Page 14 of Fae Tithe (The Cursed Courts #1)

E arly morning light filtered through the gauzy homemade curtains.

The gentle rays and the faint squeeze of discomfort at her bladder fluttered Helena’s eyes open.

She gave a quiet groan, not wanting to remove herself from the warmth of Lance wrapped around her.

His arms caged her, and in moments like this, she was happily his prisoner.

Her bladder squeezed again, and Helena began to extract herself from his heavy limbs.

“Clinger,” she murmured fondly once she finally escaped. She turned to the chest of drawers by the bed and then felt his hand encircle her wrist.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Lance mumbled, eyes still closed and face halfway under a pillow.

“I need to use the outhouse. I will be back soon. Go back to sleep,” she giggled, a soft expression on her face.

“…Alright,” he grumbled, letting go of her arm and rolling over.

Helena retrieved one of his long vests from the top drawer. She slipped it over her head and tugged on some underwear. She looked wistfully back at Lance. His long body took up most of the bed, his feet dangling off the edge.

With a sigh, Helena made her way outside. The morning air was cool, giving her goosebumps, and her eyes blinked in the bright sunshine. She strode across the grounds and entered the outhouse to relieve herself.

Concluding her business, she picked her way back across the garden. I’m so happy he is home, and for so long this time! She felt giddy as she entered the villa.

Helena made her way back to their bedroom.

She closed the door behind her and tiptoed back to the bed, assuming Lance was still asleep.

She was wrong. The Merman’s arm shot out from the blankets and pulled her onto the mattress.

Helena laughed brightly as Lance rolled her playfully between his solid chest and the wall.

“I missed you.” He gave a warm smile and ran his eyes over her face.

“I will never get tired of looking at your features,” Lance confessed.

“I could stare at you for a thousand mornings, and never grow sick of the sight. I plan on committing your face to memory by touch, and that is how I will know you when I am old and I can no longer see,” he declared, running the back of his fingers down the side of her face.

Tears prickled at Helena’s eyes, overwhelmed at the depth of his feelings and of her own, even after their years together. She was not good with words, yet her Merman spoke of their love so effortlessly, without hesitation.

“I don’t have words like yours, Lance.” Her hands pressed to his chest and gripped lightly.

“But you know I love you.” She smiled softly.

“It’s funny, you talking about my face. I only began to like my features when I saw them on my daughter.

I only began to love them when I saw them reflected in your eyes. ”

She traced her fingertips gently across his brow and placed a soft kiss to his lips.

Lance swept his hand down her waist, stirring her excitement, her toes curling into the trussed sheets.

Helena was about to pounce on him again, ready and full of desire, when they were interrupted by a loud protest from the Merman’s stomach.

Helena raised an eyebrow. “Hungry?” she asked.

“Is it that obvious?” Lance chuckled.

“Well, I can’t have you wasting away the moment you come home. Let’s get you some breakfast.”

Helena pushed on her spectacles, waiting as Lance pulled on a pair of loose cotton shorts, and they made their way to the kitchen together.

She leant forward and lit the wood-burning stove.

She felt Lance’s eyes boring into her back from where he sat, the chair creaking as he lowered his weight onto it.

He had finally acquiesced to sit after she had declined his repeated offers to help.

She brewed her herbs on the stove top. They were purchased from an apothecary in the village, a special blend designed to prevent her from getting pregnant.

Helena felt, as always, a small pang of regret in her stomach as she prepared them.

Not only because of the bitter taste, but also because she wanted a child with Lance.

One day, anyway. It was something they had discussed at length at different points in their relationship over the years.

The main reason to delay was that Eleanor was so close to finishing school.

Helena knew she could not travel that distance back and forth to Portson with a newborn in tow multiple times a year.

There was also no way she would leave her own tiny baby for an entire day, nor let Eleanor travel by herself.

No, they would have to wait until her daughter had graduated and was set up in her own employment.

Helena poured the contraceptive brew from the saucepan into the terracotta mug on the wooden counter.

She turned to Lance, who was watching her intently, eyes shining with an emotion that she felt herself.

Helena knew that he desperately wanted a child with her, but it simply was not the right time.

She sipped from the mug, her face grimacing at the disgusting taste and the bitter sweetness of the situation.

Lance gave her sad smile as she downed the contraceptive tea.

She plucked her lips upwards weakly in response.

Helena turned back to the kitchen bench, placing her mug down gently.

She pottered around the kitchen, pulling out food, plates, and mugs.

Helena placed a small platter for them to share on the table, pushing her account book aside to make room.

It was laden with cheese, bread, olives, and fig paste. She placed a dish of butter next to it.

Helena then plopped two mugs of steaming black coffee onto the table, made with freshly boiled water, before seating herself next to Lance. The Merman hungrily began tucking into the platter. Helena smiled as she sipped, watching him sample the cheese first. She knew it was his favourite.

“Tides-damn! I just realised, is El is already at school?” he asked after his third helping of bread and butter.

“You only just noticed?” Helena replied, chuckling into her mug.

“Well, yes, I was a little distracted,” he admitted as he eyed his vest wrapped around Helena’s torso. It dipped low, revealing her impressive cleavage. “I am sorry I missed her though.”

“Don’t be too sorry.” A devious grin spread across her face. “We will be going to Portson soon for the Spring Equinox Festival. We can visit her when we go.”

“Judging by the look on your face, I am guessing that the trip is not just for pleasure, is it?” Lance chuckled, then took a sip of his coffee.

“I am going to put you to work,” Helena admitted with a shrug. “We need to harvest some pearls to sell at the festival market. It is wedding season come early summer. We can make a lot of money selling them there.”

“I am at your service, as always,” Lance said, winking before draining his mug.

The Merman’s chair scraped across the terracotta tiles of the kitchen floor as he stood, clearing the table from breakfast, stacking plates onto his large hand.

His sensitive hearing caught the distinct footfalls of small, booted feet and the squeak of the garden gate.

Lance felt a surge of joy, his face breaking into a grin. He had missed Rose’s boys.

“I will be back in a moment,” he promised, pressing a hasty kiss to Helena’s head. “Rose and the boys are back.” The Merman pointed to the dishes he had stacked next to the sink. “Don’t do those without me.”

Helena huffed and ignored him, dropping the crockery in the sink she had filled with well water “Go,” she shooed playfully, “they have missed you too.”

Lance nodded his head, excitement bubbling over as he made his way out of the door leading into the villa’s gardens.

His eyes caught the image of two blonde-haired boys barrelling ahead of their red-headed mother.

Rose gave him a cheerful wave, Biscuit trotting by her side.

The Merman returned the gesture with enthusiasm.

“Uncle Lance!” the boys shouted together, picking up their sprint. Max collided with one of the Merman’s legs and then Zac with the other. “We missed you,” one of them mumbled, though he could not tell which.

“I missed you too, boys,” he replied, voice thick. He stooped awkwardly as they stuck to him and crushed them back in an all-encompassing hug, relief and joy washing over him.