Page 530 of Flirting with Darkness

“I don’t think this is about any agreements at all,” Kyllen dismissed. “The Summit of the Kings is a very old tradition.”

“How old?” Radax asked. “I don’t remember one ever taking place.”

“Well, ifyoudon’t remember…” Kyllen chuckled. “Son, you’re not even twenty yet. History stretches well beyond the span of your own memories and experiences.”

Radax rolled his eyes in a way that looked so human, it left no doubt he got that particular gesture from me.

“You know what I mean, Father. If it hasn’t taken place for decades, why have it now?” Unlike Kyllen’s playful expression, Radax’s remained serious. Visually, the father and son looked alike. But their personalities often differed so much, they often appeared nearly opposite.

Yenric lunged for the turnip. Aila jerked her hand, accidentally yanking too hard on the leaf. The turnip got away from her, rolling toward Kyllen. He grinned, kicking it to Yenric. The pig’s one head caught the turnip in its mouth. The other one squealed in protest. It jerked for it, making the pig curl into a doughnut then turn in circles.

Aila laughed so hard, she tipped backwards and fell, still laughing.

“Come here, baby.” I grabbed her, then lifted her into my lap.

There was no better sound in the world than Aila’s laughter. It trilled like little pearls suspended inside tiny silver bells, making it impossible not to laugh along. Sometimes, I wished I could bottle that sound, to preserve it forever.

Despite the fae’s long lifespan, they aged at the same rate as humans. The childhood of my children seemed to fly by way too quickly. It pained me to miss even a day of them growing up.

I kissed my daughter’s apple-greensenties.

“King Aigel didn’t state a specific reason in his message,” I replied to Radax. “If he has one, we wouldn’t know unless we go to the Summit.”

He got up from his chair and wrapped his arms around both Aila and me. “I’m just asking you to be careful, Mother. Please.”

“When am I not, my precious boy?” I kissed his cheek, returning his hug.

Wrapped in my arms, Radax glanced at Kyllen. “Keep her safe.”

* * *

Gripping a paddle in my hands, I steered my board, following the fluid bend of the river.

“It’s so beautiful here.” I lifted my face to the sunrays filtering through the dense canopies of the trees that lined the river bank on both sides.

The stream narrowed in this part, but the shallow water still flowed lazily, allowing me to pause and admire the scenery as I stood on my paddle board.

“It’s lovely this time of the year.” Kyllen lined up his board with mine.

The green season had come full swing. Humidity saturated the air like a thick, hazy blanket. Thankfully, the light breeze along the stream provided a reprieve from the heat.

Our clothes were made from the material woven from the cool water grass. Kyllen had nothing but a pair of pants on that reached him mid-calf.

I wore a pair of loose knee-length pants, with a peacock-print sarong tied around my hips like a long skirt. A matching scarf was tied around my chest over my breasts. The scarf’s long ends streamed in the breeze behind me, mingling with my twenty-four long dark braids at my back.

Kyllen rested his gaze on me, his golden eyes shining with warmth. “You look so beautiful in the sun, my sweet pea. You take my breath away.”

Gripping his paddle in one hand, he suddenly leaped from his board onto mine. I gasped, nearly losing my balance as my board lurched precariously under his weight.

“I’ve got you.” He steadied me with his arm around my waist. Spreading his feet wide, he stabilized my board, too.

Having lost its rider, his own paddle board was drifting away down the stream.

“You’re going to lose it.” I gestured with my paddle at his board.

“It’ll be worththis.” He cradled the back of my head in his free hand and claimed my mouth with his.

He was right, his kisses were worth anything. Always. I leaned into him, sinking the hand not holding the paddle into hissenties. He promptly wound them around my fingers.

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