Page 125

“Uh, yes, please?” I whimper.

Sidney wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me to him. “You want that, Sweetness?” he growls, wrapping my hair in his fist. Sidney barely pulls, but my head drops back so he can ravage my lips. His usual scent of herbs wrap around me, and I relax into his arms.

“I love how relaxed you are,” Silla says, smiling, kissing my cheek. She has an adorable hat pulled over her ears, and it’s slouchy enough to fit over her bun.

Pulling away, I agree. “Something about things falling into place helps all of the unease I’ve felt. The guards are gone, and my heart just feels at peace.”

“Bloodthirsty little thing,” Sidney says, baring his teeth at me as he releases my hair.

“Pot calling the kettle black.” I grin. Continuing through the woods, I see they go really far back. The sky opens and snow begins to fall. Silla sticks her tongue out to catch a snowflake, her cheeks flushed and happy. We deserve happiness.

“Silla!” Grayson calls into the woods, and I glance at Silla’s wrist. Her tracker peeks out from under her coat.

“I think this property is large enough that he’ll always have to track you down,” I chuckle.

“I’m playing in the soon to be snow!” Silla calls out to him.

His footsteps are heard as he walks toward us, his legs eating up the space between us. “It’s going to come down later today, but we can make snowmen and have a very unregal snowball fight when everything is pretty and covered in white,” he says.

“I can’t remember the last time we had a snowball fight.” I sigh happily.

Grayson throws his arms around Silla and I, ensuring we start to walk back to the castle and out of the cold. Protective caveman, though sweet.

“There’s a lot of things we haven’t done in a long time,” he admits. “Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, but everything is tied up and done for now. Ayden is already planning a greenhouse, Sidney."

“Thank fuck,” Sidney says. “I don’t understand how a property this size doesn’t have one with so many people to feed. At the end of February I need to see what the state of the soil is like in the farmers’ fields to ensure we have decent crops. However, in the meantime, I want to work on getting community greenhouses built in each of the larger towns and cities. Those who help in the construction, planting, and harvesting will have food to eat. Obviously, we won’t need that much help, but I want the community to work together in this.”

Silla nods, thinking. “We can find a way to make this beneficial for the community, since there will be children or older members who aren’t able to help. I remember not everyone worked the crops at FRC, but you had more than enough help,” she reminds him.

“That’s true,” Sidney muses. “What about shifts of people, then? You’re right, I don’t want someone with a black thumb, either, who will kill my crops. I’ll have to think about it.”

We walk back through the grounds, workers stopping to incline their heads at their future queen. Silla just takes it in stride with a smile and a nod, though I can see the color is high in her cheeks. It may not all be because of the cold.

“You found her,” Kenzo murmurs. He’s wearing a pair of comfortable cargo pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

“I did.” Grayson smirks. “I’ll always find her.”

“Stalker,” I mutter, earning myself a gentle swat across the ass. Gasping, my eyes widen up at him, but he ignores me. My core tightens, and I bite my lip. I really didn’t think I’d like that. Huh.

New experiences will always happen with this group, I guess.

* * *

Grayson and Sidneyturned the movie theater into the perfect date night without batting an eye.

“How long have you been planning this?” Kenzo grunts, shaking his head. Giant pillows litter the floor, there’s a small popcorn machine, pizza, and candy on a table as well.

“We live in a castle,” he snorts. “I mentioned to Margot that I wanted to surprise Silla with a fun night in the movie room and offered my suggestions. She told me to go attend to my duties, and she’d attend to hers.”

“Man, that woman is crotchety but seriously efficient,” I say in awe.

“We’re not going to be bothered for the rest of the night. Also, the door locks, so if we fall asleep in here, it's not a big deal. Silla’s coronation is at noon, and then there’s a small party afterward with some of the dignitaries,” Grayson explains.

“More dreary parties.” Silla sighs.

“No, Kitten, I assure you it’ll be quite different,” Ayden corrects her. “Before, the parties you went to were horror shows or places you wanted to escape. Tomorrow celebrates the beginning of something new and exciting. A queen Forbach can be proud of.”

Silla blinks rapidly, and my brother smiles at her in sympathy as he picks her up into his arms, dropping back into the fluffy clouds of the pillow. Squealing, her tears turn into peals of laughter, which is exactly what he was going for.