Page 23 of Fate and Flame
“Have you even met her?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
“Nope. I’ve got a good imagination though.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“I know.” He smiled, showing all his teeth.
Fen cleared his throat. “Greeve, if you could check in with Wren while I meet with Brax and the soldiers, we can all meet at the stables in an hour.”
“I’ll pass this time.” Kai stretched his arms languidly above his head. “I’ve got a long day of napping ahead of me. Plus, I still have to find Greeve’s blind date.”
Greeve’s head snapped to the side, his hair whipping through the air. “My what?”
“Oh no. We had a deal and you lost. You aren’t getting out of it this time. I’m just trying to decide between which of the Luger cousins.” He tapped his chin.
Greeve launched a hand towel into his face as Fen pulled me from the kitchens.
“Can I come with you to see the soldiers?” I asked.
“Friar is already waiting to have you measured for new clothes.”
“Fen.” I planted my feet, jerking him to a stop. “Can we skip the dress-up doll part? Can’t I just wear this?”
“You could wear a burlap sack for all I care, but my father insisted.”
I scrunched my nose and scowled. “He’s lucky he’s a bajillion years old.”
“Give or take a few.” He pulled me close, his piercing eyes melting me as he took a deep breath and leaned his forehead against mine.
My soul moved under his stare. As if it were a tangible thing, wrapping itself around him. He stroked his fingers down my arms, and I let myself settle into him, laying my head on his solid chest as his breath danced along the tip of my ear while I listened to the steady pattern of his heartbeat. He was strength and power. Fire and ice. But he was also just Fen. He was home.
He kissed me on the head and stepped away. “Come find me when you’re done. Also, be nice to Friar. She means well.”
I walked back to Fen’s room to find the handmaid with a folded stack of gossamer clothing.
“I am not wearing that,” I protested. “We’re riding to see the draconians today.”
“Plenty of southern females ride in skirts, my lady.” Her words were kind, but her face was not.
“Not this one. You can take your measurements and torture me tomorrow.”
“But you’ll be meeting Umari. Surely, you’d like to wear something more traditional?”
“Tomorrow,” I said firmly.
She huffed but didn’t argue. I sat down in the chair and let her brush out my hair. Which was really just her jamming the bristles into my scalp and hoping it knocked me out.
You forgot to tell Friar to be nice too.
Is she still alive?
Barely.
She finished scalping me and took my measurements with only a few death threats exchanged, then stormed out of the room. I followed. We were either going to end up really good friends or killing each other on the lawn. There was no in-between.
* * *
“Hello, gorgeous,” Fen said as I stepped beside him. “These are the lists, which is where we will be doing our training every day. I thought we could rotate training with Kai, Brax, and Greeve. Brax is the captain of our soldiers and answers only to Inok, Kai, my father, and myself.” He gestured to the male in uniform beside him.
