Page 9 of Mountains of Mist and Magic (A World of Sun and Shadow #4)

P hillippe's heart raced as he spotted his brother coming up the hill; Starlia was carrying Renya, and Grayden was on Lightning. He bounded down the courtyard, just as the pair entered the gates.

“Grayden!” He stomped over to his brother as Grayden dismounted. “I'm so glad you're back!”

Grayden rolled his shoulders and clapped Phillippe on the back, before heading over to Renya and helping her down from Starlia.

Phillippe bowed his head respectfully. “Renya, it's so good to have you home.”

Renya crossed over to him and embraced him. “It's good to be back! I missed my brother!”

Phillippe smiled, glad to see that Renya was fitting in so nicely with their family. He sensed that she had been lonely prior to coming back to their world, and he hoped that she found what she was looking for within their family.

“I take it you've finally gotten her out of your system, Brother? Perhaps now you can focus on other things.” Phillippe winked exaggeratedly.

Grayden playfully shoved him. “She'll never be out of my system.”

A rosy hue crept up Renya's cheeks, but she quickly composed herself. “How about Esmeralda? Is she out of your system?”

“Touché, Sister.”

“Renya!”

Renya's aunt ambled into the courtyard, ignoring both brothers and making a beeline towards her niece. She snatched Renya up in a tight embrace. “I have never been so glad to see you!” The women started chattering, and Grayden took that moment to pull Phillippe aside.

“I need to talk to you.”

Phillippe watched Agatha and Renya walk into the lodge. “Right down to business, huh?”

Grayden scowled, his jaw clenching slightly. Phillippe raised an eyebrow, taken aback by his brother's demeanor. Even after spending so much uninterrupted time with Renya, it seemed his brother was still a grouch. Or perhaps he was just sad to be back.

“Okay, okay. Let's head to my office—your office.”

The pair were silent as they approached Grayden's study. Phillippe watched as Grayden pushed open the door, and then went straight to the bookshelf. He pulled out a bottle of fireale that was hidden behind a book.

“Seriously? You had that in here and never thought to tell me?”

Grayden shrugged as he pulled out two glasses from his desk. “If you'd bothered to read, or even just pick up one of the books, you would have found it.”

Phillippe made a sour expression and grabbed a glass as soon as Grayden poured the amber liquid.

“So, is this the kind of conversation we need to be seated for?”

Grayden didn't answer as he sat down in his chair behind the desk.

“I see.” Phillippe sat opposite the desk. “What is it?”

“Renya's...with child.”

Phillippe's eyes widened, his jaw going slack. “How—so soon? That's—amazing.”

Grayden took a long swig of his fireale. “Even sooner than you think. She wagers that she's about three months gone. She's been pregnant since before Cressida took her.”

Phillippe smirked. “Well, good work, then. But why the bad mood?”

Grayden let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping. “I'm happy, of course. But anxious, rightfully so. Births in our lifetime have been so few, and so dangerous for both mother and child. Plus...Renya wants to go to the Sun Realm.”

“What?”

Grayden rubbed his chin. “Her father is growing weaker, and he's asked that she come to the Sun Realm and take her rightful place as ruler.”

Phillippe leaned back in his chair, his mind reeling. He hadn't really thought much about it, but he assumed Renya would live here and everything would go back to the way it was.

“But...what about you?”

Another deep sigh from Grayden. “My priorities are now split. I have a duty to this land, and to my inheritance. But I also have a responsibility to my mate and our child. This child will be born of dark and light, snow and sun. I can't help but think that he or she is...important to this world. Not just to us, but to the entire fae population.”

“That's—a lot to take in.”

“Hence my moodiness. Renya chose to tell me about her intentions on our way back from the Tidal Kingdom. I think she had hoped my mood would be in a better place.”

“I'm sorry you're dealing with this.”

Grayden didn't say anything for several seconds, tracing the rim of his glass with a finger.

“So...I've come to ask you—”

“No, Grayden. Please. I can't—I've filled in for you the best I could, but I'm dying in here.” Phillippe picked up a stack of papers and then tossed them back on the desk. “This isn't me; I can't do this forever—”

“Brother, I don't know what else to do. If I don't find a solution, I'll have to live separately from my mate. From my Renya. I'll be a stranger to my own child.”

Phillippe bit his lip.

He could understand his brother's situation and saw the awful predicament both he and Renya were in. But him? Rule the Snow Lands? It wasn't what he wanted for himself, not a responsibility he had ever hoped to take on. He had always assumed that Grayden would be there, handling things. It was the way it was supposed to be.

“Please, Phillippe. I wouldn't ask, but—I can't live without her. I can't not be around my own child. I can't live days away from my mate, only see her part of the time. I think—I think it would kill me.”

Phillippe looked at his younger brother, Grayden’s eyes slightly misted. It wasn't what Phillippe wanted, in fact, there was hardly anything he would detest as much. But his brother had borne far more than his fair share of the burdens of their lands, while Phillippe was off in the mountains. He couldn't deny him this.

“Yes. I'll do it.”

Grayden's face morphed into shock and then his eyes watered again, obviously touched at Phillippe's acceptance and sacrifice.

“But Grayden, what about magic? I'm not fit to be a ruler under any of the laws of our kingdom and lands.”

Grayden frowned. “I've thought about that. I'm going to get together with the leaders and rulers of our world and see if they will accept you. Explain our situation. If they accept you, everyone else will have to. Plus, Renya and I are hoping that progress has been made in finding clues on how to restore the magic.”

“Your first idea sounds better. Tumwalt and Almory just found more useless rhymes. They have Renya's aunt helping them right now, but she has hinted that she'll be leaving soon.”

“She's leaving? Where to?”

“The Shadow Realm.”

“Ah. Well, it's hers to rule. Technically, it could be Renya's too, but I think there would be too many bad memories there for her. And Renya has always favored the lighter side of her heritage. Her magic, too. Everything about Renya...glows.”

“Says her love-sick mate,” Phillippe teased.

“Speaking of love-sick...how are you faring with the beautiful Esmeralda?”

At the mention of her name, Phillippe's features softened, his eyes taking on a dreamy quality. She was becoming a real weakness for him. But their relationship wasn't without its difficulties.

“Pour some more fireale, I'm going to need it,” Phillippe said.

“That bad?”

“Grayden, I think—I'm feeling things for her I've never experienced before.”

Grayden's eyebrows shot up, his surprise evident.

“Good for you, Phillippe.”

“Is it? I'm all...off-balance. My normal behavior with women—”

“You mean sleeping with them and then dumping them?”

“Yeah, that...it's not going to work here.”

“You mean, you haven't...yet?”

“No.”

This time, Grayden didn't even bother to hide his surprise. Phillippe watched his mouth drop.

“I can show restraint, you know.”

Grayden practically roared with laughter. “You're kidding me. You've slept with pretty much every single girl in the village. Rarely ever more than once.”

“I stayed clear of anyone you had been with.”

“There was no one before Renya.”

“That's not true, there—”

Grayden growled slightly. “I remember no one before my Renya.”

This time, Phillippe laughed. “Whatever you say, Brother.”

“Trust me, Phillippe. If Esmeralda is the woman for you, you won't remember anyone else either. You'll just think of her sweet face, the way she kisses you, how good she feels when—”

“Okay, that's enough of that. You better go find your mate.”

Grayden shifted uncomfortably in his chair before giving him a sly grin.

“I think you're right.”

Phillippe left Grayden's office, his head spinning. He had roughly six months to learn everything he could in order to take over as ruler of the Snow lands. His brother wanted to be with Renya in the Sun Realm for the baby's birth, but promised to stay until then.

A knot formed in Phillippe's stomach as he contemplated his new future, but there was one person he knew would be happy. Looking forward to seeing the pleasure on her face, he went up to the guest wing to seek her out.

Esmeralda had been staying with them since the wedding. Triston wanted to see the winter encampment, and then visit the Twilight Kingdom to help with their rebuilding efforts. He left Esmeralda in the protection of the Snowden Lodge, knowing she'd be safe there.

Phillippe found her door and knocked gently. Everything he did with Esmeralda was gentle. He was a large man, strong and tough. Yet, he strived to treat her the way she deserved to be treated.

Like a precious, delicate petal.

Esmeralda opened the door, her cheeks flushed from sitting too near the fire. He knew she was cold here, not used to the extreme weather. But he loved nothing more than to pull her shivering body against his, and warm her whenever he could.

“Do you have a second?” he asked politely.

“Of course. Do you want to go for a walk?”

Phillippe glanced outside at the window. The snow was starting to thicken, and he knew Esmeralda would be uncomfortable. “No, I'd rather stay inside, in your room.”

Color rose in her cheeks, her eyes widening slightly.

“I mean, to talk.”

“Oh, okay,” she responded, and he thought he detected disappointment in her tone. She moved aside and he entered her borrowed bedchamber.

The fire was roaring, and some parchment sat on the desk, along with a quill.

“Are you writing to someone?”

“Renya. I wanted to see how her honeymoon was going. I know she probably won't have time to answer, but I wanted her to know I was thinking of her.”

“Oh, you haven't heard? Renya and Grayden are back.”

“They are? Oh, that's wonderful news! I've been longing to see Renya!” She crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Phillippe looked at the end of the bed longingly but sat behind the desk. The chair nearest the fire would be way too hot for him to handle, and he didn't want to sit with Esmeralda on the bed. The temptation to take her then and there would be much too great.

He put his hands on his knees, his boots on the ground. “They arrived about a half hour ago.”

Esmeralda stood up from the bed. “I should go greet them.” She began smoothing her hair and fiddling with her dress.

As much as Phillippe liked the cold and thrived in the subzero temperatures, he missed the subtle heat of the Spring Lands, where Esmeralda had worn gowns that were native to the Tidal Kingdom. The dress she had on right now practically went up to her neck, and unlike her regular attire, there was no slit that showed her tan legs—

“Phillippe?”

He was so preoccupied that he hadn't heard her response. “Sorry—what?”

“Did you want to go down and greet them together?”

“I've already seen my brother, which is actually why I've come to see you.” Phillippe gestured for her to sit back down, and this time she moved to one of the chairs in front of the fire. He paused, then moved to the seat next to her; he was so big and burly that even though the chairs were spaced apart, the couple sat shoulder to shoulder.

“What is it?” Esmeralda asked, and her pretty face suddenly paled a bit, obviously nervous for potential bad news. They'd had a lot of it over the past few months, so Phillippe didn't blame her.

“Well, Renya is going to eventually return to the Sun Realm and rule there. Her father is getting older, and he wants her there to learn from him.”

“Oh. But what about Grayden?”

“That's the thing. He...wants to go with her.”

She looked at him, her eyes wide with understanding.

“And he wants you to lead here?”

A curt nod was his response. He was too sad to even voice the acknowledgement.

“Oh, Phillippe. That's dreadful. I'm so sorry for you.”

He jolted upright, surprised by her reaction. He had expected her to be elated, thrilled that he wouldn't return to the mountain encampment.

“I thought you would be glad, at least.”

Her forehead wrinkled. “Why would I be happy over something that's going to make your life miserable?”

He stammered, searching for the words. “I just thought you'd be thrilled that I would be staying here.”

“Phillippe, at this point in our courtship, I would hope you knew that I would follow you anywhere, even into the frigid mountains.”

His heart swelled as he looked at her, almost as if seeing her for the first time. He admired her near-silver hair in the glow of the fireplace, her red lips and heart-shaped face. Her beautiful eyes, somewhat almond-shaped, and the gorgeous bronze of her skin. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers and realized that his brother was right.

It was like he had never kissed a woman before her.