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As Melantha strolled off, Farrendel placed his hands behind his head, wiggling as if to get more comfortable on the moss. He’d lain down in one of the rare patches of sunlight that pierced through the leaves overhead.

With his shirt still wet and sticking to itself, his movement exposed a line of skin along his stomach.

Essie flexed her fingers, telling herself she shouldn’t poke him. Or tickle him. Farrendel trusted her because she didn’t push his boundaries past what he could handle. And tickling would be crossing a line, tempting as it was.

Farrendel raised an eyebrow at her. “You are thinking juvenile thoughts.”

She grinned, lowering her voice into an attempt at a husky tone. “How can you tell I’m not thinking romantic thoughts?”

He chuckled. “We have been married nearly a year. I can tell when you are thinking romance and when you are thinking teasing.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll save tickling and belly poking for a squishy little baby belly.” She tugged on his shirt, straightening it somewhat. “Removing temptation. Because apparently you can read me like an open book.”

He pushed onto an elbow and gently cupped her chin, tracing her mouth with his thumb. “It is all in your smile.”

A year ago, he’d told her that her smile was the reason he had agreed to marry her. Her smile had given him hope that life could be more than darkness and battle.

Essie rested her hand over his. “To think, a year ago, it took convincing just to get you to hold my hand. And when you let me lean on your shoulder for the first time, it felt like a great victory.”

“It was a great victory.” Farrendel leaned his forehead against hers, his hand sliding from her cheek to gently cradle the back of her head. “We have come a long way in a year.”

“Yes, we have.” Her voice came out breathy and soft. Now she was thinking romance and how nice it would be to kiss him once his family wasn’t looking.

Farrendel’s gaze snapped to the forest, his hand falling away from her.

Essie tensed, glancing at the forest around them. “What is it?”

He sat up, then rolled to his feet. “Someone just crossed my magical alert.” He paused, then the set to his jaw hardened as he reached for his swords. “Not an elf.”

Essie scrambled to her feet, gathering her blanket, her tin of soda crackers, and his pile of boots, belt, and stockings.

“You need to get inside.” Farrendel put a hand on her back and steered her toward the stairs to Lethorel. He dumped more magic into the heart bond, filling Essie’s chest with a crackle, even as a wall of blue magic blazed to life between them and the forest.

Melantha, Ryfon, and Brina were still at the shoreline, but they jumped to their feet at the sight of Farrendel’s shield.

While urging everyone inside, Farrendel tugged on his stockings and boots, then buckled his swords across his back. His hair and clothes were still wet, making him look ill-prepared for this battle.

The troll guards clustered around Melantha, but Captain Merrick and Iyrinder lingered next to Farrendel and Essie at the base of the stairs.

Iyrinder crossed his arms. “We are your guards, Laesornysh. We should stay at your back.”

“I am going to flood this entire forest with my magic. It will be too dangerous for anyone but Essie to get close to me.” Farrendel glanced from them to the forest, as if gauging how much time they had.

Essie also searched the forest. Was the assassin even now finding a perch in a tree and lining up his shot? Though, Farrendel’s shield around them would keep them safe.

Farrendel turned back to Iyrinder, though his grip on Essie’s hand tightened. “You will do me a greater service by guarding Essie.”

Iyrinder frowned but nodded. Captain Merrick sighed and tilted his head in an acknowledgment of the order.

Farrendel drew Essie closer. “Use my magic if you have to. Melantha can make sure it does not harm the baby. But you need to protect yourself.”

“I think, if you get a shield started, you can hand the magic off to me without problems. The magic is running through you in that case, rather than me. I’m just reaching out and keeping it going.” Essie wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as tight as she could. No matter how many times she did it, she hated this moment, that pause before a battle where she had to let him go, knowing he was walking into danger.

She lifted her head to tell him that she loved him, but he cupped her face and kissed her before she had a chance.

Just as well. She didn’t need to tell him, nor hear him say it in return. She knew his heart and felt it in their kiss.

Then Farrendel stepped back and turned away, facing the forest. Captain Merrick and Iyrinder hustled her up the stairs before Iyrinder used his magic to retract the stairs into the tree, making it difficult for anyone but an elf to scale Lethorel to reach them.