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“Is it me, or is he growing more agitated?” I asked.
Illeron chuckled. “It isn’t you. Word is he has a new assistant who is turning his life upside down. The experience makes him a bear to deal with.”
“Not that he was pleasant to start,” Casimir remarked as he appeared at my other elbow. “Volunteering for escort duty.”
“Where is Durvin?” I asked. There were still things that needed attending to.
“Never you mind.” Illeron handed me over to Casimir. “See that he goes to bed and sleeps.” To me, he said, “Durvin and I will take care of everything essential. The rest I will leave for the two of you to figure out later. Now sleep.” Then my spymaster strode away.
Casimir pulled me into the shadow world and through into my bedroom. I barely had the presence of mind to tuck away Kate’s medicine for the morrow before falling into bed next to her and succumbing to the sleep of the exhausted.
~~~~~
Kate
I woke to the soft snores of my husband rasping in my ear and the warm length of him tucked around me. His arm around my waist bound me close to him so that I couldn’t wiggle out. And when I tried, his hold tightened.
“Emrys,” I protested, pushing at his arm.
“Hmm…” The sleep-roughened response came as he nuzzled my ear.
“You are squeezing too hard.”
“I don’t want to lose you, love.” He loosened his hold but didn’t release me.
“I am not going anywhere.”
He settled against my back again. “Why did you do it?”
“What?”
He rose up on his elbow and rolled me so that I lay on my back. His eyes, bluer than silver in the pale sunlight creeping through the drawn curtains, studied my features. “Why did you do it?”
“Make the bargain?” I reached up and traced the curve of his dark eyebrow before caressing the elegant line of his cheek.
“Yes. If you only waited, the elves would’ve made it through the barrier. They only needed time.”
My fingers strayed to his jaw. I blinked away the sudden sting of tears. “I couldn’t let you die. Your people need you. You do so much good. Besides, I need you!”
He caught my hand in his, pressing a kiss to the palm as he held my gaze. “And I need you. No trading lives. You are precious. Without you, I would walk through life as half of who I am now. Don’t trade places with me again. I am not sure I could survive losing you.”
“I love you too,” I whispered.
He laughed softly, his eyes flaring silver in his dark features and his mouth quirking adorably. “Yes, I love you—” He kissed my nose. “—Adore you—” His lips brushed my forehead. “—and need you.” His mouth pressed mine far too briefly before he drew back and regarded me pleadingly. “Please don’t leave me.”
Instead of responding with words, I pulled his head down and showed him in actions that I had no desire to leave him ever.
Epilogue
Kate
Summer faded into fall, and then winter came roaring in like a madman. The first storm raged for days, blasting the gardens with wind and whipping snow about, only to leave suddenly in a huff. The result was two feet of white coating everything in sight, and a household eager for a chance to explore the changed landscape.
My ladies and I descended into the gardens immediately after breakfast, excited for a change of environment. I missed snow and wandering in the stillness it produced.
Not that I found much quiet. Sable, now a great black hound whose head came to my ribs.bounded down the stairs onto the garden path. At the sight of the fluffy stuff on the ground, she snuffed at it inquiringly before losing her mind to puppyish antics like rushing about full speed and diving into snowdrifts. Abandoning us to fend for ourselves, she dashed off, forging through the drifts and hurling herself at bushes, tails wagging.
Sensing my need for space, Lady Channing herded the younger ladies in the direction of the hedge maze ahead of me. No matter the weather, we kept to the same morning routine. A walk through the maze, a visit to the topiary and statues, and finally a pause in the stables.
