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“Was an idiot,” she corrected, which earned her a wry laugh and a brief tickle to the side.
His expression changed from self-deprecation to awe as his hand traveled up her back and over the sheer blue sleeve of her gown. Giddiness bubbled in her stomach at the way he looked at her as if she were the very sun itself. “You’re wearing the dress.” The dress he’d hoped she’d wear to their wedding, but she hadn’t.
Because she had felt unworthy to wear it.
But now, as she released his hand to turn in a full circle to show off the gown, she knew she was worthy of it. Of happiness. Of Joel’s love. She only wished it hadn’t taken her so long to see her own worth.
The light blue of the dress perfectly matched her eyes and complimented her hair and skin tone. Sheer fabric draped off her shoulders, the bodice covered in flowers made of fabric. The long hem brushed the floor with each movement. Dresses often tripped her with their length against her short stature, but Joel had found a beauty of a gown just her size.
It was rare when she didn’t need to hem a dress.
“You are beautiful,” he murmured, his fingers brushing between her shoulder blades where her shawl just barely covered her black tattoos. She didn’t care who saw them, nor what they thought. Let them gossip. She was no longer bound by their opinions.
A smile grew wide across her face. She ran her hands over the soft midnight blue fabric of his vest. “I like seeing you in fancy clothes. You look even more handsome than usual.”
“Don’t get used to it.” His breath caressed her ear, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine as they swayed back and forth to the music. “Can’t exactly wear fancy clothes when planting trees and pruning branches. I’m covered in dirt half the time.”
Another spin beneath his arm jolted her heart with a burst of happiness, and the laugh she released garnered more than a few stares. His hand in hers, their bodies close together, felt like the safest, warmest place she’d ever found herself.
“I can’t wait to finally see your new orchard.”
“Our orchard,” he corrected. “And I can’t wait to finally show you.”
Glancing toward their daughters to find Maisy sitting on Calle’s shoulders as he received well-wishers and Eva on Skaja’s hip, Nyana cast Joel a mischievous smile and tugged on his hand. “Come on. There’s something I want to show you.”
A grin spread across his face. “You would abandon the children with Calle on his wedding day?”
Nyana halted in her tracks, and across the room, she met Calle’s eye. Too far to hear her words, she held up five fingers and mouthed, Five minutes? And then she pressed her palms together pleadingly.
Calle smiled and waved her away with a hand before turning back to the next well-wisher.
“See? He doesn’t mind watching them.”
Their fingers interlaced on their journey across the ballroom, dodging twirling skirts and servants carrying trays with flutes of wine. Many people cast them curious stares, undoubtedly wondering about the enigma surrounding her, Calle, and Maisy. But she ignored them, her smile unwavering. All she wanted was to spend several uninterrupted minutes with her sweetheart, away from prying eyes and listening ears.
Upon stepping outside, frigid winter air raked across her exposed skin. But the chill lasted only until she pulled Joel into the humid warmth of the greenhouse nestled deep within the gardens.
A wide variety of trees, plants, and flowers thrummed with life. Calling to her. Tempting her magic. Lanterns filled the space with light, illuminating deep reds, lively greens, and rich browns. The beauty of the greenhouse thrilled her Forest Fae half, tempting her to touch the essence of each living thing surrounding her just to discover the secrets they held.
To her relief, they found themselves alone.
“What are we doing in here?” Joel smirked. “Another tryst while we pretend the person watching the children doesn’t know what we’re doing?”
“No,” she laughed and smacked his arm. “But I imagine there will be more opportunities to sneak away now and again once we reach Ebriel.”
“And then we’ll just pretend Nana doesn’t know what we’re doing while she entertains the children.”
Laughter bubbled out of her as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. But before he managed to catch her around the waist, she dodged out of reach and scooped up a handle of broken twigs at the base of a small tree a rich, chestnut brown color. The twigs contained enough energy for her to manipulate with her magic.
“What are you doing?” Joel asked, but she only smiled.
“You’ll see.”
Branches weaved together beneath her magic to form a circle, and she placed the crown on top of Joel’s head. He gazed at her curiously as if waiting for her to explain.
As she created another for herself, she said, “In Attleglade culture, it is customary to crown new members of the family, which is a popular custom during weddings and births. I wanted to practice this and adhere more to my roots.”
What she didn’t speak of were her father and brother. She missed them. And she hoped so very much that she would see them again someday.
