Page 100 of Mirror of Malice
Chapter Forty-Seven
We lay cuddled together in bed, Penn’s fingers trailing up and down my arm as I lay draped over his chest. The sun sank in the sky outside, and empty silver trays lay on the floor, the food consumed earlier when we’d finally taken a break to eat something. We’d stayed in our room all day, exploring each other’s bodies in so many different ways every part of me now ached. No one bothered us, the guard posted outside our door probably hearing enough to know we didn’t want to be interrupted. It had been the perfect day, and I didn’t want it to end.
“I think I could sleep for three days straight,” I said into Penn’s chest. “But we do have a weapon to find.”
He chuckled, chest rumbling underneath me, a sound I was coming to love.
I propped myself up on my elbow and looked down on that handsome face. “I can’t believe I got you to spend a whole day in bed.” I tsked. “You’re getting lazy.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Nothing about what we did today was lazy, Lilypad.”
My finger moved in slow circles over his chest.
“You know what I mean. No work for the king of thieves. That’s surely against a rule.”
“What rules? I’m a thief. We’re not exactly known for following a code.”
“Still. You love your work.” My tone was light, teasing.
Penn leaned up to nip at my arm. “Work is overrated.”
I laughed. “If only your thieves could hear you right now. They might just pass out in shock.”
He huffed. “They’d probably break out in applause, cheer you on for finally getting me to do something other than obsess over our latest mission.”
“First swimming in the sea, then spending a whole day in bed with me.” I pressed my lips to his for a brief kiss. “What’s next for the king of thieves? Morning tea? A trip out to the tavern without mentioning work?” I snapped my fingers. “Or maybe a picnic in Mosswood Forest? Complete with wine and cheese. That would be a sight to see.”
I laughed just imagining Penn sitting on a checkered blanket, a grumpy look on his face while I lay next to him, indulging in wine and food.
He smirked. “A picnic? Is that what you like?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact it is. My mother and I used to go for picnics all the time, and my father carried on the tradition after she was gone. He’d bring dried meats, cheeses, bread, tarts, sparkling wine. Jasper came with us when he visited, but most of the time it was just me and Father. Something we did on special occasions: name days, holidays, anniversaries.”
His green eyes were bright and clear as he watched me. “Why do you love the picnics so much? The memories?”
I tipped my head in consideration. “That... and the specialness of it. It made me feel loved and cared for. Both my mother and father would pack my favorite foods, jams, wines. They’d pick places they knew I loved.”
He leaned over and kissed my arm. “Then we’ll go on a picnic.”
I raised my brows in shock. “Really?”
He bristled at my tone. “Yes, really. I am capable of doing more than work, you know.”
I ran my hand along his chest. “So I’ve learned today.”
“You know,” he said, “once upon a time, my parents liked to take me exploring too. We’d travel all over Elwen, visiting different villages, my mother using her special herbs and powders to heal.”
“Your mother was a healer?” It was odd to think about the false queen as anything other than a rebel.
He nodded.
“My father was a carpenter. They didn’t like to stay in one place. They liked to constantly be on the move. We’d travel outside Elwen, to the farthest corners of Fyriad, to the isles of the sky court, and down to the coast of Apolis. I don’t remember a lot of that time. But I know that I loved to explore. I loved laying out under the stars at night. I loved feeling so connected to the land.”
I’d felt the same. We were more alike than I ever thought.
I adjusted my hand, propping it further under my head. “And you’ve gotten to do all that as an adult. Live out the life your parents gave you.”
“Not exactly. They were merchants. They traded their goods, their services, for coin.” He swallowed. “They weren’t dishonest in how they earned a living. Not like me.”
