He tugged his fingers from my core and licked them before his arms wrapped around me, holding me close. His soft, soothing kisses peppered along my jawline and up to my temple.
The world seemed to right itself, and I realized with a startthat we’d left the woods and were nearing the front of the castle.
Merrick gently disentangled himself from me, tugging my skirt down to give me some achingly silly sense of propriety. His gaze lingered on my flushed face with a warmth that made my heart flutter more than it should.
“Welcome home, my queen.” His voice growled with a quiet pride that tugged at something deep inside me.
I swallowed hard, but nothing was going to take me back to the person I’d been when I boarded the ship at Lydel. I’d come to Evergorne as a willing bride, though only by my need to serve in duty and honor. That woman was gone. Something had shifted inside me, a whirlwind of change that I was only beginning to understand. It centered around this man who leaned forward to shield my body from view with his own.
The carriage came to a stop, and I gaped at the enormous castle.
A group of people left the front entrance and strode down the stairs to the first of many stone platforms leading to the cobblestone driveway where our carriage waited.
“Merrick. Son,” a woman said in a haughty tone as I hastily made sure my nipples weren’t trying to gouge their way through my bodice and that my gown skimmed demurely around my ankles. Farris jumping into the carriage gave me something to do. I secured his leash and collar.
Merrick leaped to the ground and turned, holding his hand out to me. His eyes gleamed with pure satisfaction, and why not? He’d just proven he could make me explode in his arms.
A man dressed in a starched red tunic and matching pants,with a silver braid strumming across his shoulders waited at the base of the steps, his gaze trained on the castle.
The castle loomed in front of us, many stories spreading out in both directions. Windows and towers at the top could pierce the stars at night. Its gleaming silver walls marbled with black streaks caught the sun and made it shimmer like a mirage. Back on the ship, it had appeared beautiful, yes. A touch cute and quaint, but that was while seeing it at a distance. This monstrosity looked more like a monument to power than a home.
Broad steps, hewn from the same marble as the rest of the structure, swept up a few levels to a pair of massive wooden doors that stood open, welcoming us into the heart of Evergorne Court. Or daring me to believe I had any right to claim this place as my own.
At the top of the first landing, a cluster of servants dressed in red tunics with silver trim like the man still discretely standing at the bottom of the steps, hovered around Merrick's mother. She had his same deep brown hair, though gray peppered her temples. Her sharp eyes and bearing shouted her royal status, and her upswept, elaborately arranged hair spoke of a woman who was used to being pampered. Her gown, a rich tapestry of deep blue struck through with silver, flowed around her body, emphasizing her slender figure and commanding presence. This woman may have willingly relinquished her role in the kingdom, but I suspected she still commanded it as if the crown remained on her head.
Merrick cradled Farris in his arms and gently set the nyxin on the ground. Farris sat, taking in the lush, colorful gardensartfully placed on the broad front lawn and lining the drive. With a smile that held more than a hint of masculine satisfaction, Merrick extended his hand to me, his fingers brushing against mine in a promise of what was to come.
Me, most likely.
As he helped me from the carriage, his smoldering gaze remained on me, caressing my skin and igniting the embers he'd skillfully stoked already. Possessiveness came through his casual-appearing touch.
“You will shine here, Reyla,” he said, his voice low and for only me. The pride in his tone was unmistakable, and I couldn't decide if I was dismayed about the fact that we’d almost given everyone a very public display of me coming or by way he was making it frightfully clear that I belonged only to him.
The fabric of my gown bunched beneath my fingers as I attempted to smooth out the wrinkles, but it was a lost cause. I couldn't shake the worry that a damp patch marred the back of the gown, evidence of the passion Merrick had lit inside me in the carriage.
A hint of a smile played on his lips as he continued to study my face and frame. “I'll arrange for staff to care for Farris. They'll take him for walks and see to his needs. There's no need for wood chips in your suite.”
Relief washed over me as I tightened my grip on Farris’s leash. I hadn't been looking forward to explaining to the castle staff why I needed a pile of chips delivered to my room each day.
With a gentle squeeze of my hand, Merrick led me up toward his mother with Farris trotting at my side. His motherhad remained at the top of the grand staircase, her stern expression doing little to hide the curiosity sparking in her eyes as she took in the sight of us together. I sensed I was being sized up, judged for my worthiness to stand by her son's side as his queen.
The climb seemed to take an eternity, each step bringing me closer to the woman who’d once held the position that was now mine. As we reached the landing, Merrick's mother offered a curt nod, her gaze flicking briefly to our joined hands before lifting to meet mine.
“Mother,” Merrick said, his voice carrying a note of affection that contrasted sharply with the tension in the air. “This is Reyla, your new queen.” His hand slid around my back. “My mother is Erisandra.”
Erisandra's cool gaze swept over me, from the top of my disheveled hair to the hem of my slightly wrinkled gown. I could almost hear the silent judgment in her appraisal. I forced a polite smile, determined not to let her see how much her scrutiny unnerved me.
“She's supposed to be fae.” Erisandra’s voice held a note of disdain.
“Mother,” Merrick chided, sounding both shocked and dismayed by her behavior.
Erisandra did nothing to hide her sneer. “She looks lesser to me.” One of the women in her entourage tittered, but I didn't seek them with my gaze. That, I kept trained on this woman I must find a way to get along with and soon. Her words stung, but I was no stranger to doubt and underestimation. I’d faced bigger challenges than a mother-in-law's scorn, and I would not let her needle me into snarling.
“I’m a daughter of WeldsbaneandBledmire Court.” I kept my voice steady despite my urge to slink behind Merrick.
Erisandra's eyes widened, and a murmur rippled through the gathered women, their eyes darting between me and the queen mother.
“Bledmire?” she echoed, her hand fluttering to her chest. “I've heard of their king.”
