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Sighing, I admit, “He was. And I do have some fond memories of him from my childhood, but as I got older, it became obvious how weak he was.”
Her eyebrows lift with surprise, so I clarify.
“Not physically weak, but looking back, I see how he didn’t stand up to my father when he should have.”
My tender-hearted woman opens her mouth, but I shake my head. “Don’t worry yourself. I won’t be losing any sleep over his death.” Though that’s not quite true, neither is it false. The man chose his fate, I was only forced to deliver it.
♦♦♦
For the first time, waking beside Rina isn’t accompanied by a shadow of worry or doubt. I want to shake my head at the idea that I’ve finally given myself permission to enjoy her presence, but that would wake my beautiful bride to be. And she deserves all the rest she can get after the workout I put her through last night . . . memories of which start flashing through my mind.
She shifts next to me, nuzzling into my bicep. My exhausted cock shows signs of life against my thigh. I’m glad we moved our furs up to the loft bedroom above the hearth last night. Otherwise, if I could see my sexy little bride in the glow of the fire, I’d have her on her hands and knees again. As it is, the only light is the faint outline of the windows down below.
Creeping from the bed, I carefully locate the ladder and climb down. After pulling on my pants, I open the door only to start like a skittish colt at the extremely loud gasp that comes from behind me.
“Luka!”
I immediately search for a weapon.
“It snowed!”
Snowed?My heart slowly dislodges itself from my throat as I turn to find her peering over the end of the bed from the loft. She’s transfixed by the scene beyond the door.
“It’s magnificent,” she breathes.
I snort as she climbs down the ladder to stand at my side.
“I’ve never seen such beauty.”
“You’ve never seen snow?”How is that possible?
Shaking her head, she steps forward. “Can I touch it?”
“Only if you put some clothes on. I’d prefer not to have to gouge the guards’ eyes from their sockets.”
She cuts me a look. “That’s not funny.”
“It wasn’t meant to be,” I retort as she goes for her dress. “You do realize that the snow is not going anywhere formonths,right?” She doesn’t answer as I admire her new curves in the daylight. It’s not the snow that’s magnificent, but her. After almost two months of feeding her, she’s filled out in very interesting ways. Suddenly it occurs to me that we might have made a baby last night. She might already be carrying my child and a swell of awe and trepidation . . . and joy overcomes me.
Stomping into her final boot, she tries to pass right by me, but I catch her around the waist. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
She gives herself a once-over. “What?”
I haul her with me over to my pack and pull out the dagger I gave her.
“You got it back!” She beams at me as I tie its sheath around her waist.
“Yes, and this time you’ll use it if you need to.” I plant a kiss on her lips. “Don’t go far.”
“I won’t.”
I follow her out onto the porch and whistle for the guards. They materialize out of the trees and I indicate their a’deve, who’s currently crouched down, inspecting the snow like it contains the answer to life after death.
I take the bucket of half-frozen water that’s been left for us on the porch inside with me. Building the fire back up, I pour some water into the pot and hang it over the flames to heat. It’s all very domestic and surprisingly not at all tedious.
♦♦♦
My grandfather’s cabin is the only one that’s private. Any members of the deve’s entourage must bunk in one of the two larger, communal cabins that sit further down the lakeshore. It’s there that we find Yvette, her son Rionnon, and Kata. They made the journey this morning along with six more of my men, including Noé, to see us married.
