Page 6 of Wolfsbane (Deadly Duet #2)

SIX

HESPER

Birds singing and the smell of a fresh fire crackling woke me from such sound and peaceful sleep. I almost didn’t want to get up, too content in my bed beneath the warm, silky sheets. I had been living in Morel’s castle for quite some time, learning more about him and his people. He was so fond of them, but more so of Orion, a man who may not have shared his blood but was more his brother than his evil twin Agaric.

I had heard tales of the twins of Dryade, one blessed by the sun, the other by what everyone claimed was the devil himself, but they were wrong. Morel and Agaric were simply day and night, born brothers, but their rivalry reached deeper than their blood. As a descendant of a daughter of the moon, it only made sense as to why Morel was so different. He was a son of the night himself and gifted. He only needed to learn how to embrace it.

As I rose from the bed, I noticed I wasn’t alone. Crouched in front of the onyx fireplace was Morel. He was poking at the growing flames, remaining quiet as a mouse.

Such a caring man. It was no wonder his people loved him so. I too had grown fond of the king of shadows. Morel slightly turned his head, noticing me as I clutched the bedding close to my chest in a frail attempt to cover my body.

“Forgive me.” He stood, backing towards the door. “I didn’t mean to wake you. Winter has landed here in Grisset, covering everything in a thick blanket of cold. I wanted to ensure you had a strong enough fire to keep you warm. I know Hellbore rarely falls to such low temperatures.”

“I have always preferred the cold myself.” Something flashed across his face as he tried to hide a smile, and my stomach fluttered at his expression.

“I shall leave you to get ready.” Morel turned to the door to leave.

“Morel,” I whispered. The way his name fell from my lips sent a chill up my spine as he stopped. “Thank you.” The phrase was all I could manage, though for some reason, I wanted to say more.

“Anything for you, my queen.” Morel exited my room, gently closing the door as I remained in the bed, dropping the bedding, my eyes fixated on where he had stood.

His queen.

My eyes moved to the onyx fireplace, stepping from the bed as I approached it, basking in the golden warm that consumed my body. My fingers trailed along the mantle, overgrown with the tiny death caps. When Morel presented this room to me upon my arrival, it was barren, aside from these beauties. He had Orion furnish the room in grand things, things ‘fitting a queen of the night’ as he had stated. As glamorous and stunning as the room had become, it was too much. I didn’t feel deserving of such things. Moonstones and crystal adorned every surface of the room, silver accents popping from all the blue and purple fabrics and tapestries. It felt as though the goddess had designed the room herself, reflecting the night skies within it. Such magnificence. My eyes fell back to the mantle, tracing a lavender petal of the wolfsbane flower that had grown from the single stem I plucked my first night here. The flower had grown alongside the mushroom, reaching high above to the ceiling and down the walls. I felt as though I was living in my own personal garden.

I inhaled the alluring scent, closing my eyes as my brain tingled at the dulled toxin perfume. Despite my eagerness to defeat Boletus and return to my kingdom, I had slowly begun to grow more patient, enjoying my time here in Grisset. I had felt more in place amongst its people, hidden in the cold mountain shadows, than I ever did in my own kingdom.

The wind whistled outside, drawing my attention to the large, stained glass window. I walked to it, opening the panes as I gasped at the sight before me. Snow stretched as far as the eye could see, the sky drenched in a lavender glow as small flakes drizzled from the heavens. I had never seen such wintery powder as this. My bare feet moved, unphased by the cold as I stepped out onto the stone terrace in only my thin, silver silk nightdress. The material brushed along my feet like liquid metal as my hair fell down my back and reached my waist. My fingers played with the crystal around my neck as I inhaled the scents around me, feeling the snowflakes as they kissed my skin and melted into my flesh. I felt at peace.

My eyes fell to the landscape below, the sounds of the kingdom filling my ears. I leaned against the stone terrace as I glanced below and admired everything. There were children running, throwing snowballs and giggling. Animals pranced in the powder, the normal hustle and buzz of the people lifted as they seemed to all admire the snow and cold. I couldn’t help but smile and laugh at it all, gleaming with how truly happy his kingdom was.

This may be the kingdom of shadows, but it is filled with nothing but love and light.

As my gaze wandered, I noticed Morel off in the distance, chopping wood just on the outskirts of the frozen forest. He was shirtless, his blue-black hair tied high as his skin glistened in the light. I watched him closely, admiring the way his muscles bulged and his body moved as he swung the axe, gracefully splitting a log in half with one motion.

An older woman approached him with an empty wheelbarrow as he stopped, sinking the axe into the stump he used to chop the wood, and began to carry numerous logs to her. His strength was astonishing, but his kindness even more so. I leaned further, my hair falling along my bare arms as I watched him closely, dazed by him completely. The old woman thanked him and left as he lifted the axe without hesitation.

“Queen Hesper!” The loud shout not only startled me but caught his attention as his eyes scanned the land to see a group of children shouting at me from below, waving their arms and smiling. His gaze lifted to me, locking with mine as I stood there frozen—not from the cold, but from embarrassment.

Morel grinned, crossing his arms as my cheeks burned and blushed. I quickly forced my eyes away, smiling and waving at the children before rushing back inside and closing the window. My heart was pounding. I turned to look back in his direction, watching as he returned to chopping the logs, my thoughts blurring as I watched him, my kingdom’s words playing in my head.

Be like the sky and remain true; an unchanging symphony of the stars.