Page 44 of Queen of the Night
He looks so calm and unflustered while I struggle and appear to be the only one affected by our proximity, and that irritates me. After days of doing everything I can to keep my distance, it seems all of it was for naught.
We don’t say much as the suns descend. This is complete torture.
Ikar is both the first and the last person I want to be stuck in a tree with. Even if we wanted to do something, like kiss, we couldn’t because he’s a blasted king. The only option is to talk, and I’m about to lose my mind, so talk it is.
“What does a day in the life of a king look like when you’re not adventuring for magical plants?” I ask, somewhat blandly and with a hint of sarcasm. I swallow my pride like a hot lump of coal to be the one to act like things are fine first.
“It doesn’t seem like you actually want to know.”
“I actuallydo, or I wouldn’t have asked.” I soften my voice. “I really would like to know.”
He finally drops his arm from his face andlooks up at me. “No two days are alike. When I’m at the castle, on any given day, I have to meet with several different advisors and leaders, those meetings can take hours. I also join my army in training and on expeditions, visit with the people, tour the kingdom, oversee the low kings, write correspondence, meet with delegates from other countries… all sorts of things.”
“And what do you do in your personal time?”
He scoffs and mutters, “Personal time?”
“You must havesome.”
He thinks for a moment. “A little. I often read in my rooms, hunt with Arrow and Simon, and I do enjoy training. I spend time with Champion, my horse…” I’m about to ask about his horse, but he adds, “I also often sneak food from the kitchens after supper.”
I laugh. He says it so seriously that I can’t decide if he’s joking. “You’re the king. You don’t need to sneak food; they’re your kitchens.”
“You’ve never met my cook.”
“She must be terrifying.”
There’s a humorous gleam in his eye. “Very.”
“What is worth the danger of sneaking past this terrifying cook, then?”
“There’s these pastries…” He closes his eyes as if he’s savoring one right now.
I laugh loudly, and Ikar grins. For a moment, all is well between us.
We’re just two regular people who feel for each other, who are stuck in a tree. We talk late into the night, and I let myself revel in the feelings of normalcy between us, even though I know it can’t last. This is all temporary.It has to be.
A low thrumming sound, as if a hummingbird is hovering nearby, wakes me from sleep. My eyes flutter open for a moment, then sleepily close again, the pillow far too comfortable to face waking.Pillow?
“Vera,” Ikar whispers, but I hear the pleasant rumble of it beneath my ear.
“Hm.”
“Wake up.” He jostles me gently, and I force my eyes open only to find my head settled comfortably against his broad chest, and his arm wrapped around me.
I’d take a moment to die of embarrassment, since it’s apparent it wasmethat moved towardhimat some point in the night, but there’s no time when I see what’s before us. I scramble to sitting as a small being that appears to be a mix of tree bark and fairy hovers above us, standing the length of one of my hands, wings beating as quickly as the hummingbird I thought I heard.
“What are you?” She tilts her head to the side inquisitively as she hovers before us.
“Soldiers sent by the king of Moneyre. We’re in search of the nymphs,” Ikar says.
“Nymphs, you say?” She spins and swoops down before she comes so close to Ikar’s face he nearly has to back away. To his credit, he doesn’t even flinch.
“They don’t like outsiders,” she whispers. “And neither do I.”
“So they still exist,” Ikar says with satisfaction.
She backs away so quickly she becomes a blur before my eyes, then stops. “Never said that.” She eyes us carefully. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen humans here. Youarehumans, aren’t you? You’re very entertaining.” She swoops near me and pokes me in the arm. “And this one has lucent.” Herwings seem to beat twice as fast, which I wouldn’t have known was possible.
