Page 72 of Swords and Curses

"Rosa will not like this," Zalan said. "Are you ready to face disappointing her?"

"Rosa is more like me than you'd think. She wants a chance to kill the queen for all she has done to our family. The sword sings to her of blood and victory."

"If she was more ambitious, she could claim the Seelie Court with that blade," Vincenzo said. "Are you sure you can trust her?"

"More than I trust my other children," Eli admitted, who knew only too well what it felt like to have a child betray him.

"Lily would've made it into the Aos Si by now if she had it," Vincenzo said fondly as if reading his thoughts. "Italy will have to satisfy her for now."

"She was born to rule—that's one of the reasons I chose her," Eli agreed, "but she's made too many bad choices with companions and lovers that would compromise her. Rosa is levelheaded and tough. Pure Wylt."

"Worse still, she is noble," Vincenzo muttered distastefully, but without any real scorn.

"I like her," Zalan grumbled and got to his feet. "Let's go back. I'm in need of a drink and a fire."

"After this conversation, I need a fuck," Vincenzo replied and disappeared into the darkness.

Eli stayed watching the stars a while longer. He wondered what the next week would bring and if Merlin would stay if Nimue went back to the Aos Si.

For the first time in many years, he allowed himself to think back to his youth, the plans he'd had for his lost people and of Eirianwen, the woman he'd been betrothed to.

These memories always ended the same way—with his father dying, his people slaughtered and enslaved, his silver-haired love, Eirianwen, filled with arrows, and everywhere the blood-soaked Autumn Queen, laughing at the destruction she had wrought.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The first conscious thought that drifted through Nimue's sleep filled mind was that she wasn't alone. The second was that the body beside hers was Merlin.

Sleep took the harshness from the face made of sharp cheekbones and stubble. Time had taken the innocence from his features and left something else in its place.

A part of her feared that being back at Gwaed Lyn and in his arms was another complex torture of the queen's that she would soon wake from. She dismissed it with a shake.

Last night was the first time since her return that she hadn't dreamt of being back in the lake. Merlin had always made her feel safe, and time hadn't changed that. Whether it had been intentional or not, she'd sacrificed Deryn to save him from the hands of the Autumn Queen, and she'd sacrifice a hell of a lot more.

Nimue rested her head on his chest, listened to the thrum of his heartbeat, and felt as it synced with hers.

Yes, this is what it was like to feel whole again. Complete. Balanced.

Merlin's arms came around her, and she gave a small, contented sigh. For this, she would defy the queen, all the AosSi and Gwaed Gam combined, and happily kill whoever tried to take it from her.

"I forgot how warm you always are," Merlin said sleepily.

She stroked his ribs slowly. "I forgot how much you snore."

"What lies you tell, woman." He rubbed his face. "What time is it?"

"Too early for breakfast. I doubt if anyone is going to be up before midday after the ball."

"I hope Eli isn't too miffed we didn't go back," Merlin groaned. "Never mind, it was well worth the lecture I might get."

"You shouldn't get so flustered about it. You know that's the reason why he does it. He has that impish streak that you inherited." Nimue rolled over so that he would spoon her.

"Impish! I have no idea what you mean," he said, pulling her tightly to his chest, one hand straying to caress her breast.

"Liar," Nimue retorted, her back arching as his fingers moved to the curve of her stomach. "You are a mischievous brute."

"You have no idea how mischievous I can be," he said and kissed her ear. "Especially before breakfast."

Rosa was enjoyinga quiet coffee with Balthasar in the empty kitchen while the house slept above her. They had snuck back upstairs around midnight, and Rosa was delighted when her dress didn't disappear as the clock struck twelve. She was even more delighted when Balthasar made it disappear for her soon after.

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