Merrick might scold me for teasing his mother with a shadow, but she’d deserved it. I couldn’t shove aside the horror I’d felt when I looked down on my plate to find bugs crawling across it. Not only that, but she’d also changed the table to a steep cliff, and one look over the side had made my belly lurch. I’d felt like I was falling.
Why would she do something that mean to her new daughter-in-law?
Jealousy, perhaps. I was stepping between her and Merrick, though that was never my intention.
I would soon wear the crown she considered her own.
I drifted to sleep with the memory of Lore’s satisfied smirk, though in my dreams, I kissed Merrick.
In the morning, I took a long walk with Farris in the woods behind the castle, my guards and ladies clustered around me with magic licking across their fingers. Thankfully, we encountered no threats. Since Lord Briscalar said he had everything handled, I lounged in my suite until it was time to get ready.
My ladies puttered around my rooms.
When it was nearly time, a knot started forming in my belly. I slid off the sofa and walked into my bedroom, announcing it was time to get ready, finding my new ladies-in-waiting standing in front of the bed with their faces beaming. They parted, revealing a gown draped across the surface, one of such ethereal beauty it had to have been crafted by fairies. The silver fabric shimmered with threads of rich red, casting a warm glow across the room.
“It looks too pretty to wear,” I said, standing close but not daring to touch it.
“Isn’t it lovely?” Pink climbed into Moira’s face. “King Merrick himself designed it.”
“It’s gorgeous.” My husband had wonderful taste.
They helped me bathe and dress, taking care not to snag any of the red strands weaving through the silver fabric. The dress brushed cooly against my skin, and as they secured each tiny fastening in the back, I looked in the mirror, my reflection beyond belief. The gown clung to my figure, flaring out at the hips in a cascade of magical luxury. After they’d finished, I twirled, watching the red threads catch the light. No other gown would ever compare.
“Hair, next.” Command came through in Calista’s voice. She pointed toward the chair placed in front of the vanity, thoughthe sparkle in her eyes softened her words. “If you please, my queen,” she added.
I sat, and my ladies continued to work, weaving my hair into an intricate arrangement. Their nimble fingers tweaked and curled each strand, tucking bits here and there, securing them with silver pins until it swirled in intricate waves across the top of my head. I watched in the mirror as they transformed me from a lady into a queen.
The reflection staring back at me after was one of regal poise, a woman ready to claim her crown and her court.
Calista clapped her hands. “Your face next.”
They plied me with a powder that smoothed the appearance of my skin yet made it subtly sparkle. A pale pink color soon blushed my cheeks and lips, and whatever they put on my lashes darkened them and made them appear at least twice their normal length. Once they’d finished, I rose and stared at my image in the tall mirror, unable to believe my appearance.
“Gorgeous,” Faelith whispered.
“Stunning,” Calista added with a nod.
Moira’s tear-filled eyes met mine in the mirror. “My queen. No one will outshine you tonight.”
“You're right.” I grinned, giving each of them a hug. “Thank you so much.”
I stared into the mirror some more, turning this way and that to admire myself from all angles. Excitement danced along with my tension, entwining down my spine to make me fidget. With a laugh, I spun again, lost in the magic of the moment. Farris barked and hopped around me, his tail wagging wildly.This Reyla just might be worthy of the crown that would soon rest on her head.
My ladies fluffed my puffy capped sleeves and smoothed the skirt's fabric. Calista tucked back a stray strand of loose hair, securing it with yet another silver pin. They joined me in the mirror, talking about my appearance before Calista frowned.
Silence sucked away their laughter, though their eyes still glowed. When they turned toward the open doorway, I did too.
Merrick stood there; his eyes locked on me. A world of emotions swirled in his gaze: admiration, respect, affection, and a deep, unmistakable desire that sparked through me in heavy waves.
As if I was thumped in the chest, my heart came to a standstill. I took inhisappearance. He wore rich dark red now, adorned with touches of silver, the perfect opposite of my dress. His deep brown hair hung around his face in a thick tussle, and I wanted to run my fingers through it, mess it up just to show the world that I could. No,that he was mine. His dark pants blended into his shoes as he strode toward me, his gaze never leaving my face. This man wanted more than just kisses; he wanted a future with me.
A lifetime of dreams fulfilled.
Only a twinge of sadness tangled in my belly. Kinart would want this for me. If only we could’ve had more.
Butthiswas the new life I'd sought when I left the fortress, not knowing if I'd survive even one day in the realm of the fae. The overwhelming sense of joy and anticipation flooding my veins could no longer be denied.
My past was Kinart, but my future . . . It belonged to this man alone.
