Interlacing our fingers, I pressed a kiss to each of her knuckles. “Do you remember using your magic as a child?”
The skin across her forehead wrinkled, as if she were digging into repressed memories. “Vaguely. But that was such a long time ago. I’d do little tricks like making ice roses or little cars for my friends. We’d chase each other in the forests, and they’d sometimes get mad because my wings were bigger than theirs.”
The wings flapped once, and I reached a hand toward them, tracing the edges in an effort to soothe them—to sootheher.
“Everyone else’s powers were nature-based—flowers, trees, sunlight. I never told anyone that I could create far larger things than small trinkets. In fact, I held back so much that I often wondered if I could make an entire castle if I tried hard enough.”
Gently pushing her back by her shoulders so our gazes met, I said, “Why don’t you try, then? These woods are the perfect opportunity for you to see what you can do, Syl. Go beyond what you did before.”
Her previous fears almost instantaneously had her curling her knees to her chest. “Jack, I don’t?—”
When she turned her head from me, I brought it back with a single finger under her chin. “Letgo, Sylvaria. You can’t hurt anyone or anything here. What do you have to lose?”’
Determination straightened her face, and she pushed to her feet, hands clenched at her sides and wings pressing together at her back. She turned her gaze to me, brows arching as if to ask a final time if I was sure she should do it. Rising, I opened my palm to her, creating a sheer, shimmering robe of glittering silver snowflakes over her gorgeous, porcelain body.
“Show me what you got, faerie,” I encouraged, holding my arm to the side and stepping back.
Sylvie lifted her chin and took in her surroundings before first throwing her left hand out, spirals of her snowy magic twirling through the air but conjuring nothing yet. Smiling, she flicked her right hand now, repeating the action but adding interweaving tendrils of blue. She used her wings to sprint deeper into the woods, and I was quick to follow, still ass naked just the way I preferred.
My mate found a clearing surrounded by thick birch trees as if it were waiting for her to fill the space. She chewed on her bottom lip before poising her hands at the snow-covered ground, spinning circles, ice spreading around her like a skating rink. I folded my arms, watching her unbridled and entirely in her element. Having the opportunity to witness this, her first time using her powers in any way she pleased without fear? Winter’s blessing, I must have been the luckiest son of a bitch in the universe.
Once satisfied with the icy ground, she swirled her arms, the blue, white, and shimmering silver magic continuing to coil in ornate patterns. A spiral staircase formed next, followed by several pillars, rising past the tree tops. She ran barefoot for the stairs, her wings flapping excitedly, and ascended the frozen steps. I calmly followed her, taking my time with each stair, watching her tits and ass bounce through that sheer, shimmery fabric as she made her way upward.
When she reached the top, she thrust her hands at the skies, forming a roof over our heads. When she was done, though it was entirely iced over, I could still see the wintry grey clouds and the aurora borealis shimmering in its glorious green, yellow, and pink hues like a magical sky light. Sylvie’s arms fell slack at her sides, and her chest heaved. She was breathless and exhausted, but that radiant smile never faded.
“I want to do more, but I think I might pass out if I push it.” Sylvie’s hands moved to her hips, and she gazed at her handiwork, her eyes glistening with tears.
Appearing behind her, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pressed my cheek to hers. “How do you feel?”
“Free, Jack,” she breathed out, leaning against me and letting me support her. “Free.”
I tenderly kissed her head and took a moment to gaze at the icy fortress she’d started. “You know, this may be even more impressive than our actual castle.”
Sylvie perked at this, whirling on a heel to face me. “Ourcastle?”
Chuckling, I bopped her nose with a single finger. “Yes. Did you forget the part about you becoming the Winter Queen?”
Sylvie frowned, her hands curling under her chin. “I suppose I did.”
“Are you still alright with all of this?” Gently, I rubbed the tip of her ear as she’d done with mine.
She melted against my touch before suddenly burying her face into my chest. “Yes, I just don’t know the first thing about being a queen,” she confessed, her words muffling against my skin.
Grinning, I curled my arms around her and rested my chin atop her head. “Small steps, Sylvie. You don’t have to learn it all in a day or even a month. I’ve been doing this alone for thousands of years.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, peeling back to peer at me with those amethyst eyes that still managed to captivate me.
“You know, we could keep coming back here to add onto your creation. Both of us.” I took her hand and led her away from the stairs, pulsing magic from my other hand to finish the second ice floor. “We could make it a refuge of sorts. An escape.”
Sylvie’s eyes brightened as she watched me use my powers. “I’d love that.” Her grip tightened against my palm. “But Jack, what about Diedre?”
“We’ll deal with her when we have to. I’m still willing to let her have her smaller kingdom if she agrees to leave us the fuck alone, or else I’ll banish her to live with the goblins.” I clenched my jaw, wishing I could get rid of her entirely at times. She’d have soughtmydemise eons ago if she were able. “I’m certain she’ll show up at the most inconvenient time, and when that happens, we’ll deal with it. For now, we have your coronation to plan.”
Sylvie draped a hand over her face, but still smiled. “Have I told you I loathe being the center of attention?”
“You’d better get used to it, faerie,” I teased, tugging her closer. Peeling her fingers from her eyes, I added, “Because the public eye’s one thing, but you’llalwaysbe the center ofmyuniverse.”
Sylvie bit back a sheepish smile, and her cheeks turned rosy. She gasped and slapped a hand on her face. “Jack, Iblushed. I actually blushed.”
