Chapter 4
MERAK
The colorful houses of Ellonnar finally come into view.
Relief unfurls within me, and I beat my wings faster, hastening toward the fae settlement that rests at the base of a towering mountain. Gwen needs more than melted snow, dried berries, and nuts. She needs warmth, a real meal, and a bath hot enough to ease the soreness from her delicate human body.
She also needs sleep, preferably in a large, comfortable bed piled with soft pillows and thick blankets.
A bed that will accommodate both of us.
The thought causes my cock to lurch in my leathers.
I won’t force myself on her, but I intend to keep her close.
She is my mate, and I don’t plan to let her out of my sight anytime soon.
Not until we’ve consummated the bond. It’s my understanding that once we finally join our bodies, the bond will strengthen, allowing me to sense if she’s ever in danger.
I’ve heard of some fae males who are able to track their mates’ location through the bond alone.
I want that. I want that level of protection for her.
When I begin my descent, Gwen slowly peeks out from where she hides against my chest and looks down.
To my surprise, she doesn’t immediately retreat when she sees the distance between us and the ground.
Instead, she admires the landscape. She peers at the town and then takes in the snow-capped mountains and the ussha-blessed ice clouds that hover above them.
Her excitement brushes against my mind. She’s thrilled to be in a new place she’s never seen before. However, this emotion is quickly followed by a wave of guilt so strong, it causes my wings to tense.
I frown.
I hope, in time, the mating bond will strengthen enough to allow me to hear her exact thoughts and read her emotions better. It would make understanding her and wooing her easier.
Wooing her?
I nearly scoff at the absurdity of the idea.
Though Vaelnor was lost long ago, I remain a highborn lord of the Winter Court. I am one of the king’s most trusted aerial scouts, and I am a skilled warrior, a male who answers to no one save the Winter King himself.
I have never chased affection from females. Many of my comrades take pleasure slaves from among the captured humans and orcs, but I have never desired such companionship. I’ve never needed anyone.
Yet the small human in my arms has become the focus of my attention in the span of a few hours. The center of my existence.
Gods.
I nearly scoff again at the poetic turn my thoughts have taken.
The Lord of Nothing needs no one, I tell myself, repeating the words like a mantra.
I think of how King Theron has changed since taking a human mate. Not only has he ordered fewer executions, but before I departed Braemar, he was preparing to lift the lockdown on the city.
I suppress a growl as I fly into Ellonnar, heading for the tall blue building in the center of town. Will I lose part of myself because of the mating bond? Will it change me?
Even knowing it’s a possibility, I cannot imagine releasing Gwen.
The possessiveness surging through me deepens abruptly, becoming dark and almost violent in its strength. Before I can stop myself, my hold tightens around her, and this time I fail to suppress the growl rumbling from my chest.
Mine. My mate.
The intensity of the thought startles me.
Once, when I was very young, I overheard my parents whispering to one another late at night, believing I was asleep.
They were speaking of my future in hushed, sorrowful voices.
My mother said it was a shame that not only would I never inherit lands or people to govern, but I would never have a mate, never have a family of my own.
My father tried to comfort her by saying I could still build an honorable life serving in the Winter Court army.
At the time, I pretended not to hear them.
But I never forgot.
And so, I have always believed the gods never intended me to have a mate, and eventually, I made peace with it.
Or at least I believed I had.
Now, after feeling the first undeniable pulses of the bond between Gwen and me, the mere thought of parting from her feels unbearable.
When she stirs in my arms and emits a tiny whimper, I realize I’m clutching her too tightly. I immediately loosen my hold.
Finally, I land in front of the blue building.
The Sapphire Lantern. Though I’ve never stayed here before, I recall Commander Ashvale once saying it was Ellonnar’s finest inn.
As I stare at the establishment, I hope that perhaps after a few days spent here, completely alone with Gwen, we will understand one another better.
Perhaps she will even start to sense the bond during this quick respite before we rejoin the Winter Court army.
Gently, I set her down, keeping my hands on her arms to make sure she isn’t dizzy.
She peers around the town with wide eyes, and her excitement from earlier starts to return.
Thankfully, no rush of guilt follows this time.
I want to ask her about that guilt, but I doubt she would react well to the news that I can sometimes detect her emotions.
“Welcome to Ellonnar.” I place a hand on her lower back. “This is one of the first, and also one of the largest, fae settlements to rise outside the borders of the fae courts. Most of the inhabitants here are from the Winter and Autumn Courts.”
She turns to me and pales. “Winter and Autumn? Does that mean… everyone here is cruel?” She casts a worried glance at the passersby on the street, faefolk who barely look our way, as though fearing they might launch an unprovoked attack on us.
“I think you have a misconception about my people, my dearest. Many of us are cruel, yes, but our viciousness is usually reserved for our enemies.”
“You mean like humans. Like me.”
“From what I’ve heard, this is a peaceful settlement. No one here will hurt you. I promise. And if anyone dares to even look at you the wrong way, I will open their throat with the tip of my wing.”
I flare my wings in demonstration before vanishing them in a flash of white light.
Her eyes widen and she gasps. She tries to retreat a step, but I tighten my hold on her waist and guide her toward the steps of the inn.
“Are we getting separate rooms?” she asks, giving me a worried look.
After we reach the top of the steps, I pause and stare down at her. Though she holds my gaze steadily, I notice the slight trembling of her hands. Her emotions aren’t brushing against my mind at this moment, but I can tell she’s nervous.
Nervous about being alone with me.
“No, we are not getting separate rooms,” I say firmly. “You are mine, Gwen. Mine. And I intend to keep you close. Always.”
“So you plan to force yourself on me, then? Is that it?” She tries to pull away, but I catch her arm and draw her back to my side.
“Did I, or did I not, promise never to hurt you?”
She scoffs.
Scoffs!
A tiny human scoffing at me as though I am her underling.
If she were not my mate, if I did not already feel affection for her, I might punish her for such insolence. I have cut many others down for less. Once, I gutted a soldier-in-training for rolling his eyes at me and mounted his head on a stake as a warning to others.
I force in a deep breath, then slowly exhale.
“Answer my question, Gwen. Answer me.” Though I try to keep my voice calm, I do not entirely succeed, and she flinches at the command in my tone.
“Yes, you promised never to hurt me. But they were just words you said. How can I be certain you spoke the truth? You might be lying just so I won’t cause a scene. You might be planning to pounce on me the moment we’re alone together.”
“I could have pounced on you when we stopped in the clearing,” I remind her. “But I didn’t.”
“Perhaps you prefer your victims to be clean first. Perhaps you’re simply biding your time until I finish my bath and then—”
“Enough.” I straighten and glance toward the door. “We are going to walk inside and request the nicest room available. A room we will share. And you will behave accordingly or…” My voice trails off.
“Or what?” she whispers, growing even paler. “What will you do if I make a scene? Tell me. Please. I want to know just how cruelly you might treat me if I anger you.”
Slowly, I turn her to face me and place my hands on her shoulders.
A dark realization strikes me. She truly expects cruelty from me. Worse, she is trying to provoke me. She is trying to drag that brutality to the surface so she can see it for herself.
Her emotions finally brush against mine again, and what I sense startles me. Fear. Nervousness. But also… admiration and desire.
My heart lifts at the realization.
She is attracted to me.
Whether it’s because she’s starting to sense the bond, or her attraction to me is purely visceral at this point, I find I do not care. Because it is still a beginning. If she does not yet feel the bond, perhaps her attraction will help guide her toward it.
As I hold her gaze, I attempt to arrange my features into an earnest look, though I am unaccustomed to worrying about such things. I have never needed to earn a female’s trust before.
Perhaps I should practice making gentler facial expressions in the mirror later tonight.
Gods.
What an absurd thought… one of several I’ve had since meeting her.
“Gwen, my dearest, if you ever anger me, the worst I will do is growl at you. I will not shout at you, and I will never strike you.” I glance briefly at the door of the inn before returning my gaze to her, and I then find myself admiring the flecks of gold in her dark eyes.
“If you truly wish to demand a room of your own once we enter the inn, I invite you to do so. But know this—I will not change my mind. We are sharing a room, and we are sharing a bed. I won’t force myself on you, but I do intend to fall asleep holding you in my arms.”
Her cheeks turn a dark pink, and she draws in a trembling breath. “I won’t make a scene. But I would like to state once more that I strongly object to sharing a room with you.”
I step closer, savoring the warmth that radiates from her body.
Then I lower my face until it is level with hers.
“I’m so glad you’ve agreed to behave for me, my dearest.”
Her eyes flare with surprise, perhaps a bit of outrage.
Before she can respond, I open the door and usher her inside.