Page 79 of Winds of Darkness

“If you think we shall not have another night together, you are mistaken. It may not be the next night, but I already swore to steal any time with you I can. Do not make me a liar, Princess Evermorn,” Briar replied, nipping at her shoulder before dragging kisses along her throat.

She huffed a laugh, lifting her chin to give him more access. “I cannot simply come to the Water Court at will, Briar.”

“Of course you can. I have altered my wards. You can wind walk or portal here whenever you desire.”

“And you can portal north just as easily,” she countered.

He lifted his head to meet her gaze. “You wish for me to stay with you? In the Wind Court?”

“I know you are delicate in the cold, but I can secure wool socks for you,” she replied, running her fingers along his muscled chest.

Briar barked a laugh. “Are you teasing me?”

“I am attempting it,” she answered. “Did I do so correctly?”

Another laugh fell from his lips as he brought them to her own. “You did, my dear. You absolutely did.”

Chapter 13

Briar

Several Months Later

“You cannot charge the Earth Court more for your services,” the Fae Queen said from the head of the table.

“Why not? He charges our Court more for his services for obtaining Marks,” Cyrus replied.

Briar rubbed at his brow. He had to give Cyrus credit. Going head-to-head with Talwyn Semiria was a bold choice in its own right, but he was handling her well. He supposed this was why he was the Fire Court Second. The fact that he was the one here arguing with her rather than the Fire Prince himself had been a sore subject from the start of this meeting.

“You have your own Fae to give Marks,” Talwyn said with a sneer.

“Good thing Eliza isn’t here for that statement,” Sawyer muttered under his breath, and Briar was inclined to agree. He was certain that Nakoa was talking the Fire General down at this very moment, but he threw a warning look at the glass of water in front of him. Nakoa and Neve were on the other side, watching the proceedings, and Eliza was with them.

“Perhaps if the Fire Prince would bother to show up to a meeting, he could negotiate properly,” Prince Azrael said, staring down his nose at all of them from his place at Talwyn’s right.

Glancing up, Briar caught Ashtine’s stare where she sat across from him, straight and poised. Nasima was at her shoulder, and the princess tilted her head, clearly hearing the winds.

She’d learned much these past months, and they made it a point in their stolen time together to give her time to practice the balance with the winds rather than simply letting them have their way with her. He’d learned much too. Communicating with her was getting easier, but it still took conscious effort. Learning what made her body hum, however, was a different story.

“Do fees need to be decided today?” Ashtine asked, looking away from him and at her queen. “The weapons have not been created yet. Perhaps that should be the primary focus.”

“And who is funding these weapons if fees are not decided beforehand?” Cyrus demanded. “Furthermore, the Earth Court creates their own weapons. Why do they need those of the Fire Court?”

“This argument is trying and old,” Ashtine lilted. “Fiera steel is only found in your Court, just as skystone is only found in mine. This war already brings division. Adding to it will only serve defeat and death.”

Cyrus made a face telling Briar he had no idea what she meant by that, but Briar knew.

“I believe the Wind Princess is saying that we should be working together rather than finding more reasons to bicker among ourselves,” Briar supplied. “This coming war will divide the realm enough, and we will not survive it if we cannot figure out some way to find peace among ourselves.”

“Then perhaps the Fire Prince should be attending these meetings instead of sending his Second and Third,” Talwyn gritted out. Her gaze slid to Cyrus, winds stirring around her and energy sparking off the silver bracelet coiled around her wrist. “Tell him that should he ignore my summons again, I will collect him myself.”

“With all due respect, your Majesty, you are queen of the Eastern Courts, not yet of the Western Courts,” Rayner replied, his voice deep and solemn.

“I will talk to Sorin,” Briar cut in. “In the meantime, I think we move forward with all Courts producing weapons. Fees can be discussed when we reconvene. Sawyer and I will have a better ideaof how many weapons can be imbued at the Springs in a given time period by then. We can also begin the inter-Court trainings.”

Talwyn looked at Ashtine. “You are still amenable to your forces training with the Water Court?”

“I have no feud with the Water Court that needs to be considered,” Ashtine replied.