AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jasper stood at my side, glowering as Lady Merriweather fussed over his new uniform. "Oh, you're so handsome," she cooed. "You're going to grow up into a proper young heartbreaker. And look at how nicely your beard is growing in!"
He swatted her hand away from his face impatiently. Most fae males didn't grow facial hair, so it was a bit of a badge of honor if a young man could boast that he was able to grow a full beard. Jasper was trying his hardest, but the poor boy's facial hair was nearly non-existent. He hissed at the steward of Zora exactly like the pained teenager he was. "Leave off, woman! I'm working."
She clucked her tongue at him, but didn’t call him out for his lack of respect. Clearly Jasper was as comfortable with Fife’s mother as my mates were, thanks to all his time spent trailing after Bach. "Now?” she insisted. “But tonight is for celebration! Surely you can loosen up for a moment, my dear. I doubt any of your employers expect you to stand guard all evening."
He glared and lifted his chin, a stubborn set to his jaw. "Leave off. It's embarrassing."
"Oh, fine! Be a stick in the mud." As she turned away from him, I caught her grin and the twinkle in her eyes. She was annoying him on purpose. Clearly, she had adopted Bach's boy into her family the same way she did everyone in her son's circle of friends. "Oh! Fife, there's fiddlers. Come dance a jig with me!"
I laughed as she dragged her son off into the throng of dancers who filled the green space in the square. Fife might look put out. But the moment they joined the dancing, his laughter joined his mother's, their smiles mirror images of one another as they twirled and leapt with more grace than any fae should possess, drawing the attention of every nearby reveler. Bach's mother placed her hand on her son's arm and glanced at me. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to steal my son for a bit." She gave him a sedate smile. "Come, show me the food stands I'll like most, Bach dear."
I waved them away with a smile. "Of course. Enjoy yourself!"
Jasper shifted from foot to foot as they moved away, and I caught his eyes drifting toward the shrine. "Go on," I said, suppressing a grin. "Bird was right, you can step away from your training for an evening and enjoy yourself." I winked at him. "And this year's lad is quite handsome." Jasper’s face nearly matched his bright red hair as he nodded curtly and made his escape. But I suspected he'd make his way over to offer the lad a kiss before the night was over, despite his embarrassment.
I turned to Mirri and Adder. "What shall we do first?" I asked them happily. "Spirit tasting? Food stalls? We could join the dancing or go hunting for treasures among the vendor stalls?"
Adder arched a silver brow and looked at Mirri. Mirri's wings fluttered as he considered the options. But I already knew what he would choose. My sweet mate had an even sweeter sweet tooth. And he loved food nearly as much as I did myself. "Food?” he suggested, just as I’d known he would. “Then spirits to wash it all down?"
I nodded and looped my arm through his, Adder falling in behind us as we made our way through the crowds. People stopped us to chat or to wish us well, but most had already been here for some time, and were too tipsy or too caught up in the festivities to demand our attention. The food stalls were, as usual, utterly perfect. We bought bread and roasted yams, and shared a giant roasted cassowary leg. Then we sampled pastries, ice cream, and all manner of sweets. By the time we moved on to the spirits, I practically waddled when I walked. But I didn't regret a single bite.
I scanned the area for Bach and his mother as we moved about, hoping to join up with them and see what Lady Agate thought of our local culinary genius. But they were nowhere to be seen among the milling, laughing crowds.
I chose a light, sparkling spirit that my full stomach wouldn't object to, and sipped at it as we wandered the town square. Mirri held my hand, and when I finished my drink, Adder took the other hand in a surprisingly sweet gesture, for him. I was so content I thought I must be glowing. This was what I loved most about being a steward. The pure wonder and joy of being surrounded by happy, thriving people and knowing that I had helped add to their joy in some small way. And now that I had my mates to share it with, my life was absolutely perfect.
We came around full circle to the grassy square again, and paused at the edge, under the spreading branches of a tree that flowered all year long. Turning to Mirri, I stole a soft, sweet kiss. Then I turned to Adder and went up on tiptoes for a slightly sharper, but no less wonderful, kiss from him as well.
Adder's hand cupped my cheek as we parted, and Mirri's warm hand came to rest on my low back. "You look happy," Adder observed, his dark blue eyes sweeping over my face.
I nodded. "I am," I told him with a smile. "Incandescently happy. I'm just so glad I get to share this with all of you."
Mirri's hand rubbed warm circles on my back. "The feeling is mutual," he assured me. "Even if Adder doesn't always show it."
Adder rolled his eyes at the teasing note in Mirri's voice. "Adder can speak for himself," he bit out. But his scowl was ruined by the amused smile that slipped through. "I'm pleased that you're pleased, my lady."
I huffed a laugh. Adder didn't let people into his inner circle very often. But I knew I was one of the honored few, even if he didn't say it out loud. The affection that softened his eyes when he bent to kiss me again, more gently this time, spoke louder than words.
"Ah! See!" Fife's beautiful voice was full of vibrant energy as he and his mother joined us. He left her side to deftly maneuver himself in between Adder and me. "You monopolized all of my time, and now I'm all but forgotten,” he complained to his laughing mother. “He stole a kiss from me that left me breathless, then turned and went up on his tiptoes to kiss Adder as well.
Fife’s mother just smiled and shook her head at her son's antics. "You're worse than your father was, I swear," she teased. "Never content until you're the center of attention." Her green eyes lit on Mirri for a moment, and she smiled indulgently before addressing her son again. "Just make sure you let others take center stage now and then, hmm?"
Mirri gave her a bemused look, and Fife narrowed his eyes at his parent in sudden suspicion. But neither of them had a chance to ask her what she was up to, because Bach and his mother had rejoined us, and they had two male fae in tow.
Bach's mother had her arm linked through the arm of a tall, broad male who had the same fin-like ears and piercing blue eyes as Bach. Bach grinned at me and held out a hand to draw me forward. "Kat, this is my father, Lord Laiken Seaward. Dad, my mate and steward of Larkwood, Lady Katrina."
Bach's father smiled warmly and gave me a polite bow. "My lady. Thank you for allowing me to attend such a wonderful event. And for tolerating my stubborn son as a mate. I'm sorry I was delayed."
I liked him instantly. He was like a more mellow version of Bach, and he certainly understood his son well. Bach shook his head at his father's words, but didn't give us long to chat. "Speaking of that delay," he said with a meaningful lift of his brow. "It seems my mother and her scheming friend sent my father on an errand." He spared a pained look for Mirri that I didn't understand.
Bach's mother smiled indulgently, stepping aside as Fife's mom stepped forward and grabbed the arm of the fae male who shyly hung back from our group. As lady Merriweather pulled the man for fully into the light of the lanterns, my eyes widened.
The male had a kind face. A few faint lines around his eyes and the small smile lines bracketing his mouth hinted that though he looked young, he was likely quite mature for a fae. A set of familiar mismatched antlers poked out from the wild tumble of auburn hair atop his head. His soft honey-gold eyes were riveted on Mirri for a moment before he glanced around at the rest of us with a hesitant smile.
There was no mistaking who this male was, even before Fife's mother spoke. She bounced on her toes as she hugged the male's arm to her side. I thought maybe she was keeping a firm hold on him in case he decided to run. The poor man looked quite nervous. "I heard the Woodspurs paid you a visit some time back, Mirri, darling," Bird said merrily, the note of mischief clear in her high, sweet voice. "You know I’ve been doing my best to gather up enough evidence to levy formal charges of misconduct against them.”
She paused to glance my way. “Evidence which I’ve obtained, by the way. I’ve sent it all on to the king and queen, but you and I should compare notes sometimes, Kat, dear, just to make sure the charges stick.” Then she turned a narrow-eyed glare on Fife. “I have only recently learned just what kind of threats they were making to try to get Mirri to comply. Believe me, if I’d have known about the threats against my boys, I would have acted more ruthlessly, evidence and my position bedamned!”
She took a calming breath and waved that all away, reminding me of a bird smoothing ruffled feathers. Then she turned back to smile at the man she had dragged forward into our circle. “While I was digging around, I managed to find some other very interesting information. And I thought now might be a good time to give our sweet Mirri a bonding gift."
