“What do you think of them?” Eldas asks the first moment we’re alone.
“They’re pleasant,” I answer honestly.
“They are a delight.”
“Might I ask something about them?” I take off my traveling cloak, draping it over a settee situated near a hearth.
“Anything.”
“Carcina is Drestin’s wife.”
“Yes?”
“And she’s the mother of his child?” I ask somewhat timidly.
“Why wouldn’t she be?”
“Well…” I’m not sure why I’m dancing around this topic. I clear my throat and collect myself. “I know the Human Queen wasn’t your mother. I know Elf Kings usually take lovers. I know the elves value tradition, but I’m afraid I still haven’t sorted out what ‘tradition’ is when it comes to elf lords siring their heirs.”
“Ah, that’s right. Talk of heirs has never really come up.”
A fact I was all too ready to leave to the side when I’d first arrived, as even the thought of being intimate with Eldas was unfathomable. But now… “I don’t mean to imply you and I, that I was going to—” I start to add hastily, thinking of our past few days. He cuts me off with a laugh.
“It’s a fair question; I didn’t think you meant to imply anything.” Eldas unbuttons his coat, distracting me for a moment with the elegant movements of his fingers. “The Elf King is permitted to take lovers and the Human Queen is as well. It has been tradition for the Elf King to sire his heir with a lover—like my mother—because it ensures the Elf King will be wholly elf, and his deep connection to the Veil wouldn’t be at risk.”
“I see.” I mull this over. “So there’s never been a child of an Elf King and a Human Queen?”
“No. It’s not—”
“Traditional?” I finish with a slight grin. I meander into the bedroom, coming to a stop as I take note that there’s only one bed.
“I figured it wouldn’t be a problem.” Eldas’s voice is deep with a hint of mischief. He leans against the doorframe, his silvery tunic like liquid metal over his lean shoulders. “My brother offered separate rooms, however…”
“Of course not.” I gasp with a mask of mock offense. “How dare you suggest we inconvenience them further!”
“No, we wouldn’t want that, now would we?” He smirks, hands sliding around my waist, tugging me to his hard body.
“Though I must insist that I have time to get some work done in the evenings.” I retrieve the small journal from my coat pocket, trying to show it to him.
Eldas has none of it. He pushes the journal away and hooks my chin. “Very well, but it’s not evening yet,” he growls over my lips. “Which means I have every right to distract you now.”
I shiver, body responding to him, journal forgotten. I’m helpless, putty as his hands slide up my sides, grabbing my breasts through my clothes. I inhale sharply and he crushes his mouth against mine.
I’ve so much I need to tell him. There’s so much work to be done and things to worry about. This journal is the key we’ve been waiting for. But his caresses as he leads me to the bed we’ll share smooth away all thoughts of leaving.
The colors of the world around me blur and smear under his gentle palms until he is the only thing in focus. We tumble back onto the duvet and spend the afternoon focused solely on each other.
“Harrow and Mother should have been here by now.” Drestin looks to the tall grandfather clock wedged between full bookcases in the lounge we’ve collected in for drinks before dinner.
“The rain might have held them up.” Eldas stands by a blazing hearth, the orange light casting his form in shadow. Outside, rain pounds the glass.
“This is not the rain. Harrow is still up to his antics. I hear the rumors of the youngest prince even out in Westwatch. I’ve no doubt he’s the cause of this delay.” Drestin takes a long swig of his drink. Mine is mostly unfinished. “We need to be done with it, marry him off and give him land. The sooner he gets real responsibility on his shoulders, the better.”
“He’s not ready,” Eldas protests.
“I wasn’t ready when you gave me Westwatch and was only a year older than Harrow is now. It was the best thing that could’ve been done for me.” Drestin’s bright blue eyes flick over to Carcina. She’s seated next to me on the couch and looks significantly more comfortable than she did at our earlier meeting. “Best thing, aside from meeting you, of