Page 141 of Fae Reckoning

“Aren’t you the one who’s always reminding me how much we have to be grateful for?”

“Yeah…”

His lips spread into a wolfish smile he surely knew was irresistible. Besides, it was competing with ameeting. Rush had won before he even parted those lush lips I so loved devouring.

“So let’s get out of here so I can start showing you how much I appreciate you.” He dragged his stare up and down the length of me with open suggestion he made no attempt to disguise. “All of you.”

I licked my lips. He followed the path of my tongue. “As it so happens, I just received your gift.”

His brows jumped. “Oh? What’d you get me?”

I snorted. “As if I’d ruin the surprise and tell you.”

That was when I realized the room had grown silent but for our whispers.

“By the Ethers,” Morwenna’s high-pitched voice said. “Just watching you two makes me miss my lover.” She winked at us, then quickly amended, “Your Majesties.”

“That’s highly inappropriate, Morwenna,” Ivar censured.

The fairy waved a tiny hand before leaning back into both, her legs crossed at the ankles at her placeonthe table. “They’re fine. They’re hardly listening to us anyway.”

A flush warmed my cheeks. I’d been working so hard to be the best queen I could be. The Mirror World deserved that.

“Leave them be, Wen,” Pru said. “They’ve been working too hard for all of us.”

“Then they should go have some fun,” she said. “It’s not like we’re going to be making life-altering decisions today anyway.”

Hobart sniffed in affront. “We very well could, if you’d be amenable to the humans getting the welcome that’s owed to them.”

Morwenna sighed. “The humans don’t belong here. It’s not about what’s owed them, it’s about disturbing the natural order of the Mirror World. Besides, they’ll be much happier among their kind.”

“The Mirror World’s order was already disturbed.”

“But Our Majesties have been doing a wonderful job of fixing all that, now, haven’t they?”

“That’s not in dispute,” Hobart said with stiff shoulders.

“Elowyn. Rush,” Pru said quietly from her seat, which was always closest to mine. We were, after all, the best of friends. “Go. Pru will update you later if there’s any need.”

I began to ask if she was sure, but by then Rush had leapt from his seat and pulled me up from mine. He led me by the hand from the room, while everyone who wasn’t standing stood to bow as we departed. Themoment tall, gaunt Sigmund closed the door behind us, Rush swept me into his arms and ran down the first of many halls between us and our bedchamber.

I threw back my head and laughed as I jostled in his embrace. His crown, like mine, never budged, thanks to the land’s magic. It had taken time, but I’d learned to use and appreciate magic practically in all things. It was fucking delightful.

Rush careened around a corner and barreled into an open interior courtyard—practically slamming into a dragonling. The youngling darted around us, tripped over his floppy feet, and tumbled in a jumble of vivid, violet scales.

Saffron was a length behind him and skidded to a stop beside the little dragon, whose legs and wings were splayed out to the sides of his body. His tail was limp, its barb at the tip still soft and developing.

I’d been around enough playful, mischievous dragonlings in my time in Nightguard to know when one was alright and just looking for attention. I caught Saffron’s eyes and smiled. He’d forever be my favorite dragon, even though I loved so many of them.

Saffron’s scales were a gold so bright and shiny they rivaled the precious metal itself. While he was on the smaller side for an adult dragon, he still had to crouch to fit under the tall colonnade.

I patted Rush on the shoulder. “Put me down, love.”

Once on my feet, and holding a knowing look with Saffron, I gathered my skirts and bent beside thedragonling, whose eyes were shut, his tongue lolling from the side of his mouth as if he’d croaked from the spill he’d taken.

I ran a hand along the soft crest of scales along the crown of his head, remembering how it had felt to do the very same to Saffron. “Oh no! Are you alright, Keyon?” I ran a soothing hand along his chest next, where the scales were silky to the touch.

Saffron said into my mind.

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