33. Merrick
33
MERRICK
“ L ord Haldrin appears desperate to save face,” Reyla said, tapping her chin. “He's being judged in front of his peers, and we know how lords and ladies gossip.”
This was new to her. She hadn't grown up in court and that fact just might be enough to make a difference. I liked what her background brought to this situation and my life. I didn't want a prissy queen but a strong woman standing by my side. A woman who would die to save me as eagerly as I would for her.
“ You judge this situation,” I said.
“Me?” Surprise blazed in her eyes. “You think I should speak with them directly?”
“Why not? Within the week, you'll wear the queen's crown on your head. The mantle will settle around your shoulders. There may be times when I can't sit beside you to judge the cases brought before the court, and you'll need to handle them yourself. This is practice. I'm confident you won't do any harm.”
“Alright.” Her eyes darted to Hadrin, then to Devron. She straightened her spine. “Lord Hadrin, is it possible some of your fences are down, and Devron Bullipart's cows could’ve wandered into your pastures by accident?”
I nodded, urging her on. Color flooded her face. She was incredibly smart. Intuitive, and that would be needed. Why didn't she have the confidence to handle this when she clearly had the skill?
“An accident?” Hadrin’s voice boomed as he stepped forward, his face ruddy. “My fences down? I do all I can to keep my property secured.”
She leaned back, allowing a delicate frown to cross her face. So careful. So cunning. Her hand lifted to the hilt of her sword before dropping again to her lap.
Silence ticked through the room. Devron looked from her to me, his eyes filled with confusion. Lord Hadrin barely held in his squirm, though his jawline twitched.
Finally, Reyla spoke again, keeping her voice polite, though her gaze commanded the same steel as her blade. “Have you checked? It’s not uncommon for animals to wander, especially if fencing is down.”
“I . . . suppose this could be true.” The high lord’s swallow took a long time to pass, and when he looked my way, he pleaded with his eyes for me to take over.
I kept my breathing even, and my face neutral, making it clear that I'd handed this over to my wildfire—who was shaping a trail all her own .
“Surely you would notice if your fence needs repairs,” she prompted, her voice a touch firmer and with one eyebrow lifted.
I could taste the shift in the room as a few caught on to how savvy my queen was.
Hadrin opened his mouth to bluster, but something on Reyla's face made him pause. This woman had survived multiple raids on dragonback from a border fortress. She'd served as the High Lady of Lydel's enforcer. She possessed the cunning of her fiend of a father but none of his malice.
Weldsbane may have produced more than one beast, and my court was only now beginning to see it.
“I . . .” Hadrin finally said. “This is possible.”
“You, Devron Bullipart.” Reyla turned her attention to the farmer. “What do you think of what the lord and I have discussed?”
Devron took a breath and pushed it out with his words. “I don’t know.” He removed his hat and twisted it in his hands in front of his belly. “I suppose the fence could be down in places. Lord Hadrin is . . .” His shoulders curled forward but only for a moment before he straightened them again. “Often busy. Perhaps too busy to walk the lines like I do. If that were true, some of my cows could've wandered into his pasture.” Doubt clouded his face, but Reyla wasn't the only clever person in the room. His gaze flicked to me, and I found approval there. His quick nod only reinforced it. “But I will point out that I sent a message telling the lord that two of my cows were among his and that I wanted them back. ”
Only a fool would stomp past Lord Hadrin's wards to retrieve cows even if they were truly his own, and Devron was no fool.
A low rumble echoed from the crowd and Lord Hadrin noted it, his face blanching. He puffed out his chest, but the twitch of his hands revealed he was aware of how close this was to slipping from his grasp. “I don’t have time to read every message I receive.” Defensiveness crept into his voice.
“Perhaps you should make time.” Reyla leaned forward, a predator striking when it was least expected. “You could've spoken to Devron directly rather than bother the court with such a thing. Strange for a high lord not to handle something this simple on his own.”
I savored how she subtly chastised him.
“I have a manor to run,” Hadrin grumbled. “It’s beneath me to worry about cows.”
The high lords and ladies watched, their heads bobbing back and forth as the drama unfolded. Something duly noted by Lord Hadrin. If he was wise, and I suspected he was, he'd do all he could to get out of this sticky situation.
Reyla’s confidence radiated, and a swell of pride surged inside me as I watched her.
“Pass judgment, my queen,” I said softly.
Her gaze sharpened as she studied Lord Hadrin. The way she sat, strong and unwavering, spoke volumes about the queen she was becoming. This was going to work out, no matter what happened, and I was grateful for the gift the fates had handed me in Reyla .
“Lord Hadrin,” she said, her tone steady and firm. “You’ll allow Devron to walk through your pastures and collect his cows within the week. And you will make repairs to your fences as needed. Strong fences ensure good neighbors.”
I leaned back in my throne, holding back the smile that ached to stretch across my face. This woman . . .
Her words hung in the air, but the lord nodded, his shoulders curling forward and a hint of a grimace crossing his face. He knew he'd get away with his attempted theft, but this would serve as a good lesson. My wife knew how to build her own fences, and I suspected hers would remain secure at all times.
“In two weeks, I’ll expect acknowledgment of your efforts at the court,” she added. “Devron, please collect your cows promptly.”
“Yes, yes, my . . . queen .” Relief flooded Devron's face.
“This case is closed,” I announced. “Both of you report back to this court in two weeks with the results.”
They agreed, and while Devron hurried to join the merchant and whisper, both shooting a stunned look Reyla's way, Lord Hadrin turned and stiffly walked down the aisle and out of the throne room. Murmurs swelled through the crowd, fading as the doors boomed closed behind him.
I lifted my hand. “Court is finished for the day.”
A few grumbled, but everyone left. My mother lingered a moment longer, shooting a long, baffled look from me to Reyla before striding down the aisle with her entourage in tow.
With the room finally empty, I breathed out, my heart flipping over. I hitched my leg up over the arm of my throne and gave Reyla a long, steady stare. Fuck, she was gorgeous, but I admired her mind even more that her appearance. “You handled that beautifully.”
Warmth lit her face, and the world disappeared. Reaching out, I tugged her off her throne and onto my lap, wrapping my arms around her.
She stared up at me, her arms going around my shoulders. “I had something I needed to discuss with you.” An edge crept into her voice.
“Had?” I murmured, my attention on her mouth I'd die if I didn't get to kiss.
She turned to straddle me, her gown hitching up her thighs and her sword shifting along her spine. Her hands tightened on my shoulders. “It can wait. You . . . You . . . I can’t believe you let me do that.”
“You’re a master already.”
“I doubt that but—”
Tilting her chin, I claimed her mouth, and our kiss consumed me. As she pressed her body against mine, heat roared through my veins. Her mouth tasted sweet from her morning tea, and I couldn’t get enough. My hunger was growing for her, a storm rushing over the land, devastating everything in its wake. I stroked her arms and moved my hands inward, seeking her breasts. She moaned into my mouth, and I sucked it down, the sound vibrating through me, setting my blood ablaze.
As our tongues danced, I explored the softness of her, my thumbs brushing over her hardening nipples. She bowed into my touch, a soft gasp escaping her as she pressed herself against my palms. The feel of her, so responsive, so eager, drove me wild.
Her hips rocked against mine, the heat of her core searing through the layers of fabric separating us. My cock, stiff with need, throbbed, aching for the friction, this connection that only she could provide.
I deepened our kiss, desperate for this woman, her touch and her undying love. Even as I consumed her, claiming her in the only way I could, I knew this was madness. Years ago, I’d started falling, and there would be no stopping until I ground out at the end. But now this precious woman, my pretty little bride, my wildfire rode with me, clinging to me without knowing what might be hurtling her way.
This woman . . . My woman. My queen. My everything. She was bewitching me in ways I’d never expected.
Her hands slid from my shoulders and up my neck, her fingers thrusting through my hair, grabbing on and tugging me close, as if she also would not tolerate even a speck of distance between us.
We’d become a tangle of limbs, lips, and furious hearts, and I’d die a happy man as long as I could remain lost in this world made up only of us. The throne room faded, leaving only this uncharted, unexpected, and undyingly feral need binding us together.
With a swift motion, I wrenched her closer, positioning her so that the apex of her lined up exactly where I needed her. The thin barrier of her dress and my pants did nothing to tamp down the heat flaring between us. She moved against me, her rhythm matching the thrust of my tongue in her mouth, the movement of my body, each stroke sending waves of fire across my bones.
I broke away from her lips, trailing needy, open-mouthed kisses along her jawline and down the slender column of her throat. She tilted her head back, granting me complete access, her sharp gasps speaking of her own feverish need.
I slid my hands down her sides, gripping her hips, guiding her movements as she rode me through our clothing. The friction became exquisite torture, a promise of the ecstasy waiting for us when we finally became one.
Not yet. Not now. But soon.
Reyla bunched the fabric of my tunic, yanking and whimpering. I ripped it off and tossed it aside, and her hands on my chest . . . I’d never think clearly again. Instead, I’d be lost in this moment when she pinched my nipples and ran her thumbs across them.
I captured her lips again, our kiss frenzied, as she continued to thrust herself against my rigid cock. This woman could harness lightning and now she easily harnessed me, making me crave her like no other.
I tore my mouth from hers, needing to breathe, to regain some semblance of control before I lost myself completely. The sight of her, flushed and disheveled, her eyes dark with desire, only fanned the roaring need inside me.
With a growl, I stood, lifting her with me, only to turn and sit her on the queen's throne— her throne. I kneeled between her legs, watching her face as I bunched the fabric of her gown, driving it up her thighs until she was exposed to me.
Her breath caught, but she said nothing, only watched as I tugged her forward until her hips rode the edge of the seat. I nudged her thighs wider and moved between them.
With the air between us charged, heavy with anticipation, I kissed the inside of her thigh, skimming my hands up her skin in tight circles, smoothing a trail while pushing her gown out of the way. I’d never get enough of her soft skin or the way her moans echoed in the big room.
She held my shoulders as I trailed kisses up her other thigh, each one drawing out her shivers. The scent of her arousal intoxicated me and drove me closer to falling apart. A flight of dragons could arrive at the castle with warriors eager for battle. A wizard could stalk into the room and announce they’d come to end this now. And the world could crumble around us, but I’d remain where I was, my mouth and my tongue so close to what I craved from this woman that I could almost taste it.
I reached the juncture of her thighs and traced my thumbs along the edges of her undergarment before grasping it, ripping it, and spreading the shreds wide.
She gasped and wrapped my hair around her fingers, tugging me closer, begging me with whimpers to finish this.
I would. Nothing would stop me now.
She was hot and slick, and the low, needy sound she made when I slid my finger through her wetness nearly made me come.
I leaned in, my exhalations fanning her exposed core, and she spread her legs wider, thrusting her body toward me while she quivered. I darted my tongue out, taking a taste, and her fingers wrenched on my hair. She wasn’t letting go, and I loved how she made her need for me known .
My mouth closed over her, my tongue circling her sensitive nub. Her hips bucked, but I held her steady, my hand firm across her hips as I explored her with my tongue, my lips, my teeth. Each moan that slipped from her swollen lips, each tremor that ran through her body, urged me on, driving me ever closer to the edge.
As I stroked and sucked on her clit, I delved at her entrance with my fingers. I teased her, slipping a finger inside her far enough to make her squirm. She was tight, deliciously so, and the thought of my cock buried deep within her made me lose all control.
What I wouldn’t give to strip and take her on her throne—then again on mine. I’d turn her around and pump myself into her sweet wetness from behind, then place her on my lap and lift her, only to thrust her back down onto my shaft. We’d claim each other while claiming this court, and let them try to rip us apart after that.
I flickered my tongue across her clit, matching the rhythm with the thrust of my fingers inside her. Her panting whimpers drove me on. Her cries grew louder. She was close. So close. Her inner walls kept tightening around my fingers as her body coiled like a spring.
With a flick of my tongue and a deep, possessive thrust of my fingers, I made her give way. She thrust back her head and bowed her body. Her cry echoed off the ceiling. Her body convulsed around my fingers, her release washing over her in ripples that left her shaking and gasping for air.
My cock exploded in my pants .
I remained where I was, kneeling in front of this woman who had quickly come to mean the world to me.
I’d die for her. Give everything I had inside just to see her smile.
And there was a good chance I was going to shatter her heart.
With slow thrusts of my fingers, I drew out her pleasure for as long as I could. Only when her grip on my hair loosened, and her hands flopped to her sides, her body going limp, did I pull them out and lick them. Sweet. Utterly perfect.
I pressed a kiss on her inner thigh before rising to my feet.
Hazy satisfaction clouded her eyes, and her lips parted as she struggled to catch her breath. I leaned over her, caging her in with my palms braced on the arms of the throne, and claimed her mouth in a kiss that made my cock start stiffening again. She must taste herself on my lips, and the realization made arousal growl through me.
I lifted my head, staring down at her.
“Merrick.” Her hands rose to hold my face, her thumbs stroking my cheeks. “You . . . I don't know what to say.”
“You don't need to say anything.” I curled up my lips. “Though you could thank me.”
“You.” She smacked my arm, though she followed it up with a caress. “You have a wicked tongue. That's all I'm going to say.”
And that was all I needed to hear.
“When you're ready, let me know.” I brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “There’s no rush with any of this. I mean it. We have all the time we need.”
I prayed to the fates we did .
It took all my will to step back, to give her space to breathe and return herself to the composed Reyla I’d fallen in love with. I’d been claimed by the wildfire who’d fallen apart in my arms.
With a snort, she tugged her torn undergarment out from beneath her hips and dangled it in the air. “Should I ask Lord Briscalar to sew this back together or—”
I snatched it from her fingers and tucked it into my pocket.
“A keepsake?” she said, her lips sliding up on one corner.
“A treasured reminder of this moment.” I’d never forget watching her face as she shattered.
“Don’t fly it like a flag at the top of the highest tower.” A shadow flickered across her face before she purposefully smoothed it. “You know what I mean.”
Leaning over her, I kissed her again, drinking in her dampened fire. It was all I could do not to heat her up again only so I could watch my flames consume her.
“I don’t know what to do with you, Merrick.” A touch of vulnerability came through in her voice. “So I’m not going to decide at this moment.”
Love me, I wanted to say, but couldn’t. If she gave her heart, it needed to be her decision alone.
She adjusted her gown, covering her legs and smoothing the fabric back into place. Now she looked every inch the queen she was destined to become, strong and regal, yet the warmth in her eyes belonged solely to me.
I helped her stand, and together we walked across the empty throne room.
“Thank you,” she said softly, leaning against my side.
“For my wicked tongue? ”
She rolled her eyes. “For believing in me, for giving me the chance to prove myself today.”
I turned to face her, cupping her cheeks in my hands. “Reyla, you've proven yourself a thousand times over. Not only today, but every day since I met you. You’re fierce and brave, and I’m so proud that you’re mine.” I leaned close, whispering in her ear. “You're so much more than just a pretty little bride.”