Page 107 of The Shadowbound King

Andrin shot him a disgruntled look. “It’s a work in progress.” His irritated expression cleared as he took my hand. “As it happens, I have another title in mind.”

My heart sped up. “You do?”

He nodded. Drawing my hand to his lips, he brushed a kiss over my knuckles. “It would make me very happy if I could call you my queen.”

Epilogue

MIRELLA

Three years later

The chamber doors swung open, and Ginhad swept inside with a bundle of dresses in his arms.

“I’ve got a bunch of new designs!” He stopped as I turned with the two-year-old Crown Prince of Autumn in my arms.

Contrition moved through Ginhad’s eyes as he dumped the gowns on a sofa and tiptoed forward. “Is he sleeping?” he whispered at a volume just below his normal speaking voice.

My son’s golden eyes popped open. Wriggling upright, he thrust chubby arms toward Ginhad.

“Gad!” Embrun squirmed until I was forced to set him down. He rushed to Ginhad on chubby legs, his red hair gleaming in the afternoon sunlight that streamed through the windows.

Ginhad beamed as he scooped Embrun into his arms and spun him around. “Hello, princeling! Are you hungry?”

“Ginhad!” I scolded, my son’s schedule unraveling before my eyes. “You can’t dangle food in front of him.”

“Why not?” Ginhad asked, bouncing Embrun on his hip.

“Because he’ll always say yes.”

“Yeth!” my son said.

“No,” I said firmly. “You ate ten minutes ago. Now, it’s time for a nap.”

Embrun’s mouth turned down, the expression so like Andrin’s that I caught my breath.

Ginhad offered me a guilty smile. “Apologies, my queen. How about I take him down to the kitchen for a bit? The cook made some—” He glanced at Embrun, then spelled outcake.

“Cake!” my son shouted.

Ginhad gave Embrun a skeptical look. “Is this some sort of Kree-ish magic?”

“No,” I sighed. “It’s toddler magic. If you spell a word often enough, they memorize it.” Although, now that I thought about it, I wasn’t entirely certain what kind of abilities Embrun possessed. He’d shocked the entire Embervale when he was born with the Kree’s light shining in his eyes. It was another gift from the Edeloak. Like the ancient tree, it seemed my magic would pass to my children. Instead of a family tree, however, Autumn would have afamily.

“Well, that’s inconvenient,” Ginhad said cheerfully. He bobbed Embrun as he turned in a slow circle, making the little boy laugh. “I guess we could speak in the Old Language, but that would probably start a cataclysm or something, and then Andrin would turn me into a?—”

“Throw rug,” I said, folding my arms. I narrowed my eyes at him. “He’ll have to get in line.”

“Let me take the little guy to the kitchen,” he said. “He’ll sleep better after some cake.”

“Cake!” Embrun yelled.

I waved a hand. “Fine. It’s not like I’m going to win this one.” As Ginhad moved toward the door, I pointed at my son. “But it’s nap time the second you get back.”

Ginhad slowed, then winked at me over his shoulder. “Have Andrin or Rane send for me when you’re finished.”

“Finished?” My question hung in the air as the doors swung shut behind Ginhad.

Finished with what?

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