“We will,” I whisper.
Keane gives me a serious look, his eyes finally leaving mine as they fall to my lips and then along my arms, taking in my slightly shaking hand that’s holding his canteen. He reaches out with a small smile and takes the drink gently from my grip, stashing it back on Ash and away from the two of us as we round a corner to the third gate.
Keane slowly dismounts from Ash and then looks back at me, his posture tall and commanding. I take a deep breath as my full body and heart starts to tremble, then smile to Keane before I move slowly off of Millie. The Prince takes a strong step forward and takes the reins from my hand, letting his grip tighten around my shaking fingers. I grab onto his steady hold and feel a new anticipation route itself deep within me, knowing what is about to come next…
Keane brings my hand slowly up to his lips and catches my gaze, his brown eyes calm in their intensity. He looks over me in question, asking if I’m ready, and it doesn’t even take a blink for me to give the easiest nod of my life to this man.
Keane’s smile from behind my hand says everything I need to know about our next steps forward. He presses his lips gently against my fingers and then nips at my knuckle, the small sting making me gasp as his grin grows wider.
“Let’s do this, trouble,” he smiles in amusement.
I nearly groan.
Keane lowers my hand and turns around to the soldiers waiting for us at the gate, both of who are properly averting their gazes elsewhere until the Prince motions for their attention. Stormfall pushes off his shoulder and glides high into the deep red and orange sky at the same time, the Bird of Ash bounding through the gate with a caw that tells us he’ll be fine on his own.
“Castle Gaumond,” Keane tells the soldiers, handing one of them both of our reins, “full food and water. Have our packs brought to my quarters.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” the soldier bows in acknowledgement and takes a step back, leading the horses up the rising path to the castle. Keane turns to me from our stance in the middle of the road and holds out his hand again, his gaze catching mine and willing me to move forward with him. I shakingly reach my own hand out to his, laughing when he leans in and tugs me straight to his side. I can’t help but smile at his assertiveness and feel him give my hand a tight squeeze, the two of starting our stride down the hill with grins on our faces.
Keane drops my hand in our walk only to slap my ass, his brown eyes turning playful when he sees me jump.
“We’re not done, trouble,” he smirks.
I hold my breath and nod, biting my lip.
“The last time I wanted you fully, Alexis,” he grins, letting his eyes dance over my face, “before I get to have you whenever I want...”
My step faulters next to him.
“Are you ready to hear it? Because it may just be the most important of them all.”
I take a quick step out of his reach, dodging his hand reaching for my ass again. How can anything be more important than what he’s already told me? His words, though sensual, cut deep into my soul every time they fall from his lips.
“Yes,” I breathe, embracing the anticipation.
Keane gives me a playful scowl when I move away from his wandering hand again, the two of us inching closer and closer to the fields and barracks. He watches me from the side, watches as my hair catches in the breeze and flies behind my face.
“The second night of court in Bardot…” he smiles.
“You are a force of your own, Alexis. Never forget that. You entered court that night and commanded not just the room, but everyone around you. You held your head high, not bothering nor caring for the glances and comments that passed at the sight of Stormfall and Golem with you. You stared down the Prince of Livyatan and gave him a cold smile of recognition, again proving your strong equivalent. You spoke to my father not only as his equal but also as his friend, causing everyone around you to look at you in a new and curious light. You embraced your table of mixed Warrior as your own and willed the others around you to do the same. You took on a seasoned table of Discerni men and their wives and approached them with calculating grace, challenging every one of them and their self-assured beliefs…”
My heart is racing,no,pounding. It’s taking everything in me to keep one foot in front of the other, listening to his words.
“If you were mine in that moment,fully, I truly would’ve taken you under the Great Oak and given you the pleasure you so rightly deserved.”
My breath catches in my chest as we walk past the barracks and into the small woods, my body heating beyond belief.
“And when you denied the strongest Prince of Livyatan your time on the veranda, we watched you walk away strong.Iwatched you walk away in strength…”
Keane stops in his walk and lets his heated gaze hit the side of my face, “and all I could think of when I watched you depart was that I was looking at aQueen.”
My feet completely stop at Keane’s words.
I turn to him slowly,sharply, and nearly stumble from my heavy body trying to understand the true meaning to what he just said. Keane is on me with his Discerni speed, his hands holding my waist tight as he stands in front of me, his full chest and shoulders hovering over mine.
I look up at him, unable to stop the trembles that rock my body from head to toe. My face openly furrows at a thought that has never once graced my mind.
Queen.
