by Lucy Roy
Not trusting her voice, she nodded.
A quick thrill zipped through her as he leaned in and kissed her again. She let her body soften against him, molding her lips to his. He moved his mouth to her jaw, then neck. “Perhaps three?”
“Three is good,” she said quietly. She struggled to keep her breathing steady as she tilted her chin up so he could brush his lips against her throat.
He gripped her hips and shifted her onto her back. Bracing himself on his elbows, he smiled softly as she ran her hands up his arms.
As his fiery gaze bore into hers, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. At first, she thought he might be using his power on her, but after a moment, she realized it for what it was.
Contentment.
She arched against him, running her fingers in his hair as he deepened the kiss, letting out a small hum of approval when he hitched her leg around his hips.
Her heart fluttered when his hand skimmed up her thigh, pushing up the hem of her nightgown as he drew her against him. His hand continued up, splaying his palm flat against the soft skin of her side as she ran her hands across the smooth panes of his chest.
Everything around them seemed to disappear.
After a few moments, she pulled back, breathless. “I think there are some things that should wait until our wedding night, don’t you?”
“Perhaps,” he whispered, brushing another soft kiss across her lips. Then, meeting her eyes, he grinned wickedly. “Although word of our premarital relations would thoroughly scandalize our parents.”
Freya let out a shaky laugh but struggled to form any kind of witty response. She’d been kissed before, but never with such… intensity.
After one last, lingering kiss, he shifted so he was lying next to her and pulled her close. She wrapped an arm around his waist and snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “For distracting me.”
He kissed her head. “I’ll happily distract you again if you’d like. Our second kiss was more than I could’ve hoped, but I think we could stand to practice a bit more.”
“You’re incorrigible,” she said, unable to keep from smiling. Waving a hand, the walls and ceiling reformed, then she tugged the blanket up over them.
Tightening his hold on her, she felt his breath against her hair when he asked, “Does this mean I get to stay the night?”
“So long as you behave,” she murmured, already succumbing to the warmth of his body and the weight of the heavy blanket on top of them. “I may even let you come back tomorrow.”
He chuckled softly and began running his hand up and down her spine, slowly lulling her to sleep. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
Chapter 30
After classes let out on Monday, Freya, Aerelius, and the others took dinner at the lake. As they all settled on the blanket Collin had laid out, Freya didn’t miss the amused expression on Lea’s face as she sat down beside Aer.
“Wedding planning is going well, then?” Lea asked, accepting the plate of food Lazarus handed her.
“It is,” Freya replied, swatting Aer’s hand away when he tried to steal some of her chicken. “Ordona and I spent most of the day yesterday working out the details. We’ve got a guest list nearly down and the planners have been working night and day on everything else. The only thing left is—”
“Your dress!” Lea squealed and clapped her hands. “Oh, and my dress! I’m so excited for this part!”
“Gods above, not more dresses,” Laz groaned.
Collin laughed. “It’s the most important part, didn’t you know?”
“‘Feathers and orange beading’ was what I heard last, isn’t that right, my love?” Aerelius said, wiggling his eyebrows at Freya.
Lea gave her a slightly murderous look. “Please tell me he’s joking.”
Freya laughed. “No, I’ll be going with something a bit more traditional than that. My first fitting will be the weekend after next if you want to come.”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it!”
“Kallan will be arriving at the palace first thing the Saturday after next,” Aerelius told her. “I’m sure my mother would love to have you.” He smirked. “And your opinions.”
“My opinions are well worth having,” Lea replied. “Speaking of which, and not to change the subject, but what are your thoughts on Lord Edrin coming to tour the school?”
Aerelius slid Freya a look before responding. “I don’t see any harm in it. After all, seeing how vigorously the students are trained here isn’t a bad thing.”
Lea arched a brow. “He’s expecting to see you two fight in combat.”
“I’ve been thinking about that, actually,” Collin said, frowning. “Do you truly think it’s the best idea?”
Freya gave him a curious look. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“It’s a show of strength,” he explained. “If one of you loses, the strength of that person could be questioned.”
Freya and the prince exchanged a look.
“The logic is sound,” Laz agreed slowly. “Although I might take it a step further and say that neither of you should spar with anyone. If you fight each other and one wins, the other looks bad. If you fight someone else, one might question whether that person allowed you to win.”
“Better to let others demonstrate the skills they’ve acquired here,” Collin finished. “Display the quality of the education at Aldridge rather than put on a spectacle.”
Freya frowned, annoyed. “We’re not a spectacle,” she grumbled.
“You’re a halfblood with a twelve-foot wingspan and you kill your foes with your own feathers,” Lea pointed out. “To an outsider, that’s quite a spectacle.”
“Don’t worry, Freya,” Aer said. “I’ll let you get in a win or two before—” He cut off with a grunt when Freya shot her elbow into his side.
“Cinderfish and pixies will marry before you have to let me win anything, highness.”
He quirked a brow. “Care to make a wager on that?”
“Seeing as I always win our wagers, certainly,” she shot back.
“I wouldn’t, Aer,” Laz cautioned. “She’ll have you standing at the altar dressed as a chicken.”
“I pray that, one day, I find love the likes of which you two share,” Lea said wistfully.
“Impossible,” Aer said around a mouthful of food. “You’d have to be willing to accept the occasional death threat, something I don’t see you doing, cousin.”
“So overdramatic,” Freya grumbled. “It happened once.”
“Twice, actually,” Aer said. “Since you’ve arrived, that is. That’s not counting the amount of times you threatened to toss me off the ramparts when we were children.”
Collin coughed. “Perhaps while Lord Edrin is here, you two should refrain from that kind of… talk,” he suggested. “Your parents want you to appear unified, and I highly doubt that will send the right message.”
“We’re unified.” Aer grinned and put an arm around her and kissed her temple. “Aren’t we, Freya?”
“Absolutely,” she said, patting his cheek. “But Collin has a point. We shouldn’t send Jonas home with any bit of negativity to report.”
“Perhaps Jonas should find himself a sense of humor during his visit.”
Freya sent Aer a chastising look. “While I may not think either of you are wrong, considering Jonas will be spectating, I think it’s safe to say someone will challenge either Aer or me.”
Collin frowned. “Well, just be careful in how you handle them. Don’t hold back, but don’t make it seem as though you’re pandering, either.”
Freya snorted and Aer laughed.
“What about either of us tells you we would pander?” Aer asked.
“Just be careful,” Collin said with a sigh.
Freya grinned. “We’re always the epitome of careful, aren’t we, Aer?”
“Always, my love. Always.”
As per the king’s
instructions, Freya met Jonas in front of the headmistress’ office on Wednesday after breakfast. She shared her first class that day with Lazarus, so he accompanied her to meet Jonas on their way to Civics. Rissen and Cecilia followed close behind, and for once, she wasn’t the least bit perturbed by their presence. Something about Jonas still seemed off, although she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was or if it was even something worth worrying over.
“Lea told me he likes to pry a bit,” Laz said as they crossed the quad. “Is there anything else I should know?”
Freya thought for a moment. “He doesn’t seem to like direct acknowledgement of his inquisitive nature. I believe he feels as though he’s more sly than he actually is.”
Laz nodded thoughtfully. “What do you suppose his intentions are?”
Freya shrugged. “It seemed clear he wanted to suss out whether or not I wanted to marry Aer, presumably so he could return to Lessia and inform her of potential weakness in our monarchy. He truly appeared shocked when I told him I was perfectly content with my lot in life.”
Laz gave her a knowing smile. “Perfectly content, hmm? Does that mean you’re finally giving in to my cousin’s advances?”
“Give in,” she scoffed. “Do I strike you as the type to give in to anything that doesn’t appeal to me if given the choice?”
He pressed his lips together as his eyes twinkled with amusement. “So he appeals to you, then?”
“Of course, he does,” she said. “As I appeal to him. It doesn’t mean we can’t or won’t antagonize or infuriate each other now and then.”
Laz laughed. “No, but I would think it would mean you’d try to avoid doing those things.”
“Not possible,” she replied. “Any partnership, romantic or otherwise, always involves pushback. If there are no disagreements, no arguments, it would indicate one or both parties simply placates the other while suppressing their own wants or needs.” She frowned at him. “Are you telling me you and Collin never argue?”
“Oh, frequently. Not intentionally, though.”
“Aer and I—” She sighed, then turned to face him as they reached the door to the main building. “It’s sort of a… dance that we do. It’s always been that way. An acknowledgement that I won’t put up with his nonsense and he won’t put up with mine.”
“You must’ve driven your parents mad when you were children, then,” he said with a laugh.
“And yet they still chose to tie us to one another.” She grinned. “I’m not quite sure what that says about their judgement.”
Laz pulled open the door to let her pass through. “I think it speaks highly of it, quite honestly. Despite your how much you nip at one another, it’s clear you share similar minds.”
Freya gave him assessing look. “You know, Laz, I think Collin has rubbed off on you. You’re quite insightful.”
He grinned. “Or perhaps I’ve rubbed off on him. Did you ever consider that?”
Freya snorted a laugh as they stepped through the office doors. Scanning the room, her eyes landed on Jonas, who was talking quietly with Headmistress Dyren, a look of deep concentration on his face. When he saw her, he brightened and smiled.
“Ah, Lady Balthana! So lovely to see you!” He gave Laz a curious look before shifting his attention back to her. “I was just telling your headmistress how eager I am to see the famed Aldridge professors at work!”
Headmistress Dyren flushed slightly and smiled. “Yes, well, I do hope you enjoy yourself.”
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll have great fun,” Freya said, beaming at them both. “Lord Edrin, this is Lord Lazarus Cailen, a good friend of mine and cousin to the prince. He’ll be with us for the first class of the day.”
“Lord Cailen is a wonderful guide,” the headmistress assured him. “You’ll be in good hands.”
“Good to hear!” Jonas said, his eyes appraising as he looked at Laz. “Shall we go, then?”
After bidding farewell to the headmistress, Freya and Laz led Jonas into the hall.
“Our civics class is a bit of a walk, but it will give you a fair look at what our facilities look like,” Freya explained as she led him toward the cavernous rotunda.
“Has this building been here long?” Jonas asked. “It’s quite beautiful but certainly has an aged feel.”
Freya inclined her head toward Laz. “I think I’ll let Lazarus handle that question. He’s a bit of a history buff, so he’s far more knowledgeable than me in that area.”
“Is he, now?” Jonas’ brows lifted. “Well, Lord Cailen, what can you tell me?”
Laz gestured toward the high, coffered ceiling of the rotunda as they came up on the fountain. “The academy was constructed a millennium back, with this building being the first. The ceiling here tells the history of our kind, long before the Jotnar and Linds separated and formed their own nations.”
Intrigued, Jonas stared up at the ceiling, taking in the detailed carvings that depicted the major events of the history of Lindoroth.
“Fantastic,” he murmured, seeming nearly as struck by it as Freya had been when she first laid eyes on it. He pointed toward a far corner at the burst of red flame and the nearest corner, where the flowing blues and gold tones showed Lindish creatures traveling into the halls of the gods that awaited in the afterlife. “The Great Beginning and the Final Death. Those are always my favorite pieces to look upon. I’ve yet to see a representation I dislike.”
Freya smiled. “Likewise. I’ve never been a big fan of history, but the stories of our origins were always some of my favorite.”
“It must have taken years to create,” Jonas replied, still staring up at the ceiling.
“Dozens,” Laz confirmed. “A fair few died during its construction.”
“Pity.” Jonas looked back at them. “As striking as it is, death for the sake of art has always been something that flummoxed me.”
“If you’ve got an interest in art, my aunt and uncle have quite a collection in the palace,” Laz said. “But for now, we should continue on. Class starts in a few minutes and Professor Ildar is harsh when it comes to tardiness.”
“Even with your future queen?” Jonas asked, surprised. “That seems highly improper.”
“Shouldn’t I be held to the same standards as the rest of the students here?” Freya asked as they made their way down the crowded halls.
“Forgive my honesty, my lady, but no, I don’t believe you should. As the future monarch—”
“I should set an example for those I’m to lead,” Freya finished. “Not flaunt any entitlements I may have.”
Laz pursed his lips and slid her an amused look.
“Fair enough. Tell me about you two,” Jonas said, his shrewd eyes darting between them. “Have you been friends long? You seem quite close.”
“Only since the start of the year,” Freya replied, smiling fondly at her friend. “Sometimes it feels like longer, though.”
“Freya saw the immediate benefit of a friendship with me,” Lazarus teased, throwing an arm around Freya’s shoulder. “Nearly begged me to befriend her, didn’t you?”
Freya rolled her eyes and smacked his chest. “Liar,” she chastised. “Now you’ll have our guest telling his empress I’ve got to beg for friends.”
Jonas laughed at that. “Not to worry, my lady. Your secret is safe with me.”
Jonas, much to his dismay and Freya’s relief, had to excuse himself just before her combat class, citing an appointment he’d forgotten about with the king.
By the time she’d left Jonas at the front gates before heading to her room to change, Freya was a bit exhausted from playing tour guide. He was inquisitive nearly to a fault, wanting to know about professors, talking at length with them after class, and asking questions that required painfully long responses throughout. Freya had to hold her tongue several times to keep from telling him to just observe, as he said he would, but thought better of it. The questions a person asked could reveal more about them than they intended, althou
gh his tended to border on tedious and tiresome more than illuminating.
As she entered the training yard, though, she was eager to let out some of her pent-up energy. She’d no sooner walked through the door when she felt Aer’s arm snake around her waist from behind.
“Hello, my love,” he murmured, brushing his lips against her ear. “Care to show a bit of unity?”
She rolled her eyes and turned to face him. Kissing the tips of her fingers, she touched them to his cheek. “I think that’s sufficient, don’t you?”
He took her hand and kissed her palm. “I was hoping for a bit more, but I suppose that will have to suffice for now.”
Smirking, she let out her wings, holding them high enough to partially conceal them both, then stood on her toes, drawing his mouth toward hers. His lips curved into a smile as he accepted the offered kiss, but when his hand moved to tighten on her waist, she pulled back.
“We don’t want to put on too much of a show, do we?” She glanced around, happy to see only a few students seemed to have noticed their exchange.
“Don’t we?” Grinning, his hands slipped around to her lower back, thumbs hooking in the waistband of her pants. “Personally, I think it would please people to see just how fond of one another we are.”
She grinned when she saw Collin making his way over. “I’ll show you my fondness another time. Now, shoo. My warmup partner is here.”
Aer glanced over at Collin, then back at her. “You never want to warm up with me. Why?”
“Collin doesn’t try to flirt his way into winning,” she said.
“And as a wolf, I’m quicker than you,” Collin said, coming to a stop at Freya’s side.
“Exactly.” Freya grinned.
Aer narrowed his eyes at Collin. “I feel as though I should take that as an insult.”
Freya patted his cheek. “You’ll get your time with me later. Go find Lea. I think she mentioned something about practicing her tackling maneuvers on you today.”
“Of course she did,” Aer said with a sigh. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “Have fun.”
