Page 50 of The Witch's Shifter
I sigh. Wereallyneed to figure out a new sleeping arrangement. Now that the shifter is here, Alden and I have started taking turns sleeping at the cottage, and every night I spend away from Aurora is riddled with anxiety and fear.
I often lie in my bed in the guardhouse—which is now perpetually cold from the drafts that slip through the stones—staring at the silver moonlight streaking through the one small window in my room, wondering if she’s feeling okay, if her back is hurting, if she needs a cup of tea or a foot rub to help her drift off into dreams. It gives me comfort to know that Alden is with her, but it’s been excruciating having to leave her there, knowing a shifter is perched on the couch downstairs.
I grind my teeth, and Alden lifts a brow at me knowingly.
“Okay,” I say, trying to banish my frustrations. Alden doesn’t seem nearly so uncomfortable with the wolf about. “Good night, then.”
He nods once, then departs the kitchen. I dry my hands on a rag, then join the group in the foyer. The ladies are ready to go, and Selene is giving Aurora a big hug.
“I can’t wait for tomorrow,” she says as she pulls away. Kneeling, she scratches Harrison under the chin, then pushes her long silver hair over her shoulder and rights herself. “It’ll be such fun, all of us going to the harvest festival together.”
The village has been preparing for the festival all week. A few villagers even put me to work helping move strawbales and scarecrows and setting up booths for vendors to use; it’s been quiet around Faunwood as of late, and with nothing else to do, I was pleased to be of assistance. And I’ve really been looking forward to the celebration. Drinks, good food, and music—what’s not to love, especially when Aurora will be there with me?
Selene turns to me, and I hold my arms out. Smiling, she steps into my embrace, and Aurora seems pleased as I look at her over Selene’s shoulder.
“Thanks for coming tonight,” I say as Selene eases out of my grasp. Then my gaze shifts to Evelyn. “And you as well, Lady Silvermoon.”
She gives me a small smile, and when I reach for her hand, she allows me to press a kiss to the backs of her gloved fingers.
If I want to find out more about the tension between her and Aurora, I figure I need to butter her up as much as possible. So far, it seems to be working.
After final parting words, Alden opens the door, letting a gust of autumn air in. The cool breeze ruffles Harrison’s silky hair, and he makes a hasty dash into the parlor, probably to curl up in front of the fire.
Aurora says more goodbyes and good nights until the door finally clicks closed, leaving the two of us standing in the foyer alone.
And as quiet descends, so do her shoulders. She slumps a little bit, and when her eyes meet mine, some of the glittering goes from them.
“What’s wrong, my queen?” I ask, pulling her into a gentle hug.
She curls her fingers into the fabric of my tunic and wiggles closer, her cheek pressed against my chest. “Faolan’s gone. I thought he’d come home for dinner, but...”
I thought it was her mother who had upset her, and I actively try not to tense at her use of the wordhome. She’s already upset, and I don’t want to make it any worse. But does she already consider this his home?
“He was here this afternoon when Alden and I got home. Alden talked to him.” My fingertips brush up and down Aurora’s back softly. Perhaps I’ll offer her a back massage tonight. I know the pregnancy is making her achy. “I think he just needed a bit of alone time. He’ll come around. He is your mate, after all.”
She tips her head back to look at me, and my quip seems to have worked, because her frown has shifted into a little sideways smile. “You think so?”
“Iknowso.” Bending, I place a kiss to her forehead. “Now come on, Your Majesty. It’s time for you to rest.” Slipping one arm behind her back and the other behind her knees, I lift her into my arms. She’s a bit heavier now than she was when I first captured her in the woods and made love to her against a tree, and I relish the feel of her weight in my arms, solid and warm and alive.
I suppose my child is in my arms right now as well. But that realization causes a curl of anxiety to twist through my gut, soI ease the thought away as I start up the creaking staircase. Tonight is not a night for fears and worries.
When I carry Aurora into the bedroom, I discover it is dark and cold—seems none of us thought to start the fire early this evening, we were so distracted with having Aurora’s family over.
Aurora giggles lightly as I set her carefully upon the bed. I can feel her eyes on me as I walk across the room and kneel before the hearth. After I add a few pieces of wood—which Alden has been chopping for us this fall—and get the flame lit, I sit back to enjoy the heat of the fire on my face. No winter is ever too dark or too cold so long as you’ve got a companionable fire to sit beside.
Pushing to my feet, I turn to face Aurora.
She’s leaning back against the headboard, legs pulled into her chest, chin perched atop her knee. Her gaze is trained toward the window, though all I can see is a slight outline of the forest against the darkening sky.
“Are you still thinking of Faolan?” I ask as I move across the room and take a seat on the bed.
Her eyes flick to me, and she gives me a shy smile. “I guess so. At least his wounds are mostly healed now. Hopefully he’ll be all right out there. It’s getting so cold...”
“I think he’s just fine,” I assure her.He is a shifter, I think but don’t say aloud. My gaze slides down to Aurora’s bare feet, where they poke out from the skirt of her dress, and I get an idea. “How about a bit of distraction?”
Her expression turns curious. “What do you have in mind?”
I stand and move to the armoire, then open the bottom drawer. And sure enough, I find one of Aurora’s soft scarves tucked away there. Returning to her, I gesture for her to stand.
