Page 31 of Kings and Monsters

"Once the curse was enacted, the Autumn Queen forbade the worship of Gwyn, so I imagine hearing the tolling will be enough to make him curious enough to come," Eirianwen added.

"Perfect." Merlin stretched dramatically. "This has been fun, but Rhosyn, Arthur, and I need our beauty sleep if we are going to the Underworld tomorrow." Merlin shot Rosa a look, and she quickly put her wine down.

"Yes, absolutely. I'm tired. Very tired," Rosa said and got to her feet. She bent down to kiss Bleddyn's cheek. "I'll see you at breakfast."

"Sleep well, my Rosa," Bleddyn said.

Merlin bowed to Eirianwen, wishing her good night. Bleddyn's green eyes bored into Merlin. He wasn't buying their tired act at all.

What are you up to, Merlin?Bleddyn touched his mind curiously.

Merlin's golden eyes flickered once to Eirianwen.Don't hold back there, especially on my behalf. You have my blessing if you want it. You've grieved for Deryn long enough. She wouldn't have wanted you to be alone. Merlin patted his father's shoulder encouragingly on the way past. "We'll talk in the morning."

"Good night, Merlin."

Once alone,Eirianwen poured herself more of the rich dark wine. "Your son is so much like you that it's unnerving seeing you together."

"You think so? I have always thought he took after his mother more than me. He has that fiery, argumentative Celt side that I've had so much fun trying to temper over the years," Bleddyn said.

"He's very powerful. I don't think he understands the full extent of his own magic yet." Eirianwen's hand unconsciously went to the side of her stomach, where under her clothes it was ridged with scars. "I always knew you were going to make a good father."

"I tried to be. I still do." He ran a hand through his long dark hair. "Will you come for a walk with me? There is something I want to show you."

"Should I be concerned? I've had so many surprises tonight, I don't know if my heart could take another," she said.

He offered her his hand. "It's a good surprise, trust me."

They walked in companionable silence from the dining room and into the hallways of the royal chambers. Eirianwen's intuition prickled with awareness as he opened a set of double doors. She knew exactly where he was taking her, and her pulse jumped.

"I hope you aren't showing me your bedchambers because I have seen them before." Eirianwen raised a questioning eyebrow. "Many times."

"My intentions are honorable. I swear," Bleddyn said as they moved inside. "If I was going to invite you to my bedchamber for more nefarious activities, then I'd be much more charming and subtle about it."

"Time has definitely changed you then," she said, flashing him a knowing smile.

Guard yourself, she cautioned. It surprised her how much fun it still was to tease Bleddyn Seren Du.He's not going to stay, and you need to remember that.

True to his word, they walked through his chambers, down a small twisting staircase and out into an overgrown garden. Part of a cluster of the Night Court's branches opened to the starry sky.

"Unkempt night gardens—this is meant to be a surprise?"

"Patience, woman. You'll know the surprise when you see it." His hand tightened around hers. They ducked under tree branches and brambles, past broken statues and dry fountains. "Try not to make too much noise or you will frighten them."

They stopped on the mossy paving stones in front of a blooming starflower tree. Its branches were smooth and black as stone, but they were heavy with the white and silver seven-pointed blossoms.

Eirianwen opened her mouth, but Bleddyn was faster, his long, warm fingers pressing gently against her lips. He pointed at the tree, bending to whisper in her ear. "Just watch."

Eirianwen pressed her lips together, trying to remove the feel of him on them as they waited patiently. Bleddyn was still standing too close to her, the scent of him making buried memories of tangled, desperate embraces resurface to torment her.

After a minute of silence, gold light flickered amongst the branches. Her breath caught in her throat, unexpected emotion tightening her chest. Thousands of small dots of gold were appearing, hovering and dancing through the branches.

"The darkling pixies," Eirianwen whispered. "They've returned."

Bleddyn knelt down and scratched something into the dirt before placing his palm over it. Eirianwen let go of her breath as the familiar and intoxicating feel of his magic spread fromhis hand and out through the gardens. Every twig and leaf came to attention, and the gardens began to transform. The paths cleared as trees and branches, bushes and flowerbeds, re-arranged themselves.

Bleddyn's smile was bright and wide enough to show a touch of fang when he looked up at her. It was nothing like the small, sarcastic grins she had seen since they were reunited. This smile was of joy as all the flowers around them began to bloom at once. The darkling pixies swarmed around him, settling in his hair like tiny stars, all the while the whispering of their voices chattering at him.

He replied to them in a low hum, and they flew to Eirianwen, touching her face with their tiny fingers, dancing on the leather scales of her jacket and trailing lights on her hands.

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