I realized as he continued to list all of his improvements that although they would indeed benefit his people, they were really for me. The Councilor insulted me. I would never be safe until the last of Brad’s lackeys were dead. I could have used a school like that in my childhood. My embarrassing breakdown over the greenhouse was now fixed.
“Did you rip your world apart for me?”
Noth did this cute little blushing thing that somehow managed to make him look innocent. Words tumbled out of his mouth.
“There’s a new planetarium so you can create your charts. Yaya promised to bake Melwyyn for every holiday. I have these diamonds. Well, not these dream diamonds, real ones, I can give you when we wake up.”
He pulled out a string of stones that sparkled in the afternoon light slanting through the greenhouse. He remembered that from one passing comment? I didn't know my heart could turn to mush. I had my own diamonds, but I wouldn’t say no to more. To his. They would make a stunning choker and set of earrings to go with my crown.
“They’re beautiful,” I said.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize there was a problem. I got what I wanted but it needed to be better. What am I King for if I can’t remake my territory?”
“I hope you know I didn’t leave because you needed to change. I accept the reality of your life is a hard one.It doesn’t scare me.” I traced the scar from Brad up and over his chin.
“I’ve taken it as far as I can on my own. Nothing else will change without you.”
“Pretty words.” I smiled to take the sting out of them, but it was true. I had heard weak declarations my whole life.
He pushed my hair back from my face. “You think only the monster inside me wants a mate, but it’s not true, Pumpkin. I’m a King in need of my perfect Queen. And if you trust nothing but my ego, it’s completely selfish of me to want you. I’ll bring you cake, or souls, or heads to lay at your feet. I’ll burn every inch of the Harrowlands if you need me to.”
I gasped, my heart shaking, because his voice cracked with his intent, his fingers lengthening to claws. “Please, Maggie. I recognize I’m asking a lot but I’m begging you to take me. I want to fight with you every day and make you as happy as I was the day you slipped that dagger between my ribs. No matter what you choose, there’s no surviving you. I will never hold you back. Just let me be at your side.”
I swallowed hard. Okay, no one had ever offered to hand me a severed head, or more importantly–cake. Somehow Noth had stripped away a layer of hard shell around my soul that allowed me to reunite with Evie and accept his words now.
“I needed to deserve that, Noth.”
“Do you?” he asked.
“I’m getting there.”
His eyes started to glow a hellish red. The dreamscape made them smoke and burn. “Well, that will have to be close enough. I can’t be apart from you anymore. I will run the territory from Ward’s outhouse if I have to.”
“Bite me.”
His Nightmare was on me in a blink. A wolf with dragon scales and a few extra limbs caged me to the ground.
“Don’t say it if you don’t mean it, Maggie,” he rumbled.
“I do mean it. I will never stop learning how to be better but I know enough not to get us killed. Maybe enough not to break your heart by just being me. I don’t want a wedding. So bite me.”
“Oh, I will, my little assassin. But if you will indulge me, I can promise it will be worth it.”
Excitement bubbled up into my kiss as his Elven face emerged. I wanted to start again with Noth. His choice. My choice. With no Fate or power-ups or territories or mates between us. Two psychos against the Harrowlands.
“You’ll have to make it worth it.”
“And you’ll have to trust me, Maggie.”
“I do, Noth.”
I did.
Chapter 24
Maggie
Even though I knew, rationally, magic was going to hold up this dress, I couldn’t stop hauling it up over my securely covered boobs. It was absolutely backless and my shoulders remained completely bare.
