by Amy Patrick
“Whenever the blushing bride decides to get around to it, I suppose. She’s not exactly in a hurry. A less confident fellow might suspect she had her eye on… someone else.”
He punctuated the last sentence with a pointed glance that literally made me stumble on the smooth earthen path. What was going on here? Was he trying to tell me something? More likely, he was just trying to mess with my mind.
Extending my emotional glamour in his direction I did read a sense of naughtiness, though no evil intent. Thankfully, I spotted Lad and Ava ahead, entering the royal residence together.
Lad, I called to him, waving.
He turned and our eyes met. His filled with unmistakable delight at seeing me.
“Ah, the bonny prince,” Culley muttered under his breath. “And my own ravishing fiancée. They look like they’ve had a satisfying morning.”
I ignored his ridiculous statement and picked up my pace, hurrying to meet Lad. A sense of relief spread through me as he wrapped me in his arms, affectionate as always. I squeezed him tightly, drawing a deep laugh from him.
“Well, I’m glad to see you, too. How was your evening with your parents?”
“It only made me miss you more,” I told him honestly.
“I missed you,” he said aloud. And then silently, Very soon I will have you here with me every night, and I’ll have everything I’ve been missing. Every night.
Warmth pulsed through me at his sexy threat.
Turning to Ava, I eyed her with a fresh sense of foreboding thanks to Culley’s cryptic comments. “Hello. How was your tour?”
“Hello Ryann,” she said. “It was very nice.” And then her eyes dropped to her feet. She looked almost… ashamed.
My glance shot to Culley’s knowing expression.
Noticing the odd exchange, Lad asked, What’s going on? Is he bothering you?
I shook my head. No. He’s harmless. Just annoying.
Agreed.
He reached out to shake Culley’s hand. “Good morning. Did you sleep in?”
“Always. It’s my favorite thing about your charming kingdom so far—the complete absence of alarm clocks and annoying sunrises,” Culley said. “How was your liaison with my betrothed this morning?”
Lad’s brows lowered, his lips forming a flat line. “Our tour was fine—though we didn’t get to everything. We’ll have to continue it tomorrow. I hope you’ll join us.”
“Of course. Will Ryann be along as well? No, I suppose you’ve already seen it all,” he said, answering his own question. Turning to Lad he asked, “When did you introduce this lovely little outsider to your hidden world?”
It was a simple question and by far the most innocuous thing he’d said today, but Lad just stared at him, a strange expression crossing his face. Maybe he was mad Culley had called me an outsider.
“I… not that long ago,” he said. “Right, Ryann? It’s been…”
His searching expression startled me. I thought guys were supposed to start forgetting your anniversary after you’d been married a long time, not before you even got going.
“It was about five months ago,” I answered, filling in the verbal blank. “Lad was hurt, and I followed the guards who brought him back here.”
Lad blinked then turned back to Culley and nodded. “So… I hope you and Ava will continue to settle in. I have a date with my beautiful fiancée now, and then I’ll be busy with affairs of the crown for the rest of the day. I’ll see you at dinner tonight. Please don’t hesitate to ask the servants for anything you may need.”
Culley gave us both a little bow. “Thank you, good sir. So nice to see you, Ryann. Enjoy your time together, however long that might be.” He extended a hand to Ava. “Come along Angel. Let’s give these two lovebirds their privacy.”
With a wink, he spun on his heel and led Ava away from us, whispering in her ear. I was still watching them go, mulling over Culley’s strange words, when Lad spoke.
“I’m glad you grew up in the human world instead of the Dark Court. I don’t think I’ve met a Dark Elf yet I could figure out.”
“I know what you mean.” I took his hand, enjoying the warmth of his skin. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes. Why? Don’t I look okay?” He dropped his lips to mine, already well aware of how attractive I found him.
“Of course. You just seem distracted, I guess.”
He sighed dramatically. “Such is the life of a king. And I’ve never had to entertain an ambassador before. I’m always having to learn something new.”
Reading his feelings I could tell he was a little overwhelmed and preoccupied. An unexpected cold shiver hit my middle. The last time Lad was preoccupied with kingdom business, he broke things off with me, saying he needed to focus his full attention on his people.
Tamping down the disturbing feeling, I chastised myself. Trust, Ryann. Based on Lad’s loving expression, it was clear I was his priority.
I gave him a happy smile. “What you need is some fun. Want to have a picnic? We could stop by the kitchen and take a basket out to the bluff.”
He smiled at me and narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. “The bluff? That’s one of my favorite spots. Did I tell you about it?”
I stared at him, incredulous. How could he have forgotten? He’d taken me there the day he’d finally committed to our relationship and agreed we couldn’t be “just friends.” For him to forget our special picnic and our nap in the hammock there pinched my heart.
But then I thought about it. That romantic interlude had been followed by a near-death experience for Lad. On the way home from our afternoon at the bluff, he’d been shot by drunken hunters in the woods and lost consciousness—not to mention an astounding amount of blood. No wonder his memories of that day weren’t exactly clear.
I squeezed his hand in mine. “You showed me. And it was beautiful. It might be just the place to get away and relax.”
“Sounds perfect.” And he punctuated his agreement with a perfect kiss.
As it had been the first time, the bluff was beautiful. It offered an expansive view of the meadows and woods below, now a stunning quilt of dappled fall color. Birds chirped busily in the nearby trees, and the afternoon sunshine offered the perfect foil to the fall breeze. But in spite of the peaceful beauty surrounding us, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Lad wasn’t fully present.
We chatted while we ate. We kissed and snuggled in the hammock. But there was a faraway look in his eye, and several times I caught him studying me with a quizzical expression on his face.
“What are you thinking?” I scratched my fingers lightly down the inside of Lad’s forearm, watching the spray of chill bumps that raised the silky blond hairs. “You seem like your mind is a million miles away today.”
His shoulders gave a slight shrug. He kept his eyes trained on the pattern my finger now traced on his palm. “I don’t know. I have a lot to do I guess—a lot on my mind.”
Something was going on with him—I could feel it—but he obviously didn’t want to share it with me. A little hurt, I made a suggestion I thought might snap him out of it.
“Well, I have school in the morning, and I know you’re busy, so maybe I should just head home.” I shifted, starting to get out of the hammock.
He blinked a few times, taken aback by my sudden change of demeanor. “You’re not going to attend the welcome dinner tonight?”
“You don’t need me to help you welcome Ava. You’re doing fine all by yourself.”
Lad’s brows drew together, his expression registering concern and confusion. But he sat up and offered a hand to steady me as I put my feet on the ground. “Okay—if that’s what you want. I’ll walk you home.”
It wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted him to talk me out of it—to ask me to stay with him. He didn’t even try to talk me out of it. Now the little hurt morphed into a big one.
“No. I’ll be fine. That would take too long. You should be getting back to your duties—I know you have a lot to d
o before tonight.”
He cocked his head, narrowing his eyes as he examined my face. “Is everything okay?”
“Sure. It’s great,” My clipped tone said it was anything but great. “I just have homework I put off and a test to study for. I haven’t exactly been focused on school this semester—I need to put in a little more effort. And I don’t want to take up too much of your time.”
“Ryann.” Lad gathered me against him and kissed the top of my head. His love flowed around me like the heat from his unnaturally warm body. “I wish I could spend all my time with you. I do want you to do well in school, though—I know it’s important to you. And I don’t mind walking you home—really. I want to.”
The knot in my stomach relaxed a bit. This was the Lad I knew and loved. I was ridiculous for being so mental. My vow to let go of the past and trust more wasn’t starting off so hot. I blew out a long slow breath, mindfully releasing the tension I’d allowed to build in my body.
“No, it’s okay,” I said. “It’s broad daylight, and you probably do need to get back—I’m just greedy when it comes to you. I’ll be fine.”
He studied my face for a moment. “Okay. I like you greedy, by the way.” He kissed me—a brief, sweet connection. “I’ll see you soon, right? After school tomorrow?”
“Of course. Have a good time wining and dining the fashion twins.”
“Who?”
“Ava and Culley? Your new ambassador and her fiancé? They’re models—you know—fashion?”
“Oh, right.” He chuckled to himself. “Fine host I am—I almost forgot he came along. Isn’t that weird?”
It was weird. Very weird.
Was Lad so focused on Ava that her betrothed was a non-factor to him? A bright, piercing panic shot through my heart like a surgical laser. All the tension zoomed right back in, locking my limbs.
“Lad… what is Ava’s glamour?”
“I don’t know. I asked, but she didn’t want to talk about it. She said it was ‘embarrassing.’ Why?”
“Just curious.”
That wasn’t exactly true. I wasn’t just curious. I was also suspicious. Especially knowing she was reluctant to discuss her “embarrassing” glamour. I’d seen sexual glamour up close—I knew how powerful it could be.
I could only pray that wasn’t the special gift of Lad’s special guest. Or if it was, that he had the strength to resist it.
Chapter Ten
Ryann
Instead of going straight home, I made a detour to Lad’s nest hideaway. Hopefully he wouldn’t also decide to stop by and catch me here.
Fingers trembling, I reached for the first branch, hoisted myself up, and began climbing. Of course I shouldn’t have been snooping but I couldn’t help myself. This was the place Lad kept things that were important to him—things he didn’t want others to know about. Maybe there would be some sort of clue here about his current mindset. If there was something I needed to know—even if it was potentially devastating—better to find out before the wedding rather than after we were bonded.
My heart thumped heavily as I reached the nest and crawled across to the ancient chest where Lad stored his prized possessions. I unlatched it but hesitated for a moment before lifting the heavy lid, letting my hands rest on its warm, age-smoothed surface.
It’s wrong. Just stop, Ryann. Trust him. Trust what you have together.
Unfortunately, trust was not my strongest attribute. Maybe it was part of my Dark Elven nature. Maybe it was the residual effect of my parents’ breakup and my past heartbreak at Lad’s hands.
Raising the lid, I quickly catalogued the trunk’s contents. Library books. The framed picture of me Lad had taken from my house. And a wrapped package.
What was inside? A welcome gift for his new emissary? Something pretty that would make Ava’s eyes light up the way mine had when Lad had first shown me this place? Then a new thought occurred to me—would he bring her here? It would depend, I guessed, on how strong her appeal to him was.
If she did have sexual glamour, and he was susceptible to its power, he’d do anything to please her. I’d done things I’d never imagined I’d ever do with Nox. Suddenly, I wished he weren’t so far away. Nox and I were truly friends now, and he could easily tell me whether Ava did indeed have that dreadful, wonderful gift after a few moments in her presence.
Speaking of gifts, I picked up the small box. It was covered in light-colored paper of such a fine texture it almost felt like cloth. Holding it to my ear, I shook it gently. Something shifted inside. I put the box down.
For a long time I stared at it, fighting an internal battle. I shouldn’t open the box, but I desperately wanted to. If it’s something for her, I’ll die. Then the rational part of me spoke up and said it was probably just something for his mom—when was her birthday anyway? I needed to find out since we were about to become family.
I picked up the package again and searched for the seam of the wrapping. There was no tape. It was sort of an origami thing with intricate folds I could never hope to duplicate. If I opened this, I’d be busted. Maybe I should just march back to Altum and ask him what was inside. No, I couldn’t reveal to him the embarrassing depths of my insecurity.
Finally caving to temptation, I tugged at the paper flaps, my face hot with shame, my heart beating in hard, guilty thumps. Fold by fold, I invaded Lad’s secret until finally, something fell into my lap.
With shaking fingers I picked it up. It was a tree, intricately carved out of wood. Oh, it was this tree. I recognized it by the branches that started low to the ground.
Lad made this.
Wonderment filled me at his talent—and at the amount of time and effort this must have required. Each tiny leaf was perfection. At the miniature tree’s base were two small figures. A little boy and a little girl. Inspecting it closely, I saw both children were laughing. And the boy’s hands held the little girl’s face between them.
Tears filled my eyes, stinging my nose and squeezing my heart. He’d carved the scene of our first encounter—the moment we’d met more than ten years ago. Turning the precious carving over in my hand, I noticed an inscription on the bottom.
I gave you my warmth. You gave me a voice.
What you could not know that day was I also gave you my heart.
Forever.
There has only been, and will ever be, only you.
I will treasure every day I get to have with you.
They are the only days that matter.
Yours for eternity, Lad
A tear slid down my cheek. It was a wedding present. I should have guessed it the instant I found a wrapped box hidden here.
What was wrong with me? Did I really have so little faith? Lad wasn’t the one who was wavering—I was. And for no reason. If I didn’t get a handle on my trust issues, I was going to ruin the best thing that had ever happened to me.
I did my best to re-wrap the gift, following the existing creases, and miraculously managed to get the box back together. Then I began the painstaking process of descending the tree, branch by branch.
By the time I reached the ground, I knew what I had to do. Screw my unfinished homework. I’d left something far more important unfinished in Altum.
Chapter Eleven
Ava
Following this morning’s tour of Altum, I spent the remainder of the day in my quarters, sick at my stomach.
My job had gone well today—had been easy, even. Instead of being satisfied or relieved, I was steeped in sadness. If I felt this way now, how was I going to live with myself once I’d completed my mission?
It was worse, somehow, than the work I’d done for Audun before, though that had always made me feel icky. I hadn’t really known those people—or what they would be losing. It had been quick, almost clinical, and I’d never had to stick around to see the aftermath.
No doubt I was terrible company for Culley. He paced around my room, restless. “This place is dead boring, isn’t it? What do they do here all da
y—play the harp? Whittle?”
“How should I know?” I snapped. “I just got here, too. Why don’t you go for a walk in the woods or something?”
He glanced over at me. “Maybe I will. I heard the king’s pretty little human pet likes to do that. Maybe we’ll cross paths.” When that got no reaction from me, he said, “What’s the matter with you anyway? You’ve been in a mood all day.”
“Nothing. I’m fine. I’m just bored, too.”
Culley crossed the room and plopped onto my bed, stretching out his long limbs, studying me. “No you’re not fine. Are you worried about your mission or something? What—is your badass glamour not working on Mr. Perfect?”
I rolled my eyes. “No. It’s working.”
“Oh, good.” He crossed his arms behind his head. “So what is it then—second thoughts? You’re feeling guilty about messing up the lovebirds’ happy little nest, aren’t you?”
I turned away from him to hide my sudden flush, busying myself by pouring a glass of saol water from the handmade pitcher on the table. I took a drink. “Of course not. Why? Are you having second thoughts?”
Glancing back over my shoulder at him, I caught Culley’s sardonic Are you serious? expression.
“Not a one. It’s not my job to think,” he said with a bitter smile. “I’m just another pretty face, doing as I’m told. As I said, your best course of action is to get in, do the job, get out, and then get as far away from the parentals as possible. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever found to peace on earth.” He was quiet for a moment, causing me to look back at him again. His fingers plucked at the threads that made up the elaborate design of the handmade bed covering. “They are quite sweet, aren’t they though?”
His eyes darted up, catching me watching him.
I shrugged at his obvious attempt to bait me and turned away again, staring down at the fruit plate that had been provided for us, hungry for none of it. I’d have to force myself to eat at the welcome dinner tonight to avoid questions.
