. “Babies can’t hold up their own heads for a while.”
    â€œHe does have an enormous head,” Brennan observed, looking bemused. “Perhaps his neck is simply undersized for such a weight?”
    Riley, Keely, Erin, and Marie all burst out laughing.
    â€œBrennan, are you calling my baby a bobblehead?” Riley demanded, when she could catch her breath.
    â€œThe proportions do seem a little