Eldirard grunted. “Skadinia was provided a regal education on matters suited for her duties. Surely she can find something more useful to do while you are on your journeys than cavorting about warrior camps, listening to chatter on things she does not understand.”
Skadi’s shoulders slouched. I covered her hand on my leg and squeezed her fingers.
There was a retort on my tongue, sharp as broken glass, but it wasthe first damn night. For Skadi’s sake, I could keep the peace. At least until morning. “I’ll leave that decision to her, sire.”
Once more the nobles and the king lost interest in my words and turned back to their conversations about elven clans and plans to potentially move the fading isle deeper into the far seas. Seemed Bloodsinger’s nearness unsettled them.
All at once, I choked on a bite of sweet ice when Skadi’s hand slid dangerously high on my thigh, her fingers running along the seam of my trousers.
“All right, Prince Jonas?” Eldirard asked.
I pounded a fist to my chest, and held up a hand, nodding.
Skadi shifted in her seat, digging into her own sweet, with a pompous smile on her beautiful lips.
Gods, she would pay for that later.
Somewhere deep in the palace a bell tolled the late hour. Sweaty, naked, and tangled up in Skadi’s limbs, I stared at the eaves overhead. Each beam was carved in beautiful symbols of stars and moons and frosted peaks.
“Skadi,” I whispered.
“Hmm.”
“What interests you?”
She lifted her head off my chest. “What do you mean?”
I tucked one of my arms behind my head, my other hand running up and down the length of her spine. “What we spoke about tonight. Duties, tasks, what sort of things interest you? I was tasked with the armory because I love the Rave. Sander handles trade and textiles because he loves balancing numbers and probably enjoys skimming a few things off the top.”
She chuckled and nestled against my heart again. “I don’t know. I learned to fight because I was expected to defend myself, but all mylessons were on etiquette, stitching, or languages. They were designed to teach me to be a docile, pious queen to my husband, Jonas.”
“Would you want to have a duty in Klockglas?”
Skadi twisted to meet my stare. “You want my involvement?”
“I want you to fill your days how you wish, Fire.”
Skadi didn’t speak for a long pause, fingers tracing each of my tattooed symbols. “You’ve mentioned the great fae battles when you were young. Both your men and women take to the battlefield, so I assume some littles lost their mothers and fathers. That is my interest.”
Skadi spoke as though her voice were nothing more than a whisper in a storm.
I laughed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “What are you saying? You’re being bashful about something, and although I do love when your face flushes, I’m a little lost in this.”
“Orphans, lost littles. I have an interest in seeing they’re fed, clothed, warm, and possibly have a few fae tales to read when they wish to escape to another land. I tried to encourage ideas here, but Grandfather and the nobles insisted such littles were fed in Grynstad young houses. I don’t think they are cared for, though. I think the littles are sent to work throughout the light elven lands for the pay of a cot and some bread to eat.”
She cleared her throat. “Rumors of those houses were why I ran after my mother and father died. The royal guard came for me, but I was terrified of those places. I want to do better for other littles; I know what it is to be alone in the world.”
Unable to speak for a moment, I used one knuckle to tilt her face, giving me access to take those lips. I kissed her, soft and gentle, but her eyes were glassy with need when I pulled back.
“You are soft inside, Fire.”
“Not a monster?”
“Be monstrous, be gentle, and be kind. I want you every way.” I kissed her cheek, grinning. “You’ll want to speak with Von.”
Her brow arched. “Why?”
“He works with the Night Folk First Knight and his wife to see that littles who were orphaned during wars as infants, or those littles wholose their folk to disease, are clothed and fed with warm beds to sleep. What else would you want to see done?”
