Glancing down at the map before me, my mind stays firmly on the war bands of witches and the Bloodwitches groveling at the regent's feet. “Add the goblin soldiers into the sentry duties as well, but no more than a hundred at a time and keep them posted outside of the castle.”
Kyton nods firmly. “I’ll have them moved into duties first shift tomorrow so they can recover from the journey here.”
Gage glances at Gideon before he says, “They don’t need the rest. Better to have enough eyes on the walls than risk being caught by surprise if Kharl Balzog is as incensed about the fae doors as I wager the ashes-cursed male is.”
Kytan freezes, his eyes widening, but when he glances up to me I nod firmly. “All of the Briarfrost soldiers speak the goblin tongueandthe Unseelie common language. Ensure the soldiers all know that if they’re stupid enough to disregard my commands, I’ll hear about it.”
“Of course, Your Highness, my apologies.”
Roan huffs at his apology. “No need to apologize for the Briarfrost’s dishonesty, Kytan.”
Gage sends him a warning look. “No one ever asked what languages I speak. I don’t owe anyone an explanation but the goblin king.”
Tauron looks at Roan before sending Gage a careful look of his own. “What about Prince Soren? Do you owe him an explanation?”
Gage returns his gaze with a hard one of his own, not backing down an inch. “Now that we’re allies, I do and I’ve already given it to him. When I escorted the supplies to Yregar, I kept to the accords and the goblin king’s commands to see to the Favored Child’s welfare. There’s nothing left for you to question.”
Roan cocks his head to the side. “Why do you call her that instead of her name? It sounds like you’re waiting for the right moment to kidnap the witch and take her back with you; it’s what you’ve wanted all along.”
The sounds of Cerson leaving her rooms and calling out for Rooke freezes everyone in place, listening until the two witches are back inside Cerson’s magic as they get ready for dinner together.
Looking around the room, I level each of the males with a cold glare. “I’ve given the goblins sentry duties because I’d rather have them guarding Yregar’s walls than dealing with petty squabbles inside its’ castle walls. The only exception to that is guarding Rooke or Cerson, but I have no intention of leaving those duties to anyone outside of this room. You’re all my most loyal and trusted fae;don’tmake me question that.”
I dismiss Kytan and Alwyn and they both bow again as they depart, leaving Tyton as the only fae looking unfazed as the rest shift on their feet. They scowl around the room at each other, and the animosity thickens the air. The tension builds rapidly until my reception room feels as volatile as a death curse jammed in a box, waiting to unleash its’ horror on us all.
When the door to Cerson's room opens again, I speak low enough that only high fae ears can hear my warning, “If any of you think to do something stupid that puts my Fates-blessed mate orher brother’s wifein danger, it won't take an act of the Fates to see you wiped from this kingdom.”
Tauron bows his head easily, as do both goblin princes though they pause briefly, their eyes still locked on Roan. The Snowsong Prince shoots me a look before finally bowing his own head, right as Cerson steps into my reception room. Clearly sensing the malevolence in the room, she breezes past it with little more than the quirk of an eyebrow in my direction. Chatting happily with Rooke, she’s wearing brightly coloredrobes covered in intricate embroidery and the bands of fabric plume out the same as high fae skirts do.
Roan leaves without another word but Tyton stands to greet her with a bow, a smile on his own face to match hers as he murmurs an offer to show her the Snowsong chambers. She accepts brightly, her hands clasped behind her back like Rooke does when she’s thinking, and the goblin princes both follow them out. Tauron leaves with a side-long look in my direction and a quick bow to Rooke as she steps into the room. My gaze stays fixed on his retreat for another heartbeat, only turning back to my Fates-blessed mate when she moves towards me. My other concerns disappear in an instant.
Struck dumb by her, all I can do is watch as the blush grows on her cheeks at the heat in my eyes, but she looks like every last fantasy I’ve ever had wrapped in the forest green robes. Made of buttery-soft silk, the silver leaves embroidered over her chest and sleeves match the pins she favors, and her eyes, perfectly.
She’s covered from her neck and wrists all the way down to her boots, yet the way it curves around her chest and hips is obscene. When she closes the distance between us, a soft smile of her face at my reaction, the skirt fans out the same as Cerson’s but not as dramatically, the hemline brushing the carpets with their length.
When it becomes clear words are impossible for me, she glances down at herself with a shrug. “Cerson rifled through my wardrobes before she came but I fear her tastes are far more elaborate than my own. I’m sure I’ll be overdressed at every opportunity.”
Scowling at her depreciating tone and with a rumbling growl, my hands span her waist to pull her into my chest and our awaiting household is all but forgotten. Her lips take on a sensuous curve and she reaches out to clasp my arms, rising onto her toes to meet my lips. My temper cools as my focus onher becomes lascivious, the scent of her skin filling my lungs with every breath and driving me further into madness.
When my hands slide further down her body, my intentions clear, Rooke pulls away with a gasp. “Everyone is waiting on us and we really can’t leave Cerson unattended for too long. She’s thriving on my pain and suffering, I’m sure my penance for insisting on traveling here alone.”
My scowl returns, both at her pulling away from me and her concerns to the other witch, but she only shakes her head. "We all became very close during our service, and Cerson spent months trying to convince me to change my plans before I returned here. It's all an inevitable response to her fears for me."
Her voice is filled with affection, enough that it rankles me to see it pointed in anyone else's direction, but I find solace that her eyes are soft to me alone. It takes me another deep breath before I can let her go, my hands clutching at her hips desperately as I convince myself she's right, and that we do need to be elsewhere. Rooke hums soothingly under her breath, her hand moving from my arms into my own as she tucks herself into my side agreeably. How she takes all my demanding actions so well is a mystery to me.
As we step through the open door to the Snowsong Chambers we find our household and guests staring around at each other with an air of confrontation. Rooke's sighs softly under her breath and the exhausted edge to it pulls a snarl out of me stern enough that every male in the room drops their head into a bow. Cerson watches them all with a very amused smile on her face, inclining her head at me graciously. Whether it's merely a respectful gesture or recognition for my protective actions over her family, I can't tell.
Airlie steps out of the nursery with her fussing son in her arms, sharing a frazzled look with Firna. The Keeper clicks her tongue at the infant, making disapproving noises that Raidynonly giggles at as he’s passed over to her, before she takes him back in with a stern warning of missing his bedtime and keeping his poor mother awake all night. He finds that most amusing, as well.
When my cousin turns back to her guests with a smile, she glances between Rooke and I with raised brows. “My, my, so much has changed on such a short journey. You have much to catch me up on!”
I shoot her a stern look but the smile on her face only grows wider and then she shocks me by holding out her hand to Gage. “Princess Airlie Celestial, it’s an honor to meet you properly and to welcome you to dine with my family.”
He stares at her hand for a second before he takes it and shakes it as though she's just another soldier. Cerson cackles from where she’s watching on at Gideon’s side, both of them amused at the goblin prince’s behavior.
When Airlie only blinks at him, he jerks his head in Roan’s direction. “I know better than to kiss another man's wife, royal or not. My mother taught me better than that.”
Gideon shakes his head at his brother and steps forward to take Airlie's hand as well bowing over and rather than shaking it or kissing it. "Please forgive my brother, he's had a very trying week and it’s made his usually respectful manners disappear."
