Pillows flew everywhere as the sheet came flying off. Calix looked too proud of himself, even as we were both nailed in the face with pillows. I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up, literally bent over as I tried to stop. Calix let out a rumbling laugh as he pulled me up.
“The poor servants are going to hate us,” I gasped out, trying to stop laughing.
“Hmm.” Calix hummed, his hand tangling in my hair. “I’ll give them a raise.”
I couldn’t help laughing again as his lips met mine.
Chapter Fifty-two
Calix
Peacefully wakingup to Asteria in my arms, back in my bed, was the best start to a morning I could ask for. The pounding on my door, however, I could have done without.
“Argh,” I groaned loudly, snapping at whoever was at the door. “What?”
“I drew the short straw and have been nominated to tell you that you two have slept until lunchtime after being gone for a Tartarus damned week,” Baach called out. “So it’s time to get your asses out of bed!”
I groaned again, turning to bury my face in Asteria’s hair. I cracked an eye open, checking the hair I’d glimpsed turning into the night sky itself while we shared blood, in the moment the magic surged around us. To my surprise, her hair definitely was a bit darker than when we’d left, but it wasn’t quite as dark as the night sky, nor was it shimmering with starlight.
I shook my head lightly at my own fanciful imaginings. Asteria stretched her limbs, groaning softly as she roused. I smiled slightly, amused as always by the angry little kitten she resembled as she woke up.
A loud pounding on the door had me rolling my eyes. “I get it! Give us a few to wake up and get dressed, will you?”
“Fine,” Baach sighed, sounding incredibly put upon. “But only because I didn’t want to do this in the first place!”
Asteria cracked her own eyes open just to roll them, making me snicker. I pressed my forehead against hers, whispering, “Good morning, my réalta.”
“Mmm. Good morning, my dorchadas,” she cooed sleepily, pressing her lips to mine softly. We indulged in the intimacy for a moment before she pulled back.
“Was that Baach I heard?” she asked, her leg curving around mine. I squeezed her silky thigh and ran my hand up and down her skin, wishing we had enough time to laze around in bed for a while.
One day, we’d have that kind of time. That kind of peace.
“Unfortunately.” I snorted softly. “He was apparently nominated to let us know that it’s been a week since they’ve seen us, and they’ve grown impatient.”
“A week?!” she asked, eyes going wide as she half sat up in alarm.
“Apparently.” I nodded grimly. “I figured there might be some distortion between realms. I’m just glad it was only a week.”
“Still.” She stressed, gripping the edge of the blanket and twisting it in her hands. “That’s an entire week Cyrus had?—”
“Asteria.” I interrupted before she could work herself into a panic. I sat up, grabbing her shoulders and making her look at me. “Part of being a ruler is accepting that you can’t be everywhere at once. Learning to trust and depend on your people to do what needs doing in your absence is important. We had plenty of people here who were working hard while we were gone. We have a war council already waiting. We’ll learn what’s happened and plan our next steps. Okay?”
Asteria sighed, deflating. She shook her head before it dipped down, and I reached out a finger to put under her chin and raise it back up.
“I’m not very good at that. Trusting other people to do things for me,” she admitted, heavily. “I’m going to be a shitty ruler.” I shook my own head in protest now.
“Absolutely not. I’m not surprised you have trouble trusting others after the life you’ve led,” I told her softly, making sure she felt my understanding. “It will come with time, I promise. You’re not going to be a bad ruler.”
“I have no idea what I’m doing, Calix,” she argued, her brows creasing, and I could feel the fear and shame roiling around inside her. “They made me their queen, but I have no idea how to rule a kingdom or lead an army. You do so much that I don’t even know about! All those cities and villages and people. I don’t?—”
She cut herself off, her head falling into my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her back, sympathy pouring through me. She’d been pulled out of slavery and handed responsibility that no one had ever taught her to deal with. And while I could help her with this war, she knew she’d have to learn all of this for herself, too. I’d spent years training under my father before I ended up on the throne; she didn’t have that advantage.
“I will be here every step of the way, okay?” I promised, running my hands up and down her back. “I’ll help you learn every bit of the boring day-to-day of ruling and all the complexities of wartime. You’re going to be just fine. Better than even. Anyone can be taught the logistics of ruling, but not everyone has the spirit it takes to lead.You do.”
Asteria looked up, a desperate hope shining in her eyes like she wished she could believe me more than anything else.
“You really think so?” she asked quietly, her fingers tangling in my long hair.
