“You hunted me through the Forgetful Forest!”
“Daddy!” Samara cried.
“It was a part of our courtship, darling.” Arach kissed Samara's forehead. “You'll understand when you get older.”
“Courtship?” I scoffed. “We will discuss this later because what I have to say to you is not suitable for little ears.”
“A Thaisce,” Arach said coaxingly.
“Nope.” I waved an imperious finger at him, then went back to reading. “Rivella's gown was made of silver spider-silk and velvet. It billowed around her with the slightest breeze, making it appear as if she walked through clouds.”
“Your mother has a dress of spider silk lace,” Arach said to Sam.
“You do?” Samara looked up at me.
“Yes, your father gave it to me,” I said primly. “It must be his go-to gift for women.”
“Go-to?” Sam frowned.
“Something he gives to everyone. Oh, she's a girl, so I'll give her a dress.”
“I like dresses,” Samara said.
“A Thaisce, I've given you many wondrous dresses, including gowns of fire. More importantly, I've given you those rings on your finger.”
He nodded at my wedding ring set—a delicate gold band atop a thicker one set with a massive ruby. I only wore them in Faerie.
“Enough about dresses,” Rian said before I could respond to Arach. “This isn't a very good story, Mom.”
“It's barely begun,” Brev said. “Give a chance.”
“Don't like? Then leave,” Samara huffed, then laid back. “This ismystory!”
I snorted. “She told you.”
“Fine.” Rian sighed deeply but also looked at me expectantly.
And so I continued to read, “After braiding her hair, Rivella emerged from the forest. The villagers were heading to Castle Crith-Fuinn, and she joined the throng, but people soon pulled away from her to stare at her in wonder. One little girl tried to touch Rivella's dress, but her mother jerked her back and nodded respectfully at Rivella. Although her race was obvious, the villagers hadn't been wary of her. Not in her traveling clothes. But the fine dress she wore was suitable for a lady, not a common faerie. And there was no good reason for a Fire Fey lady to be walking among them. A lady in such fine clothes should be riding to Crith-Fuinn in a carriage. But Rivella wasn't a noblewoman, only a favored lover of her king.” I paused again to glare at Arach.
“Yes, all right,” Arach huffed. “She was my lover for a while. But I wouldn't call her favored.”
“How many lovers did you have, Dad?” Rian asked eagerly.
“You see!” I pointed at Rian, then at Arach. “This is why he has such terrible ideas about sexual conduct.”
Arach grimaced and hunched in on himself.
I turned back to Rian. “Your father was not acting appropriately.Youwill do better. Do you understand me, Rian?”
“Oh, for fire's sake, Vervain,” Arach grumbled. “Dragon-Sidhes need to take lovers. Many lovers! They have passion!”
Samara's eyes went wide and ping-ponged back and forth between us.
“Our sons will not behave like licentious libidinous libertines!”
“Those words all mean the same thing,” Arach drawled.
“It needed to be emphasized.”
