by Tasha Black
Bowls of beautiful fruit glistened in cut glass bowls, piles of croissants and other fragrant pastries covered half the tray. Bowls of stew and platters of roasted vegetables covered the other.
“Good grief, how many people is that for?” she asked.
“You better not have invited anyone else, my princess,” he teased. “Besides, a big man like me needs nourishment.”
She smiled at the idea, which was surely true.
He left again and came back with a massive tray of drinks, which he set on the bedside table.
She watched as he poured out two goblets of wine.
“To us,” he said, lifting his.
“I’ll watch you,” she said.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
She patted her belly fondly. “Mortals don’t drink wine when they are pregnant.”
“Why not?” he asked, sounding horrified.
“Because it’s not healthy,” she replied. “Is there juice somewhere on that tray?”
“There is pear nectar,” he said doubtfully. “But you are not mortal.”
The thought had never occurred to her. She would have to ask him exactly what that entailed. But it could wait.
“Oh, pear nectar sounds so good,” she told him.
He shrugged, poured out a glass, and handed it to her.
“To us,” Willow said, lifting her glass.
He touched his glass to hers and they drank long and deep.
26
Heath
Heath stood firm and tried not to smile.
“Your Majesty, it’s bad luck to see her in the dress,” Iona said, hands on her hips, practically stamping her foot.
“I don’t care,” he told her.
“I won’t have my princess saddled with bad luck on your account,” Iona said.
“What if I keep the veil down?” Willow offered from behind the paper screen.
“No,” Heath and Iona answered at once.
There was a pause, then Willow began giggling.
He wished he could see her.
“Come out,” he said. “Or I’m coming back there.”
“I’m still getting dressed,” she scolded him.
“You have seven seconds,” he told her.
“No,” she said. “Never make a bargain with a Fae prince. That’s like the first rule of how to survive in Faerie.”
Heath laughed and Iona scowled at him.
“Mistress Iona is called to retrieve the princess’s jewels,” a servant said at the door.
Iona buttoned her lips and sighed through her nose.
“By all means, go,” Heath urged her with a flourish. “Don’t keep the jewels waiting.”
“I’m warning you,” Iona said. “Don’t you go back there.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” Heath said, raising his hands up.
She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously and then headed off briskly with the servant.
“I hope you didn’t just lie to Ashe’s nanny,” Willow teased.
“Fae can’t lie,” he said flatly.
“That tracks,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, it’s just that I’ve never been able to lie either,” she said. “I thought it was my conscience stopping me.”
Knowing his sweet Willow, it probably was.
“I miss you,” he told her, already wishing he could break his promise to that bothersome nanny.
“Well, we can’t have that,” Willow said, appearing on the side of the paper screen.
His heart almost stopped beating.
She was clad in traditional Fae princess undergarments. Sparkling lace like dewdrops formed a belt around her hips, another length of winking lace held up her round breasts with seemingly no regard for gravity.
They covered more than her mortal underwear, but somehow made her look even more sexy.
“Princess Willow,” he breathed, falling to his knees at her feet and pressing a kiss to her navel.
She laughed as if she thought he was kidding.
And while he was being maybe just a little melodramatic, mostly he was acting on instinct.
He had nearly worked his thumb under the whisper thin fabric on her hip when the door flew open.
“Prince Heath,” Iona spluttered.
“I did not go back there,” Heath said, scrambling to his feet.
“And I’m not wearing the dress yet,” Willow said, with an adorably guilty expression that made him want to go right back to doing what he had been doing before.
“Honestly,” Iona grumbled. “I can’t leave you two alone for a minute. You know you’re going to be married tonight and then you can do as you like.”
But she was trying to hide a grin and they both saw it.
Heath winked at Willow and she smiled so hard her cheeks nearly covered her eyes.
“Get back there, lass, go on,” Iona scolded her. “I’ll help you get the dress on before he can get it off again.”
“Now that’s teamwork,” Heath declared.
“And I’ve sent for her brothers,” Iona said to him. “They’ll accompany the princess and won’t let her out of their sight, so you might as well go on and get ready.”
Well, it was hard to argue with that line of thinking.
And the sound of boots and deep male laughter from the hall told him his soon-to-be brothers-in-law had already arrived.
“I’ll see you out there,” Willow called to him. “Everything will be fine, I promise.”
Iona raised her eyebrows at him.
“Okay, fine, fine, I’m going,” he said, surrendering.
Sterling marched in with Torsten and Duncan behind him, jostling each other just a little bit as they came through the door.
“No, no,” Iona said. “I’ll not have roughhousing in here with the princess dressing in all her finery.”
“Sorry, Iona,” Sterling said.
“Sorry,” his brothers echoed, looking suitably chastened.
Heath tried to hide his smile.
“We’ll see you out there, Heath,” Sterling said, smiling back.
Heath nodded and headed out the door.
The corridors were long and chilly, but he thought he was beginning to get at least a vague sense of where everything was.
After a few minutes of searching, he found a room of glass doors leading outside. Surely this led to the courtyard.
But once he was outside, he found he was in some sort of ice garden.
The last of the twilight shone pink in the glassy surfaces of the trees and plants. The sight was exquisite. He wished that Willow were here so that they could explore the icy wonderland together.
Instead, he just needed to find his way out.
“Prince Heath?” a male voice said politely.
Heath turned to find a well-dressed man of about his age.
“I’m Prince Harland of the Spring Court,” the man said with a guilty smile. “I’m, uh, sorry I almost married your betrothed.”
“From what she says, you were helpful to her in extricating herself,” Heath said.
“That’s also true,” Harland allowed.
“Then it’s nice to meet you,” Heath said. “Do you know how to get to the main courtyard from here?”
“Did they kick you out upstairs?” Harland asked, his eyes dancing.
“Yes,” Heath said. “How did you know?”
“Come on,” Harland said, starting off through the garden.
Heath followed.
“I went to the kitchens to see about a snack,” Harland said. “And everyone in there was whispering about you not leaving the princess’s side and poor Iona fit to be tied about the bad luck it would bring.”
“Glad I could provide some entertainment for the staff,” Heath joked.
“Hey, after what you two have been through, I wouldn’t leave her either,” Harland said sympathetically. “How did they pry you out of there?”
“All of her brothers came up and said th
ey would stay with her,” Heath said, still feeling a little grumpy about it.
Harland threw his head back and laughed and Heath couldn’t help but smile.
They walked the rest of the way in a companionable silence. Heath found himself grateful that he had gotten a little lost, if it meant he had a chance to meet Harland and see that he was no threat.
No matter what Willow said about the situation, it was hard not to feel a touch of jealousy. After all, Harland had taken her on a date. Heath had not had the opportunity to spend time with her that wasn’t on the run.
At last, they reached the main courtyard.
It was hard to believe it had been set up for his execution just hours ago.
Now it was strung with twinkling lights and winter flowers. The air was filled with the scent of the delicate blooms. A line of candles led to the center where they would be wed.
A crowd had already gathered below to witness the event. He wondered how many of them had also been at the execution, but pushed those dark thoughts away. Today was a time for joy.
“I’ll see you afterward, my friend,” Harland told him, clapping him on the shoulder. “Good luck.”
Heath nodded and headed into the flowery courtyard to await his bride.
Time seemed to stand still as he waited, and he wondered how he had managed to live the eternity before meeting her to make it to this night, when minutes turned to hours as he longed for his Willow.
The sky had gone a glorious deep blue, and the full moon added its light to the courtyard by the time the lutes announced the arrival of his beloved.
He nearly gasped when he saw her.
Willow wore a gown so icy white it seemed to glow in the soft candlelight. It clung to her breasts and waist, beads and gemstones accentuating every curve, and it flared at her hips, billowing out in swaths as if Willow were rising from a foamy sea. Pearled combs held her dark hair away from her face in front, but allowed it to spill long down her back.
She smiled at him and he felt as if his cells were rearranging. Her love was changing him, making him better, stronger, more patient.
The words of the ceremony seemed to go on forever as Heath lost himself in Willow’s beautiful dark eyes.
At last, they twined their hands together, vines twirling around each other, and he kissed her with everything he had.
She let go of his hands to embrace him, pressing her soft body against his hard one, filling his heart.
The crowd cheered and she pulled back with a sheepish smile, as if she had forgotten they had an audience.
The dancing began as soon as the ceremony was over.
Heath managed to enjoy himself, though all he wanted was to get Willow alone, and he was somehow expected to share his bride as a dance partner.
The Winter Court was clearly uncivilized in this way. It made him long for home, and the company of his own family. But Willow was his family now, and that was enough for him.
He was leaning against a stone wall, watching her dance with her brother, Torsten, when Sterling approached.
“I hate to talk politics at a wedding,” Sterling said.
“But?”
“But I know you’ll want to know what’s going on,” Sterling replied. “My brothers and I expect you’ll want to bring Willow back to the Autumn Court to meet your family. So we’re splitting up to deal with the business at hand so you can do that.”
“What business?” Heath asked.
“I’m going to the mortal realm to find Ashe,” Sterling said. “Apparently, our parents sent a bounty hunter after her already. And you know how far they can be trusted.”
Heath nodded. He’d dealt with bounty hunters in the past, and they were a nasty lot.
“Our parents have fled the kingdom,” Sterling continued. “But we already have a few leads. Torsten is taking a contingent of elite guards to find them, and bring them to justice.”
“And Duncan?” Heath asked.
“He’s staying here, to look over the Winter Court,” Sterling said.
“He seems like… a man of few words,” Heath pointed out as judiciously as he could.
“I expect that will help,” Sterling said with a wink.
Heath laughed out loud. His brother-in-law was probably right.
“I’m leaving now,” Sterling said. “Ashe’s been gone too long already. I just wanted to tell you the plan and say good-bye. We appreciate you bringing our sister home. I’m glad to have you in the family.”
“I am happy to be a part of it,” Heath told him sincerely.
Sterling nodded and headed over to where Willow and Torsten were dancing. They stopped for a moment while he murmured to Willow.
She embraced him, looking relieved.
Then Sterling disappeared into the night.
The dancing and merriment went on and on for hours.
At last, the servants began snuffing out the candles and dimming the magic lanterns.
“It figures they shut it down when we’re finally dancing with each other again,” Willow whispered to him, her eyes sparkling with laughter.
He smiled down at her.
“What?” she asked.
“I just can’t believe how lucky I am,” he murmured.
“No thanks to us,” she replied. “Iona gets all the credit for shooing you away and keeping our luck intact.”
He laughed and swirled her around in his arms.
Suddenly, the music stopped.
A guard ran to Torsten and Duncan, panting, his face grim.
Willow and Heath hurried to join them.
“The bounty hunter Varik has been spotted beyond the gates,” the guard gasped.
“That’s the man our parents sent after Ashe,” Torsten told Willow. “Is she with him?”
“Someone is with him,” the guard managed. “They are still climbing the rise and we cannot see who it is.”
“Let’s go, then,” Willow said instantly, and Heath loved her all the more for it.
“Sister, it’s your wedding night,” Torsten said gently.
“That’s your sister, which makes her my sister, I guess,” she replied. “Either way, there’s no way you’re keeping me from her.”
“I don’t advise you try to dissuade her,” Heath said. “There’s very little point in that. Let’s go.”
Torsten grinned and Duncan nodded in respect.
The four of them headed for the gates.
Heath took Willow’s hand and squeezed it, and she smiled up at him, ready to meet their next adventure head on.
Their souls were bound forever now.
But he knew that nothing about their lives together would be boring. They had to make sure Ashe was okay. They had to help rebuild the Winter Court and prepare it for their child and the children that would come after this one.
And Heath had a funny feeling there would always be something interesting to keep them busy. He was a second son, but with a princess like Willow, he had no doubt they would always be busy doing something wonderful and important.
“Are you still smiling because you feel lucky?” she asked.
“Yes, I am, my wife,” he told her.
“So am I,” she said, squeezing his hand. “So am I.”
***
Thanks for reading Prince of Bears.
Are you ready to find out what happens when the bounty hunter catches up with Princess Ashe in the mortal realm?
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Prince of Wolves (Sample)
1
Asha
Ashe clutched the small leather pouch and gazed at her homeland one last time.
She was almost at the border that separated the kingdom of Autumn from the Winter Court. In the distance, she could see the icy mountaintops overlooking marble castle where she’d grown up, moonlight playing off the surface of the frozen lake below. A sweet wind carried
that familiar winter chill to her, even from so far away, drying the tears that brimmed in her eyes, threatening to overflow.
Faerie was the only home Ashe had ever known, but she had no place in it anymore. Her sister had committed a heinous act, and died in the trying. And though Ashe had nothing to do with it, she was implicated by virtue of being her sister. Without even trying, she’d earned the hatred of two powerful kingdoms.
And yet somehow, Ashe felt a wave of relief at the thought of leaving it all behind. She had never truly felt at home in the fae realm, even among her own people.
She didn’t have the stomach for all the political machinations that consumed the life of a fae royal. And there was no point being a fae princess when you didn’t posses even a hint of magic. Power was everything when it came to a faerie court, and Ashe had none. Yet her royal position made her a default part of every half-baked scheme and power grab concocted around the Winter Court.
Ashe hated being a pawn.
Which was why she decided that she was finally taking control of her own life, starting tonight, and it felt damned good.
She turned her back on the view of the distant palace.
The leather pouch was warm in her hands, as if it held a living thing. It had cost her dearly to procure such magic, and it would only work once, so she had to use it with care.
She loosened the cord that held it closed and a few dark grains were released into the swirling wind.
It was now or never.
She took a deep breath and dumped the contents of the pouch into her left hand. A small pile of dark powder, not unlike volcanic ash, landed on her open palm.
Ashe closed her eyes, blew on the dust, and stepped forward concentrating on her goal.
She felt a strange sensation, like she was sprinting against the wind. Her ears popped, and she opened her eyes in spite of herself to see the world blurring before her.
Suddenly, the motion stopped and the world came back into focus. For a moment, she thought the magic hadn’t worked. She was standing on the same hilltop.
But it wasn’t the same.
