His father chuckled without humor. “Marry her? I haven’t even met this woman. What is it about her that made you decide to attach yourself to her?”
Garrin glanced at his mother, unable to recall a moment when Ailith Branimir had appeared genuinely happy. His mother’s light brown eyes and smooth, even features were still as stone, revealing no cheer in response to his future nuptials.
Ailith Branimir was a queen and expected to do things differently. Not to mention, Garrin had been one of only two or three children who’d grown up in or around the castle. He had little maternal influence to compare her to. And he’d never paid attention to his mother’s warmth or lack thereof. Until now. Isle had created doubt in his mind where none had existed before.
The king often tried for children with his court females, spending as much time with them, or more, than he did his wife. Though it was the Dark Fae way, Garrin wondered if his father’s mission to produce heirs hurt his mother.
Lex wanted to return to the Earth realm, and Garrin was heir to a kingdom. She would never become his bride, and yet he didn’t like the idea of her with another man. His mouth twitched. She would certainly give him an earful if she didn’t want him with another woman. “Lex is special. She is also clever and willful,” Garrin said in response to his father’s surprise at him marrying.
“Willful?” His father laughed. “Have I taught you nothing?”
Garrin’s mother glanced at her husband sharply, then turned her back, looking out the window he had abandoned.
“Willful women are powerful protectors,” Garrin said, remembering Lex and her reaction to him fighting Jasper.
His mother’s head turned slightly, as though she were listening.
All Fae were protective of children, given the challenges they faced in conceiving. It took centuries to sire even one child. But when Lex cared, she seemed to care with her whole being, and it intrigued Garrin. Though he’d rather she directed her efforts at him and not that Jasper creature. Or at future children he and Lex had, not that they would. But if Garrin did, in fact, make Lex his bride, he could only imagine how caring she would be to their children. Unlike Ailith Branimir.
His father walked over and squeezed Garrin’s arm. “Just make sure you have your woman in hand.”
Garrin’s shoulder stiffened. If not for Lex and her magic, Garrin wouldn’t be here.
“When will I meet her?” his father asked. “Has she settled into your court?”
“She has,” Garrin said. “Though I hadn’t considered a formal meeting. We’ve only just arrived, and it wasn’t an easy journey.” An understatement. Garrin flinched at the memory of Lex free-falling in the ravine.
His father nodded. “It never is. And yet every time you return to me, I am that much more grateful.” He looked down. “I’ve thought about your travels. The risk isn’t worth it anymore. Perhaps it is our fate to live as we have.”
This was new. Casone had only ever been interested in escaping the Land of Ice. “Do you fear I will not succeed?” Garrin asked. “I assure you, it is my life’s mission to find a way out for our people.”
The king paced several steps away, his back to Garrin. “No, nothing like that.” He turned and smiled. “I simply don’t want to lose my only child.”
The king glanced at his wife for the first time. “We’ve not managed to have another, and I worry… Perhaps you should hold off on your travels until your mother and I sire more children.”
Garrin looked at his mother, who stood rigid, the hand that bore her husband’s crest flexing. “You mean, until you have someone to carry on the legacy should I perish?” Garrin’s tone held an edge. If they didn’t find a safe way out of Dark Kingdom, eventually their people would no longer thrive. To give up now was suicide.
It had been hundreds of years and they barely survived as it was, living in structures that predated the ice, and patching them together when they must. And the food… To say food was scarce in perpetual winter was making light of the situation.
Few animals had survived the original freeze, and it took great planning to ensure the population wasn’t depleted. The only greenery left were allon trees, the species as old and magical as Tirnan itself. And even those trees had to be defrosted with care to provide much-needed nutrients. It was a challenging life, and Dark Fae numbers had dwindled due to the harsh conditions.
And battles. Trapped together with no way out had led to many battles among his people.
Casone’s eyes turned unyielding. “Even you must admit, what is a kingdom without an heir?”
“What is a kingdom without freedom? Without proper food?” Garrin said.
His father’s chest rose and his face turned red. Then he waved off Garrin’s comment. “Let us not speak of such things when you’ve only just returned. We have a wedding to plan, do we not? There is plenty of time to talk of future travels once you are settled with your bride.” He winked. “Perhaps you will not wish to be gone so long with a new woman in your bed.”
Garrin could very well imagine Lex in his bed, and it terrified him. For so long, he’d made women a distant second to saving his people. And now he couldn’t take his mind off Lex.
He didn’t enjoy withholding information from his father and mother, but until he could ensure Lex’s safety, he must. “Perhaps,” he said, in regard to remaining in Dark Kingdom.
His father nodded. “Don’t wait too long to introduce us to the girl. Your mother is most anxious to meet her.”
Ailith stared out the window, showing no signs of excitement or eagerness.
Servants had cared for Garrin when he was a child, but in public, his mother had clung to him and claimed him as her proudest achievement. The older he got, the more he realized how disingenuous her affection had been.
