Page 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

T he aftermath of Genoa is difficult for Kai. We re-enter the castle to find his parents alert and appearing rather exhausted. Kai holds my hand and stops in front of them. With my connection with him through the orbs, I sense his flurry of emotions, from relief his parents are alive, to resolution on whatever decision he has made.

“Kaison,” his father begins.

But Kai holds up his hand. “I know the truth. Genoa told me everything, and King Temarilian confirmed it all.” He glances in the direction of the injured fairy.

Garrett has bandaged his arm, somehow having already retrieved a medicine kit.

“I fought my entire life to prove myself to you. To be what you wanted,” Kai continues. “No more. I will marry Elowyn, as my marriage to Genoa was not legally binding.”

“And she’s dead,” I mutter.

He rubs his thumb against the back of my hand. “And I’m taking the throne,” he says firmly.

King Willard’s mouth moves in a fluster of emotions, though no words come out for a moment. “Kaison, please think reasonably. I am still the king. You have been through a lot recently and—”

“This isn’t up for negotiation.” He turns to his mother. “I’ll allow you and Father to stay in the summer cottage. You’ll still have your needs met. I met your demands of marriage and you will resign the throne to me. Maybe someday in the future we can have more of a discussion, but not now.”

“I’m sorry,” his mother whispers. “We should have told you.”

He nods. “You should have.” He turns away and retreats to help take care of Tem.

I awkwardly follow, glancing at the king and queen, whose eyes are filled with tears. It’s their own fault they’ve pushed Kai away like this.

Over the next several days, doctors are called to tend to Tem, Kai works with his political men in the castle to get things in order for his coronation, and Garrett checks in with the soldiers.

A few days after the chaos begins to settle, Tem reveals Kai is actually legally a fairy prince too.

“What?” Kai asks, staring down at Tem, who is sitting in a rocking chair in the castle gardens.

Tem sighs. “Because of the arrangement between our worlds, you are legally a prince. The arrangement was for you to be our child, and to the fairy people you are the kidnapped fairy prince.”

Kai runs his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to be a prince of the fairy realm.”

Tem smiles. “I’m afraid it’s not really a role you can step out of any more than you could step out of your role as prince here.”

“I have enough to be concerned about in my own kingdom right now. How can I possibly step in and help run your kingdom?”

“You don’t have to,” I offer.

He looks sideways at me.

“When Tem heals, you can send him home and back to his throne.” I step up to Kai’s side and take his hand. “You can meet the people, but you don’t need to take on their responsibilities too.

“In the meantime, I can write decrees letting our people know they aren’t in danger.” Kai nods. “I’ll let the fairies know our borders are open again.”

After helping clean up the flooded throne room after all of Genoa’s ice melts, I return to my cottage just to check on things and properly wash up. I find Pancho has found his way home and is grazing merrily in the meadow near the barn, which brings me relief.

“Pancho!” I call to him.

He lifts his head and snorts. “You left.”

I run and hug him around the neck. “I’m so grateful you’re safe. Did you get hurt by the troll?” I step back to assess him for injury. Luckily, he has none.

“Phil wants to go home.”

“Phil?” I gasp. “Garrett’s horse!” Leaving Pancho behind, I hurry to the barn and open the stall door. “I completely forgot about you! I’m so sorry!”

“I had enough food,” the horse replies. “I am rather bored, though.”

“I was just going to wash up and return to the castle. You can go with me, if you’d like,” I offer.

“I would like that very much.”

I reach out and rub his velvet nose. “You can drink from the stream and munch on whatever weeds you wish. I’ll return as quickly as I can.”

When I do, the horse, whose name is Phil, invites me to ride on his back to the castle.

Days later, the hot air is so humid, my tunic sticks to me. I wore a dress yesterday and was so miserable I hoped pants and a tunic would be cooler today. It’s rather the opposite, and my fingers sting from pulling out so many weeds and transplanting bulbs and plants from my garden into pots. Every now and then my shoulder burns with movement, but the bite mark and black veins are almost completely gone.

Kai pulls his shirt off and tosses it over the fence, revealing the muscles of his finely toned body. “I can’t believe you’re having me pull weeds the day before our wedding.” He smiles playfully.

I’ve seen him without his shirt dozens of times. We’ve gone swimming, changed after being muddy, and warmed up under the blankets after a day in the snow. Of course, I’ve never been down to less than my chemise or nightgown.

Today, I see him differently.

He is a man, his arms flexing as he digs his fingers into the soil to lift out the halavase I’ve asked him to retrieve. The muscles of his back ripple under his sweat, and I cannot help but stare at every inch of his exposed torso. “You’re distracted,” he comments.

When I meet his gaze, he’s smiling proudly.

“You took your shirt off on purpose,” I say and settle the halavase into a small terracotta pot.

“Of course I did.” He chuckles.

“You should not be doing such things when I’m busy.”

“Do you find me irresistible?” I feel him crouch at my side, and his breath whispers down my neck and across my cheek.

“Distracting,” I correct.

He places his hand on my cheek and turns my face to him so he can plant his lips on mine. I don’t mind the roughness of his muddy hand when I have the tenderness of his lips against mine. “You like my distraction,” he says against my lips.

“I suppose so.” I smile and wink. “Get back to work. I’m not doing this all on my own.”

He laughs. “That should be your next enchantment. Getting rid of weeds!”

I nudge him with my shoulder just hard enough to make him tip pack on his ankles. “I thought this was your favorite pastime?”

“Spending time with you, always. This?” He shrugs. His gaze drifts and he stands. “Garrett is headed this way.” Kai tilts his chin down to point with his head, as his hands are occupied with clusters of weeds he has just gathered.

“What are you doing?” I call to Garrett as I stand, dusting my hands on my pants.

He is in less formal clothing than his uniform, though he still wears his cloak with the royal pin, and he rides on his beautiful horse, Phil. Garrett’s face is clean shaven, save his familiar mustache, though it is trimmed and in perfect shape.

He raises his hand in greeting. “I owe Acorn caterpillars,” he calls back.

I laugh. “He’s going to be thrilled! He’s been getting worms for two days.” I hold up a writhing worm in my hand. “Mother, will you bring Acorn out?”

My mother exits our cottage with Acorn in her hands. She still has her smile. Although her hair was shorn to her shoulders, it looks nice on her. She’s got more gray at her temples than I remember, but her brown and lavender eyes are still filled with the same bright light as always. “Good day, Captain Bath.”

Garrett shakes his head. “No formalities required, ma’am. Just Garrett.”

“And yet you call me ma’am like an old lady?” Mother responds.

We all smile.

Garrett rubs the back of his neck. “I’ve never called a woman by her name.”

“What do you think I am?” I ask.

His eyes widen. “That’s not what I meant! I meant...uh...”

Kai laughs and nudges Garrett with his elbow, his hands still covered in mud. “Garrett, they’re playing with you. Best stop before you offend either one, hm?”

He clears his throat. “Right. I see where Elowyn gets it, though.”

Kai twitches his brows. “Indeed. El, give me your weeds.” He crosses his arms so I can add my weeds into his arms. He then turns and walks to the pile of weeds that have been accumulating at the far end of the garden.

“Are you going somewhere?” I ask Garrett, pointing out the packs on his horse’s saddle. I reach up to pat Phil’s neck.

Garrett slips down and lands on the ground. “It turns out unlocking the fairy realm has allowed fairies and humans to cross back and forth.” He raises his brows, as that is something we had discussed some time ago. “Tem knows a fairy king with twelve daughters who seem to go missing each night. He’s asked for help uncovering where they are going and what they’re doing. Because Prince Kaison’s now royalty between the two realms, he has offered my assistance.”

“Twelve?” I raise my brows. “That’s good odds for you.”

He rolls his eyes. “I think Kai is trying to make it up to me, because I’m positive they can solve this terrible mystery on their own if they tried.”

“The king agreed to let you marry one if you can figure out what’s happening,” Kai adds as he rejoins us. “I fail to see how that could be anything but good for you.”

I can no longer hold back my laugh.

Garrett smiles but shakes his head. “I’m not that desperate.”

“Whiskers!” Acorn squeaks as he wakes.

I translate for Garrett, and the soldier leans down to rub Acorn’s nose. “I brought you the caterpillars I promised. It turns out the gardens of the castle have quite a bit more variety than I imagined.” He withdraws a jar from his pocket with five or so plump caterpillars, and all are a variety of colors.

“Ooh! I do like the monarch caterpillars. They’re sweet. Eww. Fuzzy ones?”

“I thought that would be fun for you,” Garrett replies after I again translate.

Acorn frowns. “Have you ever tried to eat something fuzzy?”

I tilt my head. “Considering he has one under his nose, I would say yes.”

“One what?” Garrett asks.

Acorn giggles and reaches his hands out. “Tell him thank you. Is he going to be gone long? Maybe next time he can take me to the castle so I can search the gardens myself.”

I smile as Garrett sets the jar of caterpillars in Mother’s hands beside the hedgehog. “Acorn would like you to take him through the castle gardens sometime when you get back.”

“I would like that.” He smiles. “Aren’t you going to be there though?”

I nod and smile at Kai. “That doesn’t mean Acorn won’t want your attention any less, though. I believe he feels a bit bored lately.”

Acorn scoffs. “I am fine not going on an adventure for a very long time. I’ll stay here with your mother to keep the garden clear of pests. Going with you might mean more unnecessary danger.”

I laugh and turn back to Garrett. I pull him into a hug. “I wish you all the best, Whiskers.”

He chuckles, the sound radiating in my head, and then steps back. He looks at Kai. “Good luck with this one. She’s going to keep you on your toes.”

Kai shakes Garrett’s hand and then slides his arm around my waist. “Good luck, Constable.”

Garrett waves his hand dismissively, turns, and mounts his horse.

“Wait! I want to give you something.” I hurry back into the cottage to retrieve the waterskin we brought back from the prison. I take it back outside and hold it up to him.

“What’s this?” he asks as he accepts it.

“A parting gift. I’ve been practicing my runes.” I point to the etching in the leather. “This is a waterskin that will never run dry.”

Garrett’s brows lift in an impressed look. “Wow. That’s valuable.”

“After the situation with the prison, I knew something like this would be important.”

“You made this for me before you knew I was leaving?”

I nod. “It doesn’t matter where you’re going, I know you’re always traveling.”

“Thanks. Thank you, Elowyn.” He slips the strap over his head, then waves one last time and begins down the path to the main road.

“Why did you really send him to find a bunch of princesses?” I ask Kai.

“One of them is bound to love him.” He grins.

“I’ve got tea and coffee and some lunch ready,” Mother says as she turns back to our cottage.

Kai turns with me. “When does Professor Alice come for your lessons?”

“Tomorrow.” I step into my cottage and can’t help but feel my heart swell.

Mother has a lovely spread across the counter with summer berries in a bowl, a pound cake, and sandwiches.

I wash my hands in the sink beside Kai, then take a small handful of blueberries and pop two in my mouth.

Everything is as it should be.

Mother is home, Acorn is sleeping in his burrow on the counter, and Kai is at my side teasing me about the state of my workbench. I’m not annoyed at all. For once, I find it terribly endearing. I nearly lost him. I nearly lost all of this. I will never take my ordinary day for granted again.

Unless it involves weeding.

The End

More adventures to come in the new series, Sisters of the Briar .