Bride of Ashes (Kingdom of Shadow and Ruin #1)

51. Reyla

51

REYLA

A fter we’d finished dining, Lore escorted me back to my suite, leaving me after giving a lingering look and stating that he’d see me soon.

“Know that my amusement will not last long,” he drawled for my ears alone. “I don’t like it when you avoid me.”

My ladies helped me out of my gown and into my leathers, and I dismissed them until tomorrow.

Surren knocked on my door, poking his head through the opening. “I was asked to pass on a message from Lord Lorant. He will not be able to meet with you tonight.”

“Thank you.” I shouldn’t be disappointed, but I’d puffed beneath his pride-filled gaze, and I was looking forward to laughing about how I’d paid Erisandra back. I also wanted to learn how to use nullification, because . . .

The dragon herself had been inside my suite on the day the book that could be Isodine’s diary went missing. Had she used glamour while she was here? It wouldn’t surprise me to discover she told everyone she did nothing with her skill only to practice and use it slyly—and to her own benefit.

If she’d done something with the book, how could I negate her magic’s effect?

I pawed around my room, touching everything, but I didn’t find anything out of the ordinary or anything that could be the book in disguise. Because I was worried they’d disappear as well, I secured them around my neck. The chain was long, and they hung low, between my breasts.

After stripping off my leathers and dressing in a nightgown, I flopped on my bed and remembered how I’d gotten even with Erisandra at dinner. I grinned at the bedding overhead while Farris scampered around beside me, first clawing at the blankets before lying down and rolling over to present his belly for rubs, which I dutifully gave him.

Merrick might scold me for teasing his mother with a shadow, but she’d deserved it. I couldn’t shove aside the horror I’d felt when I looked down on my plate to find bugs crawling across it. Not only that, but she’d also changed the table to a steep cliff, and one look over the side had made my belly lurch. I’d felt like I was falling.

Why would she do something that mean to her new daughter-in-law?

Jealousy, perhaps. I was stepping between her and Merrick, though that was never my intention.

I would soon wear the crown she considered her own.

I drifted to sleep with the memory of Lore’s satisfied smirk, though in my dreams, I kissed Merrick .

In the morning, I took a long walk with Farris in the woods behind the castle, my guards and ladies clustered around me with magic licking across their fingers. Thankfully, we encountered no threats. Since Lord Briscalar said he had everything handled, I lounged in my suite until it was time to get ready.

My ladies puttered around my rooms.

When it was nearly time, a knot started forming in my belly. I slid off the sofa and walked into my bedroom, announcing it was time to get ready, finding my new ladies-in-waiting standing in front of the bed with their faces beaming. They parted, revealing a gown draped across the surface, one of such ethereal beauty it had to have been crafted by fairies. The silver fabric shimmered with threads of rich red, casting a warm glow across the room.

“It looks too pretty to wear,” I said, standing close but not daring to touch it.

“Isn’t it lovely?” Pink climbed into Moira’s face. “King Merrick himself designed it.”

“It’s gorgeous.” My husband had wonderful taste.

They helped me bathe and dress, taking care not to snag any of the red strands weaving through the silver fabric. The dress brushed cooly against my skin, and as they secured each tiny fastening in the back, I looked in the mirror, my reflection beyond belief. The gown clung to my figure, flaring out at the hips in a cascade of magical luxury. After they’d finished, I twirled, watching the red threads catch the light. No other gown would ever compare.

“Hair, next.” Command came through in Calista’s voice. She pointed toward the chair placed in front of the vanity, though the sparkle in her eyes softened her words. “If you please, my queen,” she added.

I sat, and my ladies continued to work, weaving my hair into an intricate arrangement. Their nimble fingers tweaked and curled each strand, tucking bits here and there, securing them with silver pins until it swirled in intricate waves across the top of my head. I watched in the mirror as they transformed me from a lady into a queen.

The reflection staring back at me after was one of regal poise, a woman ready to claim her crown and her court.

Calista clapped her hands. “Your face next.”

They plied me with a powder that smoothed the appearance of my skin yet made it subtly sparkle. A pale pink color soon blushed my cheeks and lips, and whatever they put on my lashes darkened them and made them appear at least twice their normal length. Once they’d finished, I rose and stared at my image in the tall mirror, unable to believe my appearance.

“Gorgeous,” Faelith whispered.

“Stunning,” Calista added with a nod.

Moira’s tear-filled eyes met mine in the mirror. “My queen. No one will outshine you tonight.”

“You're right.” I grinned, giving each of them a hug. “Thank you so much.”

I stared into the mirror some more, turning this way and that to admire myself from all angles. Excitement danced along with my tension, entwining down my spine to make me fidget. With a laugh, I spun again, lost in the magic of the moment. Farris barked and hopped around me, his tail wagging wildly. This Reyla just might be worthy of the crown that would soon rest on her head.

My ladies fluffed my puffy capped sleeves and smoothed the skirt's fabric. Calista tucked back a stray strand of loose hair, securing it with yet another silver pin. They joined me in the mirror, talking about my appearance before Calista frowned.

Silence sucked away their laughter, though their eyes still glowed. When they turned toward the open doorway, I did too.

Merrick stood there; his eyes locked on me. A world of emotions swirled in his gaze: admiration, respect, affection, and a deep, unmistakable desire that sparked through me in heavy waves.

As if I was thumped in the chest, my heart came to a standstill. I took in his appearance. He wore rich dark red now, adorned with touches of silver, the perfect opposite of my dress. His deep brown hair hung around his face in a thick tussle, and I wanted to run my fingers through it, mess it up just to show the world that I could. No, that he was mine . His dark pants blended into his shoes as he strode toward me, his gaze never leaving my face. This man wanted more than just kisses; he wanted a future with me.

A lifetime of dreams fulfilled.

Only a twinge of sadness tangled in my belly. Kinart would want this for me. If only we could’ve had more.

But this was the new life I'd sought when I left the fortress, not knowing if I'd survive even one day in the realm of the fae. The overwhelming sense of joy and anticipation flooding my veins could no longer be denied .

My past was Kinart, but my future . . . It belonged to this man alone.

Merrick dismissed the others from the room. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving us alone in the glow of the sun stabbing through the curtains to make the world sparkle. He strode forward, stopping in front of me.

“You . . . I don't believe I have the right words to describe how beautiful you are.” Emotion gutted his voice and made my belly twitch and spasm in a good way.

He leaned in to kiss me with care, as if he was afraid he'd ruin my delicate hairstyle or smudge the light paint on my face. The contact was tender, yet it sent a surge of heat spiraling through me.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a slender black case, holding it out to me, his eyes filled with a touch of vulnerability.

“It belonged to my grandmother,” he said softly.

“Not your mother?”

He shook his head. “She prefers bright things, but I think this suits you best.”

I opened the case, and my breath got stuck in my throat. A beautiful silver chain was nestled inside, its delicate links holding a golden pendant shaped like a dragonfly. A solitary, deep-red stone centered on the creature’s back.

I looked up at Merrick, awe and wonder washing over me.

“It's beautiful,” I whispered. “You remembered.”

Merrick's posture loosened, as did his smile. Had he worried I wouldn't like it? “How could I forget? This is a promise. One day soon, we’ll go on an adventure together.”

“Thank you. I love it,” I said .

He gently removed it from the case and stepped around behind me, his warm breath tickling my skin as he secured the chain in place. As the cool golden dragonfly settled against my skin, he leaned forward to kiss my nape. I shivered, a thrill dancing through me as if he was forging a path no one else ever had or ever would travel, as if he was marking me as his alone with a brand that would remain until my dying day.

Coming around to face me, he lifted the pendant, his fingers warm on my skin and his face pensive. He stroked his thumb down the dragonfly’s spine.

“It’s yours now, though it’ll never be as pretty or sweet as you, my queen,” he rasped. Something in his eyes . . . I sensed he ached for me in a way no one else ever had. “I hope it leads you on a great adventure.”

“With you, every journey feels like the destination.” Could he hear my heart in my words?

“Reyla,” he breathed, sliding his arm around my waist and sweeping me against his frame. “If I touch you, I’ll muss your dress. I don’t want to ruin your ladies’ hard work.”

“Who else can mess me up but you?”

He flashed a smile. “You’re right. It’s my duty and honor to mess you up completely.”

“You do that just by existing.”

His arms tightened around me until the warmth of his breath drifted across my face and the pounding of his heart beat against mine. A storm of desire and promise swirled in his green depths. I could taste the anticipation in the air, thick and sweet, as his fingers gently glided along the line of my jaw. My spine quivered, and heat flooded my body. He'd barely touched me, and I craved him already. I could only imagine how wonderful it would be when we were naked in bed together.

His lips brushed against mine, soft at first, a whisper of what was to come. A gasp escaped me, an invitation, and he deepened the kiss. His hot, hungry mouth explored mine, and the tension in his body told me he could barely hold himself back. His tongue teased mine in a way that both staked his claim on my soul and sent my heart flying in every direction.

His hands slid down, and he pulled me fully against his aroused length. A groan echoed in his throat, vibrating against my mouth, and I answered with one of my own. The world around us blurred, fading away until there was nothing but the two of us, bound together by this kiss that insisted it was time I came to a decision.

When he lifted his head, I saw so much in his eyes. Need. A hint of restraint. And a desire to match my own.

“You look even prettier now, Wildfire,” he rasped. “One day soon . . .”

I nodded. “Soon.”

After tracing his fingertips across my cheek, he lifted the matching gold and red earrings from the case to help me put them on. They felt light, barely there, and they sparkled in the sunlight. I watched him in the mirror, his hands gentle and sure as he secured them in place.

“This can remain.” He tapped the gold and red bracelet he’d left for me on the ship.

It matched the pendant and earrings.

Guilt twinged through my heart. I'd worn the bracelet to cover the mark that appeared on my skin when I first touched Lore, and it was a constant reminder of whatever he and I might share. But as I looked up at Merrick, I shoved aside the worry, determined to focus on the new life that waited for me by this man’s side.

Unaware of my inner conflict, Merrick held out his arm, his eyes shining with pride and what I took for the beginning of love. “May I escort you to the throne room for your coronation, my queen?”

Taking a deep breath, I looped my arm through his, allowing myself to be led into the future that awaited me.

As I left the room with him, our guards clustered around us and my ladies trailing behind, I put all thoughts of Lore into the past, where they belonged.