For a few moments, Eldric didn't speak. He simply stared at Cain, his gaze unwavering, challenging. Cain met it head-on, his golden eyes gleaming with defiance, his expression carved from stone. The silence stretched, taut and heavy, until Eldric finally broke it.
"I hear you have a male lover," Eldric said, his tone casual, almost conversational. Cain, however, didn't flinch or react in any way. He merely continued to sit there, waiting in silence, his stare as piercing as ever.
Eldric leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping an octave. "A male can't bear an heir. And with your situation, it might be time to start thinking about having one."
Cain didn't even blink, his expression unchanging. Eldric's words hung in the air for a beat before he continued, this time with a frown deepening the lines on his face.
"It would be best for you to take a female lover."