Page 48

HUNT

T he hunts kicked off with much more fanfare than he was used to. But he had a wife now, and so the extra fanfare made a slight amount of sense. His mother was also telegraphing to the surrounding nations that all was well, that they were stable and sound as ever.

That Emryn’s near kidnapping had done nothing to destabilize the sovereign nation of Rodilla.

And it hadn’t. Her assailant had been sent to the road crew after a very terse exchange with Myconia. They had denied knowing anything, had protested that they’d had no part of an attempt on Emryn, and had remanded her assailant to them to do as they pleased.

So they had. They had sent him to the road crew with the understanding that if he put so much as a fraction of a toe out of line, he would not live to see another sunrise.

It hadn’t been what Cas had wanted, but he hadn’t had a choice in the matter. If it had been up to him, he would have gone to burn Myconia.

But it was good that it hadn’t been up to him. No one wanted war, least of all war with a nation that had knelt to the Eternal Empire.

Because the Empire would respond to the threat and Rodilla would be crushed. So Cas put it away and focused on his wife and his duties.

His wife was a pleasure, his duties were numerous, and they were more than enough to keep him from thinking about Myconia.

For the most part.

Emryn was acting odd, having nightmares and pulling back from him without explaining why. The first hunt of the season was today and he hadn’t been able to find her.

He finally summoned a page and requested her presence. If she was hiding, the page would find her. And then she would come and find him.

“Cas?” She walked into the room a quarter of an hour later. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes but I don’t know what it is.” He went to take her in his arms. “Will you tell me what the problem is Emryn? Or did you think I didn’t notice you pulling away from me.”

“It could have been you, Cas.” She looked up at him with tears starting in her eyes. “You could have gotten hurt and I don’t want Asan trapped in it either. I’m-”

“You are not at fault, Emryn.” Cas said firmly. “You never were. All the fault in this belongs to Myconia, and I have my suspicions about the Empire as well.”

“But-”

“No, darling, no. My love, I will not allow you to wound yourself with this.” He kissed her forehead. “Come back to me and I will make sure you’re safe.”

“I missed you,” she whispered, cuddling down into his arms. “I don’t want you in danger, but I missed you.”

He lifted her from her feet and carried her through to their bedroom, laying her on the bed and coming to cuddle her. “We ride out with the hunt in a little while, but we can rest for just a minute.”

The hunt wasn’t actually a hunt. There were too many nobles, too much noise and the wildlife of the forest scattered in front of the panoply.

It was a chance for the nobility to look at the horses of the others, a chance to examine the stock and make breeding plans for the spring. It was also a pageant, a chance to show off their clothing and the preamble to the season, which meant matchmaking.

He’d dreaded the hunt before he’d wed. But now there was nothing more to fear. He had his Emryn and the matchmaking mamas could look elsewhere for husbands for their daughters.

It wouldn’t stop them all, but it would forbid the greater number from making fools of themselves.

Emryn rode by his side, with Brutus trotting along by her side and her guard in their wake. Usually he wouldn’t have brought them, but they were in the woods and there were too many avenues of approach.

It made him feel better to have more eyes for Emryn’s safety.

They were with the court the better part of the day, having luncheon at a massive tent that had been pitched in a clearing in the forest. It was in the same place every year and Cas and Emryn held court since they were the crown’s representatives today.

It was a smile and nod sort of day, and it would have been much less enjoyable without Emryn.

She was also smiling and nodding, but every once in a while, she would catch his eye and cross hers. It never failed to make him smile.

When they finally headed back to the palace, as the sun was setting its toe on the horizon, Cas was exhausted, but that tiredness was warring with his need to pin his wife to the wall of the stable and make love to her.

He waited in the stable until all of the other horses had been taken care of. Until Emryn emerged from Beauty’s stall with hay in her hair and a curry comb in one hand. She liked to care for her own horse after a ride and Cas had shown her how.

“Emryn, come with me,” he said, the words echoing in the empty stable. “I want to show you something.”

“Is the something-” She grinned at him. “Show me whatever you like, Cas.”

“Minx.” he grinned back, reaching for her hand and leading her into one of the tack rooms. There was a convenient saddle on a stand and he sat her on it while he burrowed under her skirts.

There was rather more hay in their hair when they were done and they were beyond late for supper with the court. But then, they had spent all day with the court and the last thing Cas wanted was more time with the ninnies.

He took Emryn by the hand, leading her back to the palace.

They sat in their sitting room over bowls of Cook’s favorite soup and talked. About everything and nothing and plans for the future.

It was a delightful evening, calm and sweet, and as Cas drifted off to sleep, he smiled. He had what he wanted out of life and if the Mother willed it, someday, he would have a child.