Clarissa

T he next two days in the Mid Territory passed in a whirlwind. Word spread like wildfire that I could heal land cursed by the blight, and Mother and I woke to dozens of families at the door of Silenus Manor begging for us to come help them.

We went without a second thought.

There was no better feeling than knowing I was doing good with my magic. That the people no longer feared me, despite the less-than-warm welcome I’d initially received. I might have been too forgiving of the way they’d treated me, but I understood where it came from.

Mother and I spent the entire day traveling from farm to farm, field to field, market to market, banishing the rot and bringing new life.

Katrine and Devora accompanied us to help us make a good impression, given the fact that some still didn’t trust us Veridians.

And, of course, I couldn’t go anywhere without the guards Galen sent to make sure I was protected.

In just two short days, we reached as many people in the Mid Territory as possible.

It was exhausting, but it was also inspiring .

I’d grown up in the confines of a small cottage—the farthest, most adventurous place I’d ever traveled before last year was a handful of miles to the southern beach of the capital.

But here…there was so much to see. We rode up the side of rolling hills, looking down on the markets and streets below and taking in the sun steadily rising over the valleys.

We ventured along winding rivers and cooled off at the streams, dipping our bare feet into the water.

We talked with hundreds of strangers, learning about their farms and lives.

I’d always loved connecting with people, once I’d learned to control my Shifter half and wasn’t worried about what they would think of me anymore.

It was one of the reasons I’d formed the Sentinels years ago—because I’d gotten close enough with others to see how bad things were for them, even in our small corner of the empire. And I wanted to make a difference .

That was exactly what we were doing now.

Today was our fifth and final day in the Mid Territory. Our last day here to show a strong, united front between Mysthelm and Veridia at the annual Harvest Tournament and Festival. And it was certainly shaping up to be an interesting day.

“This one has a nice backside, don’t you think?”

I craned my neck at Galen’s words to get a better view. “Yes, hers is definitely larger. I’m not quite sure what we’re supposed to be looking for, but it’s very…” I shaped my hands in the air to mimic grabbing the pair of curves. “Round.”

He let out an unkingly snort. The owner of the pig before us, a stout man with a red mustache, bowed low to the ground when we nodded at him in dismissal. He led his pig out of the square paddock as the next farmer took his place to showcase his hog.

In the short period of down-time between contestants, Galen said, “I hope you’ve been enjoying the Tournament.”

I had enjoyed the morning so far. We’d spent the early hours in the fields of Gold Row, which had been turned into a temporary event space.

Half a dozen large paddocks like the one we occupied now were scattered around the market, along with vendors selling smoked meats on a stick, cups of cold apple mead, and fruits dipped in chocolate.

When I’d stepped out of the carriage at eight in the morning, the fields and streets had already been filled with excited citizens purchasing food or getting ready for the competitions.

Galen and I had been asked to judge the events and were given seats of honor at each one.

The judges’ tables sat atop a high platform right outside the paddocks, with a clear view of the contestants and their various livestock and produce.

So far, we’d watched horses race, weighed squirming chickens with our bare hands, and seen more tomatoes and cucumbers than I’d ever counted in my life—some that were as large as my head.

A hen laid an egg in my lap, and the potato farmer from the other day, Aiman, brought me a whole new bag of golden potatoes.

I was pretty sure I had straw in my undergarments and horse manure on my shoes.

And it was the most fun I’d had in as long as I could remember.

The people were ecstatic to finally be meeting their king, and it clenched something in my heart when they looked at me with recognition and kindness instead of hostility.

In just a few days, I’d really begun to know them.

I recognized faces and remembered that Loretta from the south had a daughter living in the North Territory, and Cillian who worked on the farm next to Aiman’s just found a puppy on the side of the road that he decided to keep, and young Marcus the stablehand couldn’t keep his eyes off the carpenter’s daughter.

“It’s been a good day,” I said to Galen with a smile. “I’m glad you came.”

I’d tried to put the animosity I felt toward him behind me. If I would be tied to him for the rest of my life, it may as well be with a cord of mutual respect and understanding instead of distrust. I didn’t need to love my husband to want what was best for him.

Love .

The thought made a frozen pit open in my stomach as he smiled back at me, the sun highlighting notes of dark gold in his brown hair.

The leather of his gloves pressed into my lower back as we walked down the steps of the judges’ table.

Spectators grinned and waved when we passed, with guards both in front and behind us to keep bodies from getting too close.

Galen’s hand stiffened every time an arm or leg strayed near him, even though the only exposed area of his skin was his face.

There were a couple of women who caught my eye as their envious gazes rested on Galen’s hand at my back, and I couldn’t help but think how many of them would rather be in my shoes.

Preparing to marry the handsome king, blushing when he grazed a hand over their cheeks or whispered promises of passion in their ears.

The image of long hair and strong hands appeared in my mind. Of fingers brushing my neck and a broad chest hovering in front of me, veined forearms flexing above my head under the stars. Of what those arms would feel like wrapped around me, that rough beard skimming my sensitive skin.

Flames erupted on my cheeks and rippled down my back until they met a gloved hand.

My body went cold.

Well, that was new. I definitely shouldn’t be thinking about him right now.

Spine straightening, I pasted on a smile as we made our way through the crowds to our next assigned spot.

Vespera thought it would be a good idea to allow a couple of hours for people to approach Galen and me individually, the way his father Orion used to grant an audience to citizens in his palace.

The guards led us to a makeshift dais with two large chairs in the middle of a clearing of wildflowers, still within earshot of the noise and laughter of the tournament. I looked over my shoulder to watch their revelry when my eyes latched onto someone else.

Thorne stood at the edge of Gold Row in fitted brown pants and a loose tan tunic that exposed a bit of dark hair at the top of his chest, along with a hint of white bandages that made guilt squirm through my stomach.

But the brightest grin I’d ever seen was stretched across his face.

And on top of his shoulders rested a young girl with hands clenched around his neck.

Her eyes beamed with laughter as she leaned back and squealed, his hands coming up to keep her steady.

Long, dark bronze waves tangled together in the breeze.

He tickled her side, and she squealed again, loud enough that I could hear it halfway across the clearing.

In one smooth motion, he lifted her off his shoulders and set her on the ground, enveloping her in more tickles while she cackled and gasped for breath.

He finally stopped and wrapped his arms around her little body.

A smile tugged at the corner of my lips. She was beautiful. He was beautiful. Carefree and joyful and adoring.

When he swung her in the air and pressed a kiss to her temple, his eyes locked on mine.

I didn’t look away.

Not until a different hand pulled at my fingers, and a different voice asked, “Are you ready, Clarissa?”

I blinked and turned to face Galen. “Of course.”

He led me up the steps and to our seats, and within minutes, people gathered among the rows of flowers after being searched by guards.

Their curious faces wiped the image of Thorne and his daughter from my mind.

Several of the guards positioned themselves at our backs and along the outside of the clearing as a line formed.

The first ones to step forward were a mother and daughter who introduced themselves as Ronnie and Meredith.

“It’s so wonderful for you to come visit, Your Majesty,” the mother, Ronnie, said. “We’ve been looking forward to this day for quite a while.”

“I’m so glad to hear it,” Galen responded. “What’s that you have here?” He gestured to the large basket hanging from her arm. The lid jostled as if something were moving beneath it.

“Oh! Yes,” she cried. She set the basket down and carefully removed the lid, and the gasp that left my lips was nothing short of embarrassing.

“Our shepherding dog gave birth recently, and we wanted to bring you a gift for your fields,” Ronnie explained.

“She’s the largest and strongest of the litter.

She comes from good stock.” She lifted the wiggling puppy from the basket with a look of pride.

When the guards gave her permission to approach, she climbed up the steps and held the precious creature out to us.

Big black eyes inlaid in brown fur stared back at Galen and me, tan paws swiping playfully at her own nose. A strap of leather circled her throat, with a thin rope tied to it that trailed on the ground.

My chest swelled. I’d always wanted a dog.