“I am furious.” Livia curled her hand over Erik’s shoulder, looking half earth fae and half sea fae. She kept her hair tied back with a scarf much like her mate’s, but her gown was wholly Night Folk, simple and hemmed in silver. “Hello, Skadi. I’m not as furious with you, but I am a little.”
“Well pardon me, you royal asses,” I said. “I’ve been rather occupied with other things and could not spare the time to write you.”
Livia frowned. The sort of frown I’d known since I was born. If we were on land she would tangle me up in roots and vines with her tricky fury magic. Livia could summon practically anything from the soil, even heal deadened land.
I had been a prisoner of her earthen chains more than once.
“Don’t look at me like that, Livie. You did not write me when you were with Bloodsinger.”
“Well, that was an entirely different circumstance, now wasn’t it?”
Erik flashed a wicked grin. “If you wanted to try something different, love, you could fight me like that first night. I could chase you.”
Livia returned a heated stare to her lover before recalling she was meant to be angry. “I’ve written to both of you.”
Skadi stepped forward. “In my defense, Queen, I do have a reply at the ready. But I merely didn’t get around to sending it before we left.”
“A little better.” Livia pinned me in her narrow glare. “You are another matter, and I like Skadi more now.”
I nodded. “Wise choice, Liv.”
“Are we doing this?” Erik grumbled. “I’d like to be on my way. I am told our palace is about to be invaded with more earth fae.”
Livia chuckled. “Only Mira.”
“Feels like ten souls when she arrives, love.”
“The only one to blame is yourself, Erik,” I called back. “You brought us all to you by taking Liv. Never forget that.”
The sea king tried to look aggravated, but the besotted fool couldnot whenever he looked at his queen. Like the constant traffic of folk from the earth realms to his solitary sea palace was worth it all as long as he had Livia.
“We’ll see you to the shore,” Livia shouted down. “Then once this week is up I expect you both to write me some damn letters.” She paused. “How are you finding your vows? Better? Hate each other?”
Skadi and I shared a glance. I threaded her fingers with mine and kissed her knuckles. “Blissful, Livie.”
Bloodsinger faced his crew and barked orders to light the spears. Curious weapons that burst in flames and shot burning stones with a deafening boom. We did not have such weapons back home, but the Ever Ship was lined in them.
I kept Skadi close as the Ever Ship aimed its hull toward the empty mists ahead.
An echo of the command to fire rolled from Bloodsinger down to a crewman near the bow.
Skadi’s hands covered her tapered ears when blasts shot from the ship in fiery clouds of ash and gold. The force of it rattled to my bones, a signal of our arrival.
In moments, thick, stormy mists faded and shadows of mountainous peaks took shape. Dark, sandy shores spilled into the tides. Trees, thick enough nothing could be seen between the limbs, shaped alongside spires of a looming palace in the distance.
Natthaven.
Skadi’s smile was genuine and soft, but there was the slightest twitch of unease there.
“I expect to see this hideaway you spoke of, the one where you watch the star showers.”
Her eyes brightened with my fire. “Stärnskott will be tomorrow evening. I think you’ll love it.”
I didn’t care what we did; I simply wanted to be with her.
Hells, I was as besotted as Bloodsinger.
“Take care, Prince.” The Ever King shouted down, the first hint he might care a little about my life. “I don’t trust your folk, elven.”
