King Eldirard positioned his isle on the edges of the Ever Kingdom and the far seas, open waters leading to lands I did not know.
As part of the treaty, Bloodsinger insisted the king keep the isle within sight until the vows; keep enemies close. Now, with the alliance secured, the elven king would be free to shift his lands out of the sights of sea fae if he desired.
By the water’s edge Eldirard beamed like a man long starved who’d been given a feast. He bid farewell to the folk boarding the ships.
Celine Tidecaller had her crew loading their decks with belongings for Mira’s clans. Bloodsinger and his dark Ever Ship were anchorednearest to the shore and would take the Night Folk fae, Livia’s people. In truth, the sea king and queen would likely remain in the Northern realms for a week or so. They always did.
Cerulean sails hoisted along a ship with a narrow hull were positioned nearest to our dock. Gavyn was Celine’s brother and had been tasked with sailing our clan home.
A hand struck my shoulder. Aleksi, clad in his Rave tunic and sword, tugged me against his chest, clapping me on the back. “I’m bidding you farewell and good luck.”
“I have no need of it. I’m already the grandest husband in all the lands.”
Aleksi stepped back and glanced over one of my shoulders where Skadi remained stoic and distant. “How was last night?”
“What sort of man do you take me for? It’s improper to share the secrets of a bedchamber.”
“The way you stumbled from the hall, I wasn’t certain if you’d make it to your room, or if she’d kill you for being such a fool along the way.”
“Elven wine is ruthless,” I said with a shrug.
“No jests, Jo—how are you with all this?”
Moments from the previous night were lost in a drunken fog. Bits and pieces of anger, a compulsion to get to Skadi’s side, and whispered words I could not recall before I fell into nothingness. I could tell Alek nothing had changed. I could tell him I felt little, but it wouldn’t be entirely true.
I didn’t understand it, but somewhere inside was the phantom tug of a possessive need to be nearer to the woman. To only her.
Never had I desired one woman. After turns of bedding many, I convinced my own heart it was not made to settle on one.
Now I couldn’t get her damn face from my mind.
I gave him a quicksilver grin. “I survived my first night as a vowed man, and she didn’t murder me out of annoyance. We will survive at least one more.”
Aleksi’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t be a sod and you might survive longer.”
Farewells between the fae kingdoms were rife in fanfare and mourning,as though we would not see each other numerous times through the seasons. Kings and queens—the men and women forever embedded in my life—all offered their well wishes to Skadi.
My wife was a cunning sneak, a beautiful trickster. Clearly, the woman knew how to mask her unease.
With each word offered to her from the kings, queens, and courtiers, welcoming her to the fae lands, Skadi would dip her chin politely. She would paste on a proper smile. She’d even take a hand or two. But where she thought no one would notice, a finger would flick by her side, or her cheek would sink inward, as though she were gnawing on it.
The other kingdoms were making efforts to welcome a new princess, but she’d yet to be alone with my mother and father.
Kase and Malin Eriksson loved fiercely, but they were a suspicious pair, always seeking out that cruel ulterior motive in those they did not know. No mistake, my folk would lurk in the shadows until they’d observed long enough to emerge.
Bells rang from the ships. I blew out a breath and went to her side.
“It’s time.”
A lance of pain dimmed her eyes. Skadi looked once more behind us as though memorizing the trees, the sea mists, and the thatched rooftops of the palace.
I shouldered one of her satchels, feeling a great deal like a villain in her life. “We’ll return soon.”
“No matter.” She cleared her throat and faced the sea. “This was part of the expectations. Shall we go?”
I offered a curt nod and walked with her down the docks to the small row boats that would take us to Gavyn’s ship, while elven guards kept three paces behind. Eldirard awaited us with the same two guards who’d stood beside him on the dais during the vows.
The king wore a fur-lined cloak on his shoulders that winged out when he opened his arms wide.
