“You’d better go get ready for the ceremony, Sylv, before Iandmy creature spark the unrelenting urge toconsummatethis early.” Jack rubbed my shoulder, his eyes falling shut, and gulped harshly. He snapped his fingers, and a young woman scurried from the shadows, dressed in a light blue dress with billowing sleeves and silver bordering.
“Yes, m’lord?” She had deep auburn hair that fell to her hips with several braids held together with silver cords. Her hazel eyes lit up when she glanced over to me, grinning as if she already knew what the command would be.
“Take Lady Sylvaria to the coronation chambers and see to it that she’s ready by sunset for the ceremony. Her dress and robe should have already been delivered.” Jack spoke to the woman, but kept his azure gaze fixed on me.
“Of course, my lord,” the handmaiden responded, curtsying. “My lady, will you please follow me?”
“Until sunset? How ever shall I cope being away from you that long?” I flashed him a devious grin.
“I’ll make it up to you later tonight,” Jack responded, swatting my ass to encourage me to go with the handmaiden.
The handmaiden’s cheeks turned rosy, and she nonchalantly itched her nose with a knuckle to hide her smile.
Following beside her, I stretched my wings and continued to take in the palace décor. “My name is Sylvaria, but everyone calls me Sylvie. What’s your name?”
“Arryn, my lady.” She offered a warm smile and walked with her hands clasped in front of her.
Sunlight now peeked through the stained-glass windows, casting a glittering radiance over the columns, floor, and archways in the hallway.
“Nice to meet you. Do you mind if I ask how long you’ve been serving the king?”
A tall male fae dressed in a white chef’s uniform power-walked past us. There were several brown stains on his shirt, and his expression bordered on terrified. Frowning at this, I opened my mouth to ask Arryn about it, but she spoke first.
“I joined his majesty over twenty winters ago,” Arryn answered, undeterred by the panicked chef who’d scurried past.
I glanced over my shoulder at the man picking up speed as he neared a door, but paid it no mind since Arryn didn’t seem to think it a big deal. “Twenty? Wow. I guess you know him pretty well, then?
“As much as one could in the very few conversations we’ve had.” Smiling, Arryn opened an opal door with silver accents on our right and ushered me inside. “I’d imagine I don’t know him as much as you, my lady.”
Arryn has known him for over twenty years. I learned a lot about him in the short time Jack and I had known each other, but it was still unsettling how much there was still to discover.
Pausing at the doorway, I drummed my fingernails on the frame. “A connection like what Jakzair and I have is a celestial wonder.”
Arryn’s eyes brightened. “Sounds incredibly romantic.”
“Yes.” My stomach fluttered at the notion of Jack being my mate, being mine, and soon to be myking. “It is.”
The room was smaller than the others I’d seen thus far—a cozy, dimly-lit room where the only illumination was orange hues provided by the flames from dozens of candles. A circular white-marbled tub with steaming cerulean water was in the center, facing three windows bordered by grey stone that offereda picturesque view of the snowy mountains. Matching the rest of the castle, stone archways curved toward the ceiling, meeting in the center with Nordic designs carved into every other rock. A mirror bordered with Nordic knots carved out of wood rested to the left of the tub, a basin on a wooden table beneath it. Several towels hung on pegs around the room, and several green fern plants accented the corners.
“If you wouldn’t mind removing your clothes. The bath is to temperature already, and I’ve added milk and lilac.” Arryn stuck her finger into the water, swirling it, and nodding when she was satisfied.
This was to be my life now. To go from a winter faerie shunned by my own people, to a bakery owner in a monster town, to the Winter Queen. Life sure loved to keep things interesting, even for an immortal one.
Removing my dress, I looked for a place to set it, but Arryn held out her arms with a grin. Draping the garment over them, I smiled and moved to the tub’s edge, the lilac scent wafting from the vapors putting me in a euphoric daze.
“Your wings are beautiful, my lady.” Arryn stood at my side, staring at my wings with wide eyes. She tilted her head as I fanned them, catching the flames’ reflection in the crystallized patterns.
“Thank you, Arryn,” I responded warmly before dipping my toe into the water. Suppressing a groan at how positively perfect it felt, I shut my eyes and sank until the only thing not submerged was my head.
We spent the better part of an hour chatting and getting to know one another now that she’d be my everyday maiden. I encouraged her to sit on the edge of the tub rather than stand at attention the entire time. Arryn was from a long line of woodland fae and, unfortunately, lost most of her family in a ruthless rebellion war with the sky fae. It left only herand her two younger siblings. To provide for them, she sought employment from the Winter King.
I told her all about my past as well, about Arcane Cove and how Jack’s portal finally brought him to me. Arryn remained starry-eyed during the entire story, and only when my fingers began to prune did our conversation end. She helped me into my coronation gown and robes and fastened my jewelry. She pulled bunches of my hair, creating a centerpiece at the back of my head, and making the rest of my hair hang in wavy tendrils. The kingdom’s snowflake crest was the final piece, a glittering diamond hairpin she secured on the right side.
When I rose from the chair and stared at my reflection in the mirror, I became a whirlwind of emotions. A part of me hardly recognized myself, whereas another part of me, a sliver buried so deep I hadn’t noticed it there before, knew that I was finally seeingmyselffor the first time.
Standing in my quarters,I peered at myself in my full-length mirror with an icy silver border. My assistant insisted on helping me into my coronation suit, but as I’d always told him, dressing myself helped me feel normal and would until my reign was over. However, it wasn’t as if that day would ever come. And that was fine—morethan fine now that I found Sylvie. I no longer dreaded spending the rest of eternityalone.
I adjusted the pearlescent cufflinks on each end of my jacket. This would be the first and last time the kingdom would see a ceremony such as this. I’d performed countless knighting ceremonies over the centuries, but never placed a crown on a woman’s head, declaring her my mate and queen.
