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She focused on the stone, willing it to glow, or do something. Anything. Even a short burst of light would be good at this point. Just some indication that there was life within it, then she could rest easy that the Birth was going to go to plan.
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p; “I give up,” her mother said, throwing up her hands dramatically, causing Aledwen to scowl. This was completely in character. Things got a little tough, and her mother no longer wanted to deal with them. No wonder she’d been so absent during Aledwen’s childhood.
Despite knowing her mother had left the room, and she was perfectly fine to stop, Aledwen didn’t dare to. The Queen wasn’t the only person worried about the ceremony. She wanted it to go well too, or else she’d end up being a laughing stock.
“Still not working?” Drey’s low voice caused butterflies in her stomach, and while she shouldn’t, she turned around to look at him, smiling broadly. She had no words to describe how amazing yesterday had felt for her. What it had unlocked inside her. Probably because she didn’t quite know what had changed. Just that she liked it.
“No.” She dropped her hands to the side.
“Let me try something?” He sounded genuinely curious, so she nodded. And not just because she wanted him closer to her, though that was a definite benefit.
Drey stepped up behind her, and slid his hands down her arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake. She pressed herself back into him, feeling his hot breath against her skin.
“I’m going to put my hands over yours,” he whispered into her ear, and she nodded, willing to try anything she could to make this work.
Their fingers entwined, and Aledwen focused on matching her breathing to his, not knowing if it would actually help with what he was trying to do, or if it was just a way of comforting herself. The latter seemed far more likely.
“Try again.”
“Sorry?” she asked, not quite knowing what he meant.
“What you were doing before, to try and make the stone glow like your mother did? Do it again.” His words were firm, but gentle, filling her with a hope she hadn’t had before.
Slowly, she tried to draw the power, feeling a slight prickling sensation in her fingertips. That couldn’t be right, could it? Why was it doing that? From all her reading and research, using magic shouldn’t hurt at all. Rather, it should make her feel more complete than before. Make things easier so to speak.
Unbelievably, the stone began to glow ever so slightly. Though not as brightly, or as evenly as when her mother had drawn the power. She wondered why that was. Maybe it was because Aledwen didn’t seem to have any magical powers of her own. Or maybe it was something completely different.
Or it could be related to the deal Fane had mentioned. She shivered. That was a concerning thought.
“Are you okay?” Drey whispered, making Aledwen curse inwardly. She hadn’t meant to make him aware of what was going on in her head.
She pushed his hands out of the way, and removed her hands from the stone, the patchy green light disappearing far quicker than it had arrived. Turning around in Drey’s arms, she looked up at him with annoyingly adoring eyes. While she was sure of the emotions she was feeling, she didn’t want to become one of those love struck women who became shells of their former selves just because there was a man around.
One day, she was going to be a Queen. And she wouldn’t be one ruled by her mate. Nor would she rule her mate. Rule Drey. That wasn’t how the relationship she’d imagined for herself had ever gone. It wasn’t how any relationship should go. But what went on behind the closed doors of others was really none of her business.
Or at least, she kept telling herself that.
“Dwen?” he prompted after she’d been silent for slightly longer than she anticipated.
“You’re the only person to ever call me that,” she replied instead of answering his concern. There was no real easy way to explain all the thoughts and feelings swirling around her head. Maybe one day she would.
“Don’t you like it?” He frowned down at her, and despite the seriousness of the moment, her gaze slipped towards his lips. Flashbacks of the night before sprang to mind.
“I do. It’s just...”
“Just?”
“I’ve been so sheltered, for so long, that it feels like no one’s ever really known me,” she admitted.
“But I do.” He sounded very sure of himself.
“Well, not yet. But you feel comfortable.” She wouldn’t lie to him. He felt right, and he felt comfortable, but they didn’t know each other yet. She was sure that would come with time though. Which was always a good thing.
“I can live with that,” he murmured, lowering his face to hers and pressing a soft kiss against her lips. Aledwen didn’t waste any more time, and slipped her arms around his neck, pressing her body into his and deepening the kiss. The connection between them was definitely real.
To her surprise, he let her have control. Though that might not be a good thing if she started stripping him off right here in the throne room. While she was pretty sure her mother was done for the day, and wouldn’t be returning, the room was still public domain, and as such anyone could walk in.
