Page 29

Leanna Avery

It’s been two months since we returned to the North.

I can feel my wolf now, but the shock of the temporary disconnect really shook me up. I never knew such a thing was even possible. It just goes to show how dangerous the enemy truly is.

I may have recovered, but there is a lingering weakness within me. Vivian’s claws had been laced with some kind of poison, which is probably what affected my wolf. The lingering traces of the poison on her claws was mixed with her blood when Cedric killed her, but without Maya and her research, there is no way of knowing what it was.

According to Healer Pat, it will take time to regain my full strength. But once I have, I don’t have any intention to just leave this matter be, even though Cedric has decided to limit how much information he shares with me about the Silver Ring Organization. I understand his reasoning, and I can’t blame him, but I’m still going to see what I can find out. My anger at Maya’s death is fueling me to do so, and I don’t have to be in the human world to start my investigation. The Eastern Kingdom was involved with that group, and that’s where I’ll start hunting. I’m trusting Erik, however, to keep looking into Maya’s disappearance.

It warms my heart that Finn has begun to enjoy his life here in the North. He grieved for Maya because he understood that she was gone and he would no longer see her. But his new life here was too exciting. As children normally do, he moved on. He still mentions her, though. Everyone has their own way of grieving. And when I see him run around so happily, I know that Maya would want me to step back and focus on Finn. But my heart aches, and her name is etched on a broken piece of it.

From the moment we returned, Cedric has been working nonstop to reduce the powers of the nobles. They protested, but the fall of the Asher household has shaken the families enough to make them remember their place. Derrick and Edgar have been given titles.

I know Cedric is busy making sure our home is safe for us, but I miss seeing him all the time. These past two months, I’ve stayed in the castle, barely venturing out, although I have called in artisans and reestablished relationships with the villagers. The castle was stripped bare in my absence, and I have to redecorate it. This time, I want it to be colorful and majestic.

I made arrangements with the witches who worked on Erik’s palace to keep the temperature consistent. They’ve been willing to help us if we pay them handsomely, and I haven’t kept their powers limited to the castle. The witches are also in charge of casting their magic on the farmers’ lands so that they can grow more crops.

I am resting, but I’m also working. It helps me forget the sharp grief that often lodges itself in my throat.

But as the two-month mark passes, I feel content. The castle’s staff and the commoners who live in the villages have all been thrilled to have me back. It makes me realize that I didn’t see how much they cared about me before. Having a child playing in the castle has given a new life to the place, and the staff is having the time of their lives spoiling Finn.

I lean on the balcony railing, looking out. Finn is running around with two children from the village. I have stressed to Cedric that I want my son to have playmates. Two of the artisans who are working on the tapestries have children Finn’s age, and they bring them to the castle. My son has been getting along with them tremendously. The three kids have been wreaking havoc.

A pair of arms wraps around my waist, and Cedric presses against me from behind. “You look happy.”

“I am happy.” I tilt my head back and smile at him. “This feels like home. Our son is playing outside. I’m busy looking after our kingdom. I get to see my family every day. That’s a blessing.”

Cedric kisses my forehead and looks out at the distance, holding me. “Healer Pat told me that you are recovering quite well. Do you want to go for a run in a few days? Just you and me?”

I laugh. “Finn’s going to chew your head off.”

“I’m sure he’ll be too busy with his friends.” He kisses the side of my neck. “Come to bed.”

My lips curve. “Is it just me or have you been saying that a lot more often lately?”

My mate picks me up in his arms and carries me inside to our large bed. Lowering me to it, he grins. “The full moon will be in a few days. I intend to give our son plenty of siblings so that he stays out of our hair.”

Laughter bubbles out of me. “How many are you talking?”

“Five, ten.” Cedric grabs me by my nape and pulls me toward him, his kiss fierce and hungry. “Is a number that important?”

I moan at the contact, and I feel him make quick work of my clothing. His hands toy with my nipples, his mouth marking my skin as he goes lower and lower till my legs are open for him to feast upon me. I cry out as he licks and slurps, fucking me with his tongue, drinking my juices like a starving man. His cock soon lines with my entrance, and when he pierces me, I groan his name. He moves slowly today, a punishing pace, leaving me a writhing mess on the bed. His hands drive me wild as he fucks me with long and hard strokes.

When I shatter, he finally loses control.

The evening blends into night as we explore each other’s bodies like two newlyweds. When my stomach rumbles, he reluctantly lets me go.

I take a bath while he orders food to be sent to our room. When I come out of the bathroom, rubbing my hair with a towel, he has also washed up and is waiting for me.

“That’s a lot of food.” I sit down beside him, looking at the covered dishes.

“Get used to it.” He looks amused. “Once the full moon hits, we will be eating a lot because we’ll be burning a lot of energy.”

“I’m not having ten children, Cedric,” I tell him, my eyes narrowed. “At the most, I’ll do five.”

“I’ll take however many you want to give me.” He leans over to kiss me. “Seeing you back home makes me feel like everything that happened before was just a nightmare.”

I study him, my eyes soft. “That’s what it feels like to me as well. I’m glad you came to the human world and found me.”

Cedric piles up my plate with food and sets it before me. “I heard you’re planning to start making some changes.”

I smile at him. “I want to start at our castle. Let the staff see the changes. Once they understand them, word will spread. Slowly but steadily, I’ll expand to the villages and the towns. I want to open a few schools and teach different things. I know it’s going to take time, but I have a lot of that.”

Cedric is quiet as he listens to me. Then he says, “The Silver Ring Organization isn’t going to stay quiet for long. They’re going to strike again.”

I nod grimly. “I know. We’ll be prepared this time.”

“Vivian’s father sold my mother and father to them. My parents weren’t kidnapped on the road; their food was spiked, and they were taken from the palace. I managed to get a little bit of information from Vivian’s uncle before he killed himself. I think we have enough to start hunting the organization down. We now have open access to the Eastern Kingdom. Rothan is going to act as the delegate there.”

I give him a serious look. “I have to avenge Maya’s death. She did not deserve to die. If you and Cassian ever cross paths, I want you to take his head.”

Cedric smiles viciously. “You have my word.”

We eat in silence, and then I lean against my mate on the couch. “I know we’re going to have our ups and downs, Cedric, and we’re probably going to disagree about some things, but I’m glad we’re together.”

When he looks down at me, I see the love in his eyes. “I am yours, remember? You told me so.”

I grip his cheeks and climb into his lap. “Yes, I did.”

As I push him back into the cushions, the sounds of our bodies moving together fill the room, and my heart is overflowing with a happiness I never dreamed I would experience.

I didn’t think I would ever have to set foot in the Eastern Kingdom again, but I want to look into the matter of Cedric’s parents’ deaths. So, half a year later, we finally make the trip. The changes within the kingdom are huge. With Rothan as the delegate and the young king, who is named Alexander and is the only remaining royal, there is a somber aura to the environment.

The townspeople—who had once prided themselves on being better than the brutes of the North—are now our subjects, in a way. Trade between the two kingdoms has opened, and Rothan is ruling with an iron fist.

Not to say that he is being unfair to either kingdom, but now that the noble families who were involved with the Silver Ring Organization have been wiped out, there are only two noble families remaining. Rothan has recruited people from the North to be stationed within each town and village to make sure no unscrupulous actions are being carried out. After all, he’s protecting this kingdom for when Alexander can finally take charge.

Speaking of the young king, he cannot be more than five years of age, and ever since he and Finn met, Alexander has been following my son around, besotted. Finn is being oddly tolerant, and during this three-week visit, he and the boy have become inseparable.

“I almost feel that it is unfair for us to leave this child here,” I murmur when two days are left before our visit ends.

Cedric is playing with my hair while I lie on my back against him, between his legs. He snorts. “We are not adopting him.”

“I’m not saying we have to adopt him,” I argue. “But he lost his mother and all his relatives. He’s so isolated. What if he comes to visit us every couple of months? It will be good for him, and he’ll be able to build bonds with our kingdom, as well. Plus, it would be great for the future if he and Finn can become close friends.”

My mate is silent, his fingers still toying with my hair. “I’ll think about it.”

I pat his knee. “Great. I’ll tell Rothan to make arrangements. We’ll have Alexander visit us in two months.”

Cedric touches my belly, annoyed. “How are you going to look after Finn and the young king when you’re eight months pregnant? That kid barely leaves you alone now.”

My heart tightens as I look toward the two young boys crouched by the stream with sticks in their hands, trying to catch fish. Cedric is right. Young Alexander has also gravitated toward me in my three weeks here. He must miss his mother.

I know it’s probably the hormones, but my eyes get teary as I look at the small child. “It was necessary to wipe out his family. I understand that. But I feel so sorry for him. I don’t want him to have to live without a mother.”

Cedric’s voice is tense. “His mother was deeply involved in the organization. And I didn’t kill her, Leanna. She took her own life. And she would’ve taken her son’s, too, if Rothan hadn’t stopped her.”

“I know.” I wipe my eyes and hear him growl in frustration.

“Fine! He can come live with us. But he has to spend four months per year in his own kingdom so Rothan can teach him! It’s important that he learn his own culture. After all, this is going to be his kingdom.”

I lean back against Cedric and give him a bright smile. “Thank you.”

He mutters under his breath but accepts my kiss, turning it into something deeper and unrestrained.

“Ew!”

Finn’s words are echoed by his new friend, who wants to copy everything he does. “Ew!”

Both of them are looking our way, and Cedric snaps, “Go back to the palace!”

My son looks down at Alexander and says gravely, “Adults do this all the time. It’s gross.”

“Gross!” Alexander exclaims proudly.

“Come on,” Finn sighs. “Let’s go get something to eat. Derrick! We want to go back to the palace! Mom and Dad are being gross again!”

Shouting, he hurries down the field to where Derrick is waiting for us.

My face is red. “You have to teach him to stop saying that!”

Cedric shrugs. “Why? When he does, nobody bothers us.”

“Because they think we’re having sex!” I hiss, smacking him in the chest.

“And?” He gives me a confused look. “They know when we’re doing it anyway. You’re quite loud.”

Mortified, I push away from him. “I am not!”

He pulls me back easily. “I like that you’re loud.”

“Cedric!”

“Why do you care?” He kisses me. “You’re the queen. Be as loud as you want. Let the whole kingdom hear. They should know that you are beloved by the king.”

I sigh into his kisses. “We’ll discuss this later. But talk to your son.”

“Alright.” His lips are on my neck. “Tell me, why did you want to come sit out here today?”

His arms are wrapped around my waist, and I smile softly. “I used to come here to escape it all. Mostly at night. This was always an abandoned field. No crops grow here, just wildflowers. When the world was too much for me, I’d come out here and just sit. It was my secret place. I wanted to share it with you.”

“You just sat here?” Cedric murmurs. “Doing what?”

“Thinking, wishing,” I answer quietly, recalling the days when my heart was so wounded that it felt like it would burst. “I wished for freedom, for someone to come and take me away from all of it.”

“You got your freedom in the human world,” Cedric says quietly. “Do you miss it?”

I ponder his question before shaking my head. “No. That was a different kind of freedom. I enjoyed it, sure, but I would miss you terribly if I went back now. Love is also a kind of freedom.” I look over my shoulder at him. “I don’t miss my life in the human world, if you are worried about that. I’m happy.”

His arms tighten around me, and he doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to.

In these months back on this side of the Veil, I have begun to understand this man. Cedric doesn’t want to lose me again. And I don’t want to lose him again, either.

I have my mate. I have my son.

I have my family, and I intend to cherish them.