Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
He smiled at me in the mirror and said softly, “Two.”
I did not wish to wear that bloody sling two more days.
Yes, there was still pain.
But I’d examined my wound closely just that morning (and the morning before, and so on). The skin was knitting nicely. There was no longer any swelling. There was barely any redness. In fact, I could likely have the stitches removed entirely in two days.
And then, perhaps, I could do something I very much wished to do.
Consummate my marriage with my king.
I stared into my husband’s eyes and saw the fatigue he could not hide.
He did not sleep very well on the whole. A soldier’s lot, these terrors in the night that drove rest away.
But lately, since his mother had perished in such an ugly, quick, public way…
And I had been injured.
And Alfie had been wounded so severely.
And now, he was king, taking his throne in troubled times where he had to make terrible decisions.
It seemed he barely slept at all.
“Two,” I agreed.
He put his hands to my waist, turned me, and I saw he was still smiling when he settled me facing him.
I rested my hands on his chest and was heartened by the softness that invaded his features, the contentment that faded the weariness in his eyes at my touch.
“Ophelia arrived this morning,” he informed me.
“Good,” I replied. “Did you see her?”
“I did. We spoke at some length.”
“She is well?”
“She looks better than she did in Fire City.”
“Good,” I repeated.
“She brought many prisoners. They will be detained in Crittich Keep,” he shared.
I nodded.
“However, that business sorted, she doesn’t wish to delay. As discussed, she and the Nadirii will be launching a rescue effort to release the Airenzian witch, Fern, from her confinement. Thus, later this morning, we will have the summit. Her, her lieutenants, me, Father, Apollo, Tor, Rus, Tint, and the representatives of Go’Doan. However, she asked to speak to Serena immediately. They’re talking now.” He gave my waist a squeeze. “Do what you will this morning, but I ask you to meet me at ten o’clock in my formal study.”
I was surprised.
“You wish me there?”
In return, he appeared surprised at my question.
“Of course.”
“But, I—”
“You’re very wise, Farah,” he said over my words. “And I learned many things from my mother, one of the most important being, if you have wisdom around you, no matter the gender of the person who wields it, you utilize it.”
I veered closer to him, putting some weight into my hands at his chest.
“And you are queen, my queen, this country’s queen, and as such, you will have a voice,” he went on.
One could say Mercy and I did not have a very easy start.
And we did not have time to change that when she made it clear she wished to do that.
Even so, this was not the first time, and I knew it would be far from the last, that I wished she was still among us so she could witness what she had wrought in her son.
“I will be there,” I promised him.
True slid his hands around to the small of my back, pressing my hips lightly against his, asking, “And what will you do in the meantime?”
“I will visit with Alfie.”
He drew in a breath so deep, it pressed his chest against my hands.
“I will escort you to do that,” he said as he released it.
“He will be happy to see you,” I lied.
“Liar,” True whispered.
I pressed my lips tightly together.
True visited with Alfie as often as he could.
With more time to do so, I visited with him more frequently.
What could heal for Alfie was doing just that.
What could not heal was the problem.
It was not that he was angry with True.
I was that Alfie didn’t wish to see anybody.
True’s gaze moved over my hair and face and down my gown, which was Dellish, thus heavy. A flaxen velvet with an embroidered trim in gold, red and green at the deep vee of the chest and the wide hem at the bottom. The sleeves poofed at my shoulders and upper arms but were dotted with pearl buttons down my inner arms from above the elbow to my wrists, these buttons closing the material tight against my skin.
I did not much like the heaviness of the gown, the tightness of the sleeves and bodice.
In this cold clime, I did like the warmth of it.
And I very much liked the belt at my waist made of square, golden disks and the silk underskirts of a warm olive green felt lovely on my legs.
Therefore, I focused on those last.
“I…” I hesitated, drifting a hand in the direction of my hair, which was free, something I had noted nearly everywhere was not the fashion of the Dellish, before I finished, “Don’t really know.”
True chuckled and called, “Helga!”
Mercy’s maid, now my maid, who was offered this position by True, and took it, though I was not certain she did so for any reason outside her need for employment, came bustling in.