Castle Eaveton
SIX MONTHS LATER
“ F or the love of your goddess, Mo, sit still!” Imalfi brandished her shears. “Do you want to lose the tip of an ear? Do you?”
“Sorry, sorry. I’m just…I’m so bloody nervous.” I caught my lower lip with one sharp point of my fangs. “All his missive said was that he’d be back today. No word on the vote or his family or…or anything.”
“I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about,” Imalfi said breezily. “Hold it together for fifteen minutes, please, so I can tame this rat’s nest you call a head of hair.”
“It’s not that bad,” I grumbled. “I just need a trim.”
“Honey, you need so much more than a trim.”
“Don’t you dare?—”
“I’m not going to cut it all off, calm down. Just tidying it.”
I met her gaze in the vanity’s mirror. “I’m trusting you.”
“And I would never abuse that trust, Mokido.” She snorted. “Especially now that you’re a viscount . Good gods. Only you would accidentally marry a princely witch-hunter and get a title out of the deal.”
Not only did I have a husband and a title, but I had a village.
A castle. Staff. And to top it off, a manor house in Kardonan.
I’d had six months to get used to my new reality, and I had to say, it didn’t suck.
It also didn’t always feel real. I went from hiding my face and ears in villages throughout Woshos to standing tall as I walked into Eaveton, greeted with smiles and happiness.
I think the people of the village, and my staff, appreciated that I knew what it was like to have nothing.
I did my best to make sure none of the people I was responsible for went through that again.
It had become common knowledge that anyone could come to me if they needed help, and I would give as much as I could. Kason too—when he was around.
Kason had needed to be in Kardonan frequently over the past few months, both to help support his family after Desha’s betrayal and to be there for his order as they set up the process to elect a new leader.
I wanted to be at his side for both, but Kason had convinced me that establishing myself at Eaveton was more important than accompanying him.
I needed to be available for the people as they got used to having someone in authority, something they’d lacked for a handful of tough years.
Besides, I wasn’t sure I was ready to spend as much time in Kardonan as Kason needed to.
It wasn’t home any longer—hadn’t been for years—and I had more bad memories than good within its walls.
But that was all going to change, probably.
Kason had been nominated as the new Lord Hunter, and I had no doubt he would win the position.
He was well-liked, competent, and talented, and—not to put too fine a point on it—charismatic, a trait that all good leaders needed.
So he would be voted in, and we would start splitting our time between the castle in Eaveton and the estate in Kardonan.
I was okay with that, truly, even if I’d gotten used to the quietness of the Wilds and finally felt like I didn’t need to look over my shoulder every time I left the castle.
Also, I would miss Imalfi and the crew. After I’d sent word of all that had happened, they’d shown up on my doorstep and only left to complete the occasional job.
I was happy to have them there, and liked seeing signs that they were settling in and treating it like their home too.
Berkay had taken over two full shelves in the library with his volumes of poetry, and Gemm had decorated his room like the finest accommodations in a brothel.
Herat had taken over one of the barns as a practice ground for honing her skills.
And Imalfi? I think she was just happy to have a place where she could be what she was—a half-sprite—in the company of those who didn’t judge her.
“There. Tidied,” she declared. “What do you think?”
I turned my head from side to side, noting that she truly hadn’t cut off much, but enough that it definitely looked neater. “I think you missed your calling.”
She scoffed. “Sweet talker.”
“It looks great, Im. Thank you.”
A couple of sharp raps sounded on the door to my dressing room before it opened. Herat stuck her head in. “Kason’s almost here. Cody ran up to let us know he stopped in the village.”
Cody, the baker’s son, adored Kason and was probably extra excited he was home. No doubt Kason himself had asked Cody to give us a heads-up, if only to give the boy the satisfaction of helping.
“Okay.” I inhaled sharply, suddenly nervous. This had been the longest time Kason had been away—six weeks—and…I didn’t know why I was so worried. I stood, shaking out my hands. “I look good, right?”
Herat gave me a thumbs-up and a wink, while Imalfi shoved my shoulder playfully. “You look the same as always,” she said. “Like you’re five minutes away from a bad decision.”
“Fuck you.”
“Not if you paid me.” She waved me out of my own room with a shooing motion. “Go, go. I’ll clean up here. You go greet your man.”
I concentrated on breathing evenly as I trotted down the hall, down the main stairs, and out the front door. It didn’t take long for me to hear the clop of hooves on the road leading to the castle, and shortly after, I spotted Kason.
And I could breathe again.
It sounded stupid, but seeing him was like witnessing the sun emerge from the clouds after days of rain.
It felt like my home was nearly within my reach again—because that’s what he was, I’d realized over the months since we’d left Kardonan for Eaveton.
My home. If I had to leave Eaveton behind tomorrow, I would, if it meant being with Kason.
When Kason saw me, he nudged his horse into a canter to get to me that much faster.
I couldn’t help the smile that stretched my lips, nor the joyous laugh that escaped when he swung off his mount and darted forward to sweep me into his arms. He smelled like horse and dust and sweat, and it was the best hug ever.
Then he was kissing me, and I stopped thinking about anything except how his lips pressed against mine, how his tongue slipped into my mouth to dance there teasingly, brushing against my fangs without fear, how I wished there was a wall behind me so I could feel him pressed against me fully.
Too soon, he pulled back, his cheeks rosy. “Hi,” he whispered.
“Hi. Welcome home.”
His smile bloomed ever brighter. “Home,” he echoed with a sigh, and it occurred to me it had probably been a long time since he’d had a space that was truly his own. “Let me see to?—”
“I’ve got him,” Herat said, taking Kason’s horse by the reins. “Get caught up with your viscount.”
I rolled my eyes at her, and she walked off with the horse, chuckling.
“Your note didn’t say much,” I prodded.
“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to worry.”
My eyes widened. “Worry? Why would I worry?”
Instead of answering immediately, Kason placed both of his gloved hands on my shoulders, then moved them down to rub my upper arms, as though he were trying to soothe a ruffled cat.
“Kason—”
“It’s fine. It’s nothing. I—” He huffed out a breath. “I withdrew my name from the leadership election, that’s all.”
I blinked at him. “That’s all?” I repeated, disbelievingly. “But—you—you wanted to be Lord Hunter!”
“Eh.” He shrugged, like the decision had been an easy one, but I knew him well enough that it had to have been anything but.
“Why?” I demanded.
He lifted a hand to trace the curve of my cheek. “Because priorities change.”
“Oh, tell me you didn’t give up the chance because of me .”
“No, not because of you. Because of me.” He leaned in to kiss the tip of my nose.
“I don’t want to be away from you, or from here, for as long as I would need to as Lord Hunter.
I’d have to be in Kardonan for at least half the year, and I didn’t want that.
Also, being Lord Hunter means sitting in an office.
Leading council meetings. I’m not ready to give up going into the Wilds.
And I thought… Well, if you’re interested… ”
“Spit it out, witch-hunter.”
Kason grinned. “I thought you could accompany me when I have an assignment. Maybe not all the time, but sometimes. I’d like to travel with you. Spend that time with you. We make a good team.”
“As long as we’re not treating witch-thieves like murderers.”
“Never.”
“Then yes. That sounds like a wonderful life to me.”
Kason opened his arms, and I stepped into them. In the back of my mind, I heard Rhianough say, Well done, Mokido , and I had to agree with my goddess.
I’d done quite well indeed.
THE END
Thank you for reading The Suffering of Fools !