“What?” Murgha asked in horror.
“I know. It’s a long story.” Tessa glanced at me, certainly noticing how tense I was at the mention of the Mevians.
Jessamine laced her fingers through mine and squeezed, instantly washing away the anger building inside me. Then Tessa went on.
“She told us she owed us a favor. Perhaps she could help us discover how to find and kill this sorcerer.”
“How do we find her?” asked the prince.
“She said she was returning to Nævhail Glen. That is all we know.”
Vallon looked earnestly at the prince. “We will find her then.”
He returned a grim nod.
“If and when you must deal with this sorcerer, you may call on us,” I assured them.
Prince Torvyn gave no sign that he would ask for help. Stubborn bastards, the shadow fae.
“Will you introduce us to Tylok’s children?” Murgha asked Tessa.
“Of course,” she replied. “Come this way.”
While Murgha went along with her sister, Vallon close behind her, Jessamine remained at my side and the prince didn’t leave.
“You are welcome here, Prince Torvyn. You are not our enemy.”
He was an aloof fae, and more than a little distrustful of others.
“My priests are encamped not far away. I will return and send two more back to retrieve the children. Thank you both,” he looked at Jessamine then back to me, “for saving them. Tylok,” he paused, some emotion I couldn’t place arresting his speech for a moment, “though my father exiled him, he has always remained a dear friend. To me.”
With that, he stepped past us into the sunlight, bent his legs and opened his vast black wings before lifting off in a whoosh of wind. We watched him in silence as he banked north toward the Solgavia Mountains.
“Well,” said Jessamine, “he’s a strange prince.”
“He is,” I agreed. “There’s something wrong in his father’s kingdom. Though no one really knows.” I shrugged. “And it’s none of my concern.”
“Unless they need help when they find this sorcerer or whatever he is.”
“Whatever he is? What do you think this fae is, who’s conjuring golems?”
Her green eyes grew distant, worried. “I don’t know. But he’s more than fae.”
I took her hand. “Let’s not worry about that now. I want to enjoy this fine spring weather with my new wife.” I tugged her closer, our hands still laced.
She went up on her tiptoes, tilting her head back as I bent for a sweet kiss. When I went to coax her mouth open for more, she broke the kiss and pulled me out of the shade of trees, but not toward Vanglosa.
“Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll see.” She smiled over her shoulder. I couldn’t fight her when she looked at me like that. So I followed helplessly.
She prattled about the red and purple wildflowers beginning to bloom, and how she wanted to start an herb garden to introduce some of her own recipes alongside Shearah. I smiledand listened, content simply to be in her company, knowing she was mine now.
I tugged her to a stop when we rounded the top of a small hill, Lake Moreen spreading out like a vivid sheet of blue glass, glistening in the sunlight. It was beautiful, and yet, my gut clenched at the sight of it.
Jessamine wrapped both of her arms around one of mine, hugging me close. “I want you to go swimming with me,” she whispered soberly.
Gazing down at her, I shook my head. “I can’t. You know I can’t.”
