Page 64 of To Wake a Kingdom

“What’s going on?” I crossed my arms over my chest.

Ronan rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand. “Do you have to argue about everything? Just come with me.”

“Yes, I do. It’s what you find charming about me.”

He laughed.“That may be true, but stop it.”

He tugged me forward, and I relented. We exited the back of the castle, where his horse waited. Overhead, the sky was dark and swollen with thick gray clouds.

“Only one horse?” I peered at him, an eyebrow raised.

“I trust you don’t mind riding with me this time?” I feigned nonchalance and shrugged, remembering how I’d balked at riding with him to Tenby. “Let’s hope it’s not too awful for you, Your Highness.”

“Let’s hope,” I replied and grinned as I mounted the saddle.

Ronan settled behind me a moment later, and we slowly stepped through the trees, hooves crunching in the snow.

“When we went to Tenby, were you trying to get the horse to throw us together?” I asked.

“Absolutely.” His mouth pressed to my ear as his hand slid from my waist into the crease of my thigh. “It was taking all of my willpower not to whisk you into the forest, rip off that sexy red dress, and fuck you against a tree so hard they could hear you screaming in the Faerie realms.”

The sound that came from me was part laugh and part gasp. “You bastard.”

A soft laugh brushed my neck as I leaned against him. His hand pressed to my stomach, he placed kisses along the curve of my throat. Eyes closed, I let myself sink into this moment of contentment, pushing away all the things that vied for my attention.

After riding for a while, it became clear we were on the path toward my grandparents’ chateau. When we arrived, Ronan jumped down from the horse and then held on to my waist as I slid to the ground.

“What are we doing here?”

“You’ll see.” There was promise in his gaze as he took my hand, and we entered.

Debris littered the floor, broken glass snapping beneath our feet. I was truly curious now.We walked upstairs, toward my grandparents’ once-luxurious suite at the end of the hall. The same room where Kianna had found me after Mare’s gruesome warning.

Ronan dropped my hand to reach for the handles and then flung the doors open with a flourish.

Someone had cleaned up the room and lit hundreds of candles. They covered every available surface, lining the fireplace, mantle, and windowsills. A thick rug had been laid at the foot of the roaring fireplace, which crackled merrily. The massive wooden bed had been repaired and was covered in crisp white sheets and a mountain of gold and cream pillows.

“What? How?” Words failed me as I turned to Ronan.

“I wanted to give you some of the happy memories back. You said this place was important to you.” Tears pricked the back of my eyes. It was such a wonderful gesture, ribbons of velvet wrapped gently around my heart. “As for the how, I had some help from Gideon and Kianna. Well, a lot of help.” His grin sheepish, he rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. I realized he was nervous about my reaction.

“I love it. This is the most incredible, meaningful thing anyone has ever done for me.”

He dropped his arm, visibly relaxing.“Kianna picked this out for you to wear.” He held up a green silk dress that caught the falling light. It was a perfect match with Ronan’s eyes. Kianna was such a clever Faerie. “I’ll be back in a moment. You change.”

Before he left, he pulled me close and kissed me. Despite every black cloud in my personal sky, happiness bloomed, obscuring them in a shower of rainbows. I ingrained myself into this moment, trying to forget about the future. There would be time for that tomorrow. I’d done this before. I’d done this every day of my life. A long time ago, I’d learned to separate the present from my uncertain future, building a wall so thick and so high nothing could cross it. It had been the only way for me to keep living and not dissolve into despair.

I took off my tunic and leggings and slid the soft green dress over my head. It was light and airy, with thin straps and a deep plunge that left my arms and my back bare.

Ronan returned, holding a bottle of wine and two glasses, and I flashed him my brightest smile. He deserved only the pieces of me that still shone, even as they grew tarnished. He kicked off his boots and took off his jacket, leaving him with a white shirt that fit every artful curve of his arms and his chest. Soft black plants stretched over his strong thighs.

“No dress for you?” I asked as he approached.

“I could never hope to be as beautiful as you in anything I wear.” He cupped the back of my head with his large hand and tipped it back, drawing me into a deep kiss.

Dragging a finger down his chest, I leaned in and asked, “Have you arranged all this to cash in on your favor?”

Eyebrows drawing together, he gave me a puzzled look and then broke into a smile. “Am I that obvious?” I lifted a shoulder and tipped my head, wondering what I’d done to deserve all this. He leaned down, pressing his mouth to my ear. “You never brushed my horse like you promised.”

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