Shadows and Stars

by Becca Fanning

  “Hm?”

  “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you I could transform while we were together before.”

  “I have a lot of questions for you, but could we just enjoy being back together for a little bit before we go there.”

  “Of course,” he whispered and kissed the top of my head. I trailed my fingers up and down his arm and he started purring.

  I giggled. “I didn’t know you could make that sound as a man.”

  “Me neither,” he admitted in a shocked whisper.

  I tilted my head up and smiled at him. “You mean, you learned something new about yourself?”

  He stroked his thumb across my cheek and whispered, “I’ve learned more about myself since meeting you than most of my life before.”

  I pushed up and kissed him lightly and whispered, “Promise not to leave me again? No more sacrificing yourself?”

  “I promise not to leave you again, but I won’t promise not to protect you. That’s my job,” he said and kissed me deeply. “I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”

  “Does that mean that you’re going to reassign yourself as my guard?” I asked and smirked teasingly at him.

  He nodded and nipped the tip of my nose. “Sarcasm aside, yes I am.”

  “You’re the King. You can’t follow me around.”

  “Watch me,” he growled and kissed me again. The kiss deepened as I slid my finger through his hair and he pulled back after a few minutes with a growl. “Padraic told me that goblins attacked.”

  I nodded.

  “He said that you were almost decapitated.”

  “That’s a bit of an exaggeration,” I mumbled. I’d ducked the sword swing.

  “Do you like dancing?” he asked suddenly.

  “Dancing? Uh, I suppose. I didn’t really go to dances in school because I didn’t have money to go to them.”

  “I’m thinking about holding a ball. It would be the first time we’ve thrown a ball since my eighth birthday. I think people would enjoy having a ball again.”

  “That sounds fun,” I replied.

  “Great! I’ll have the seamstresses work on a dress for you,” he said and repositioned my head back on his chest.

  “You sure I’m not dreaming?” I mumbled.

  He pinched my arm. “Ow!” I yelled.

  “See, it’s real.”

  I pinched his side and he laughed.

  “Did she hurt you?” I asked softly, letting the humor leave as I asked what I’d wanted to know since he had been taken.

  He tensed and I knew the answer. “You don’t need to worry about that. It’s over now and both Treyce and I are safe.”

  “What if she sends more of her people after me?”

  “I’ll defeat them,” he said confidently. “You’re worrying too much. We’re back together and both of us are safe. That’s what matters.”

  “You’re right,” I agreed.

  “Dinner is ready,” Padraic said.

  I gasped because I didn’t even know he was there. “You scared me,” I told him.

  He bowed. “I apologize.”

  “Don’t bow,” I said with a frown.

  “Do you require me to guard you or may I be dismissed?” Padraic asked Eoghan.

  “You are dismissed,” he said and stood up from the bed. “Come, let’s go eat.”

  Padraic closed the door without looking at me. I turned to Eoghan and asked, “What was that about?”

  “What do you mean?” Eoghan asked as he opened his bedroom door and waited for me.

  “Why is he being so cold to me all of a sudden?” I asked and felt hurt. Had I done something wrong that upset him?

  “I’m not sure what you mean. That’s how Padraic has always been,” Eoghan replied. “He’s cold, but efficient.”

  He hadn’t been with me. Was it because Eoghan was here? Padraic had said that he felt that Alpha Urge to protect me just like Eoghan had. Was he jealous? No, he couldn’t be. He hadn’t shown any feelings for me aside from friendly. Though, neither had Eoghan until today.

  “You’re upset about him bowing to you?” Eoghan asked.

  “No, I’m upset because he wasn’t cold to me at all while you were…gone,” I told him.

  Eoghan stopped walking and looked at me with a scowl. “I need you to be very honest with me right now.”

  “Okay?” I said and lengthened out the last letter as I said it.

  “Were you and he…” he paused and his hands clenched into fists at his side. he seemed to struggle with what to say next. “…intimate?”

  “No!” I yelled in shock. “Of course not!” Now I was offended. “I can’t believe you would even ask me that. I’m not like that.”

  I started to storm off, but he grabbed my hand and stopped me. “I didn’t mean to insult you or your honor. When I returned I thought I saw him looking at you almost possessively. I had to check to make certain that you and he hadn’t been together. If you had, or wanted to, I would not stand in your way.”

  “He protected me and we talked a lot. We became friends,” I explained, “or I thought we had.” Now I wasn’t so sure.

  “I’m sorry,” he breathed. “Will you forgive me?”

  I nodded, but didn’t speak. What was going on? “I need to talk to him. Will you wait for me in the dining room?”

  His jaw clenched, but he nodded and then kissed my cheek. “Yes.”

  I watched him walk away and wondered if I had just ruined things between us. I turned and marched up to Padraic’s door and knocked loudly. He opened it and his eyes widened. He looked around behind me, no doubt looking for Eoghan. “Alyssa, what—”

  “Why are you being cold to me?” I asked.

  “I wasn’t—”

  “You were. Since Eoghan came back you’ve distanced yourself and even bowed to me.” I said bowed like it was a disgusting thing.

  He exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “We’re friends, right?” I asked softly. “I thought we were friends. I know Eoghan’s back, but I thought that we…”

  He pulled me into a hug and whispered. “Yes, we’re friends. I’m sorry that I upset you.”

  “Just don’t let it happen again,” I mumbled against his chest.

  He laughed and pushed me out of his room. “Go eat. You’re going to need to be properly nourished for our training tomorrow.”

  “You’re still going to train me to fight?” I asked with wide eyes. I had thought he would stop when Eoghan returned.

  “Of course. And you still have a long way to go in horseback riding,” he reminded me.

  I ran forward and kissed his cheek before jogging out and down the hallway. “You’re the best!” I called back as I jogged.

  He laughed at me and shook his head before he closed his door.

  “Everything alright?” Eoghan asked from where he leaned against the door that led to the dining room.

  I nodded with a wide smile. “Yes.”

  “Alyssa, I have to ask one last time… Will you allow me to court you? It would be exclusively, you couldn’t court others during that time.”

  Why was he asking me again? He was tense, his entire body rigid even though he tried to look calm and relaxed. I set my hand on his chest and whispered, “Yes, I know what courting means and yes I will allow you to court me and be exclusive to each other.”

  He exhaled and draped his arms around me as though it had taken all of his strength to remain upright. “Good.”

  I hugged him and whispered, “You’re an odd man.”

  He smirked and kissed my cheek before opening the door for me. “You don’t know the half of it.”

  “I look forward to discovering your oddities as we court,” I told him.

  “I look forward to finding out yours as well,” he replied with a wide smile.

  “It is so wonderful to have you home and to see a smile upon your face,” Martin said to Eoghan.

  Eoghan p
ulled out my chair and then pushed it in while I sat. “Thank you, Martin. I feel myself for the first time in a long time.”

  “We should have a statue made in Alyssa’s honor,” Martin teased.

  “No, you should not,” I gasped. “How ridiculous.”

  “Ten feet tall at least,” Eoghan said with a serious expression.

  “Of course,” Martin agreed. “And it should be placed right in front of the castle so any who go by see it.”

  They were teasing me. “You two are rude,” I grumbled and put my napkin on my lap.

  “The chef made this especially for you,” Alicia, a maid with luxurious brown hair that had natural waves I envied, and eyes the perfect shade of green. She removed the lid from the dish she carried and set it in front of me.

  “A BLT!” I gasped. “He remembered!”

  “We’ve actually been discussing it for a few days and did a few trial runs,” she admitted. “But, I think this is the best yet.”

  “What is this?” Eoghan asked and examined the sandwich.

  “We call it a BLT. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. It’s delicious,” I explained. I took a bite and moaned. “Amazing.”

  She smiled and said, “I will let him know that it meets your approval.”

  “It exceeds it,” I told her and then took another huge bite that filled my mouth with warm bacon, juicy tomato, and crisp lettuce.

  “This is good,” Eoghan admitted as he ate his own sandwich.

  “We also have a surprise for you,” she said and hurried back towards the kitchen.

  “My staff has definitely taken a liking to you,” Eoghan commented as he licked his fingers clean.

  “She’s definitely lifted everyone’s spirits,” Martin commented. “I even saw Padraic laugh yesterday.”

  “I didn’t think he knew how to laugh,” Eoghan said with a smirk.

  “I know how, but it is not often that the occasion to do so arises,” Padraic said as he entered the dining room.

  “Ah, you’ve graced us with your presence,” Eoghan teased him.

  “I smelled bacon again and deduced that the chef had finally perfected Alyssa’s BLT and came to get a sandwich for myself,” he told Eoghan. Padraic sat down in the seat next to me and nudged me with his elbow. “How was the sandwich?”

  “I won’t spoil it for you. You’ll just have to wait and find out,” I told him.

  “Tomorrow you’ll start using your real sword,” he informed me.

  A wide smile split my face and I asked, “Really!”

  He nodded. “You need to start getting used to the weight of a real sword.”

  “Do I get to ride without a lead tomorrow too?” I asked.

  “First, you need to master cantering and then we’ll let you go free in the open.”

  “What are you two discussing?” Eoghan asked.

  “I’m teaching her sword fighting as well as how to ride a horse,” Padraic replied.

  “I didn’t think about the fact that you wouldn’t know how to ride a horse,” Eoghan said softly.

  “Me neither until Padraic pulled me up onto his horse and made me ride with him,” I said with a smile.

  “She clung to his back like a leech the rest of the way to the castle,” Martin teased me.

  “I had been fine walking along next to Martin,” I said and glanced at Padraic.

  “We had been ordered to treat you like a queen and queens do not walk if there is a horse and a knight nearby,” Padraic said as he placed his napkin on his lap.

  “Well that title was quickly downgraded to Princess,” I said with mock hurt.

  “And even then, you kept telling everyone to call you by your given name.” Padraic said.

  “They kept bowing or curtsying to me!” I reminded him.

  “You got free cakes from it,” Padraic teased.

  “Free cakes?” Eoghan asked.

  “That day I was able to contact you, I was at the town, remember? The baker gave me some free cakes,” I explained.

  “Why did you take her to the town?” Eoghan asked Padraic.

  Padraic shifted nervously and answered, “She needed new boots so I took her to the cobbler and she wanted weapons of her own so I bought her some.”

  “Did you take repayment from my treasury?” Eoghan asked.

  Padraic refused to look at me. “No.”

  “You spent a lot of money on me that day! Why didn’t you get reimbursed?” I asked him in disbelief.

  “It wasn’t that much,” he countered.

  “You gave the guy who sold us the weapons a full bag of coins. I know that I’m not familiar with your currency or rates, but that would seem like a lot to me.”

  “I have plenty of money,” he whispered. “It didn’t hurt me to spend it.”

  “I don’t like charity,” I whispered.

  “You were fine with accepting it when you thought it was from Eoghan,” Padraic whispered and looked at me with fire in his eyes.

  “He owns a castle and has servants. I didn’t think that it would be missed. Plus, I planned to repay him eventually anyway,” I admitted.

  “Alyssa,” Eoghan chastised, “you wouldn’t have needed to repay me.”

  “And you will not repay me,” Padraic said and folded his arms across his chest as though that ended the argument.

  “Yes, I will,” I told him.

  “Sorry for the delay,” Alicia apologized and pushed a cart with four covered dishes towards us.

  Padraic and I glared at each other until she set a tray in front of him and opened it to reveal three BLTs.

  “Thank you,” he said and picked the first one up to eat it.

  “Don’t open your lids yet,” she ordered me and Eoghan as she set trays in front of us and Martin. “Okay, now.”

  We lifted the lids and I gasped in excitement. “Cheesecake!”

  She nodded with a wide smile. “Took us all night, but we made it.”

  I took a bite and squealed in delight. “Delicious!” I leapt out of my chair and rushed over to hug her. “You’re the best!” I yelled.

  She laughed and awkwardly patted my back.

  “Chef!” I bellowed.

  He walked in with his hat in his hands, wringing it nervously. “Yes, Alyssa?”

  I walked over to him and threw my arms around his neck. “It’s perfect!”

  He exhaled a breath of relief and hugged me back. “Thank goodness! I thought you were going to fire me.”

  I stepped back and said, “If Eoghan fires you, I’ll follow you to your next place just to eat more of your delicious foods!”

  “I best keep him here then,” Eoghan said with a laugh.

  “Do I get a piece?” Padraic asked and moved his fork towards mine.

  I ran over and snatched my plate away before he could take a piece. “Thief!” I snapped and then took another bite and moaned. “Alicia, will you get him a piece?”

  She nodded and retrieved another piece from the kitchen for Padraic whose eyes widened as he ate the cake.

  “You have truly outdone yourselves,” Eoghan praised them.

  They bowed and then left the room.

  “I’ve decided to host a ball,” Eoghan informed Martin and Padraic.

  “Really?” Martin asked with a jubilant expression. “What’s the occasion?

  Eoghan looked at me and smiled. “Alyssa’s birthday.”

  “What?” I gasped. “How’d you know? I never told…”

  He tapped his head and I realized that he must have gotten it from my mind somehow. “She’s turning eighteen,” Eoghan informed them.

  “You said you wanted to have a ball because you hadn’t had one in almost a decade and the people would enjoy it,” I reminded him angrily.

  “That’s still true,” he said with a wide smile.

  “You tricked me,” I accused him.

  “Perhaps.”

  I growled and folded my arms across my chest and then slid down to slump in my seat.

  �
��When is your birthday?” Padraic asked.

  “Never,” I mumbled.

  “Alyssa,” he chastised.

  “In one week,” I answered. “Seven days from today.”

  “The ball will have to be a bit after her birthday since we don’t have enough time to put one together by her birthday,” Martin said.

  Eoghan nodded. “That’s what I had planned.”

  “Do you not want a birthday celebration?” Padraic asked me.

  “I…” I didn’t want to explain it. I felt stupid.

  “You’re not stupid,” Eoghan whispered out loud.

  “We didn’t celebrate birthdays at the orphanage aside from a few punches on the arm or a smile. I’ve always wanted a huge birthday celebration, but…”

  “But what?” Padraic prompted.

  I looked at Eoghan and said, “You’re giving me free room and board.” I looked at Padraic and said, “You’re teaching me to fight and ride a horse and you bought me weapons.” I said to Martin, “And you’re helping me and my teacher with my magic lessons. I have more than enough and having a royal ball to celebrate my birthday is overly extravagant. It feels like a waste. I feel like I’ll be in your debts forever.”

  “You aren’t in my debt,” Padraic said. “I’m helping you because I want to. There’re no strings attached to that.”

  “You do not owe any of us anything. Friends help each other, right?” Eoghan asked.

  “Yes, but now we’re…” I didn’t finish because I wasn’t certain he had told Martin or wanted them to know.

  “They already know,” Eoghan said.

  “How can I not feel like a spoiled brat when a king is courting me and I’m living in his castle and everything else? The King’s Guard is teaching me to fight! I should be shining your boots every night and be working in the kitchens and laundry room with the servants.”

  “If you want to repay us, then learn to fight and use your magic and when the time comes that we need you, use your skills to help protect Eoghan’s Kingdom,” Padraic said.

  “That’s not enough…”

  “That’s all I’ve done,” Padraic said. “I’ve lived in this castle my entire life and all I’ve done is protect people when necessary and try and fail for the past decade to make Eoghan smile. You’ve been in our dimension for a month and you’ve already positively impacted this Kingdom in more ways than you know. We owe you!”