The Hunter
Three years later
“Watch your footing,” I said, gesturing to Morwenna’s feet. “Plant them firmly. If you wobble, your strike won’t be as forceful.”
Morwenna’s brows screwed up in concentration as she mimicked my movements, her small mouth puckered. Her blunt blade swished with her movements, her footwork steady and firm.
I nodded with a smile. “Good.” I turned to Gemma, her younger sister. “Show me your strike.”
Gemma lifted her wooden blade, then jabbed it forward with the exact intensity I had taught her.
“Here.” I drew closer, lifting her arms up a fraction. “Aim higher. Your opponent will likely be much bigger than you. And if you have the strength, twist.” I motioned with the practice blade. “If you can wrench that weapon inside them, it’ll slow them down further.”
“Sir Theron!”
I looked up, finding a servant sprinting into the courtyard, a rolled-up piece of parchment clutched in his hands. I stepped away from my students and raised my eyebrows expectantly.
“Your presence is requested.” The man shoved the parchment into my hands.
I unrolled it and glanced over the familiar handwriting. “She needs me right now?”
The servant huffed in exasperation. “It is the queen, my lord. She asked me to summon you, so I did. I did not ask questions.”
“Right. Of course.” I sighed, tucking the parchment into my pocket before turning to the six young girls waiting for me to continue training. “I’m sorry, everyone, but we will have to resume our lessons tomorrow.”
A few of them groaned in disappointment.
“I can take over,” said a familiar voice.
I turned and found Stella striding toward me, her steps lithe and graceful.
She wore black leathers and had a throwing knife in each hand.
After Eira had been coronated, Stella had worked with me on creating a training program to teach young girls self-defense.
Now, between court duties, we alternated instructing our pupils.
I smiled warmly at her. Ever since Eira had resurrected her, Stella had been…
different. More altered. She was much more somber than before, though there were echoes of her former self that emerged in moments here and there.
Her hair was now silver, completely void of all color.
Her eyes, once a brilliant blue, were as black as my own.
And there was something… off about her scent. She no longer smelled human. Not quite fae either, but… something dark. Something close to death.
Regardless, she had served on the Winter Court for years now. Eira trusted her, and I did, too. Bringing someone back from death was likely to change a person. I could hardly judge her for that.
Stella’s fathomless eyes fixed on me expectantly, and I nodded. “Thank you, Stella.”
She offered a small smile. Positioning herself in front of the crowd of students, Stella said, “All right, girls. Show me how you block.”
The girls immediately sprang into action. I smiled slightly, thinking of Eira and her ferocity. These girls would grow up to be like her someday.
That was my hope.
I returned my sword to the armory and made my way up the steps to the castle entrance.
My stomach was already doing backflips at the thought of meeting a guest with Eira in the throne room.
Teaching fighting skills was comfortable for me.
Easy. Familiar. But court politics? I wasn’t sure if I would ever get accustomed to it.
There wasn’t time to bathe or change, so I merely adjusted my coat and smoothed down my wild hair before climbing the spiral staircase that led to the throne room. I nodded at the soldiers guarding the doors as I walked in.
Eira stood in the center of the room in front of her throne.
For a moment, I was swept away by her beauty.
She wore a long, midnight blue gown with sparkling diamonds embedded in the fabric.
A white shawl was draped around her shoulders, and her silver crown glistened in the faint light streaming in from the windows.
Her inky black hair was twisted into a knot on the side of her head, with several loose curls framing her face.
Her expression was solemn as she conversed with…
My heart stuttered in my chest as I recognized the rose gold skin and white hair.
This was Nyra, the pixie queen. She wore a vibrant purple dress that exposed her back, allowing her long, glittering wings to stretch freely behind her. Next to her was Sage, the ambassador for the pixies, who wore a golden gown that fell in shimmering waves all the way down to her feet.
The three turned to look at me as I entered. I sketched a quick bow and said, “You asked to see me?”
Eira waved her hand at me. “Drop the pretense, Theron. Nyra knows you.”
I scoffed and straightened. “It’s not a pretense. You’re still my queen, even if we share a bed.”
“How scandalous,” Nyra said with a smirk, her all-black eyes drilling into me with an intensity that made me want to fidget.
“Riots have broken out in Jarta and Dahl,” Eira said. “Pixies are being attacked, dragged from their homes and captured. We think the seelie nobles might be involved, but we can’t prove anything.”
My chest constricted. Eira had been queen for a few years now, but there was still discontent over a human ruling the court. Especially since she had decreed that the unseelie were to be granted the same freedoms as the seelie.
“What can I do?” I asked, spine straightening as I waited for my queen to command me.
A small smile lit Eira’s face. “You can talk to them.”
I frowned. “Talk?”
“Yes. It’s something you do with your mouth instead of your hands. Although, I think you are skilled at using both, if memory serves me.”
My face flushed, and I sputtered awkwardly, unable to provide a coherent response. Sage snorted, then covered her mouth. Nyra cackled and clapped her hands together in delight.
“I mean,” I said, my face still hot, “don’t you want me to lead forces down there?”
“I’ve tried that. Many times. But it doesn’t seem to be making a difference.”
“The seelie need someone like them to speak with them,” Nyra said. “Eira here is a human, as is her court. I think they see it as offensive that there is no seelie emissary.”
I blinked once. Twice. “Emissary?”
“Are you going to continue to parrot words back to us?” Eira asked with a long-suffering sigh.
“I’m just confused as to what you want me to do here.”
Eira drew closer to me, her eyes sparkling. “Theron, I want you to be a leader.”
I swallowed hard and waited for her to continue. My pulse began to thrum.
“You’ve been leading our court meetings for years now,” she said.
“I’ve only been directing them.”
“And you’ve been leading training lessons with the soldiers and civilians,” Eira went on.
“That is voluntary and a completely informal setting.”
“Not to mention the fact that you know the fae and their customs far better than I ever could.” Eira lifted a hand and ran her fingers down my jaw, teasing my beard. “This court needs you, Theron. In an official capacity. If you’re ready for it.”
My heart rate quickened as I glanced from Eira to Nyra, who was smiling slyly, then to Sage, whose eyes were wide. “You want me… to be your emissary?” I clarified.
“Yes,” said Eira. “You would be my official spokesperson, traveling throughout the provinces and providing counsel.”
I looked at her, my stomach wriggling uncontrollably. “How often?”
“What?”
“How often would I be traveling?”
Eira frowned at this. “I’m not sure yet. As often as is required.”
The knots tightened in my chest. “I see.” My voice sounded strained. I glanced at Nyra, whose smile widened.
Eira cleared her throat. “Nyra, Sage, could you give us a moment?”
Nyra’s smile fell. “Damn. I was starting to enjoy his discomfort. We’ll be in our rooms, then.” She swept from the room, with Sage trailing after. The doors slammed shut behind them.
I exhaled in a puff of air, struggling to control my breathing. Eira’s hands were on my shoulders, her expression full of worry. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Emissary?” I said weakly. “Eira, why?”
She pressed her palms against my cheeks. “Why not? For years, you’ve refused to hold an official position in my court. You’re just… I don’t know, my rugged bedmate.”
“I offered to be your consort!” I objected.
“I know that,” she said gently. “But it’s been three years.
Don’t you think it’s time for something more?
” She took a breath, her eyes suddenly guarded as she searched my face, no doubt taking in my panic-stricken expression.
“Unless you don’t want to? I would hate to push you into a role you don’t want. I just thought…”
I placed my hands on her waist. “I am yours, Eira.”
She offered me a wry smile. “I’m not questioning your love for me, hunter.
I just… I thought you needed time. That if I waited long enough…
” She broke off and shook her head. “It’s all right.
If you don’t want to be in this court in that way, then maybe I can shift some things around.
Keep our relationship more private so you can be a civilian instead. ”
My brow furrowed. “I don’t want that.”
“Then what do you want?”
I paused, considering this. In my life, I hadn’t often been given the luxury of choosing my path. My father had forced me into court life early on, and then Calista had forced me to continue his work.
It wasn’t until I met Eira that I’d truly felt like I had a purpose. Like I could do good things, despite my past.
“I want to make a difference,” I said quietly.
“Being my emissary will achieve that,” she said.
My throat went dry, the fluttering in my stomach becoming uncontrollable. “I want… to be with you making a difference.”
Eira cocked her head at me in confusion. “What do you mean? You already are.”
“As emissary, my job is to travel on your behalf, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Which means we will be apart quite a bit.”
She hesitated. “Yes. It will involve a lot of traveling and liaisons when I can’t be there.”