I’d never been very good at this ruling lark, but I would get better.
I didn’t want Hagan to be ashamed of being my son. I wanted him to be proud.
And I couldn’t have asked for a better start.
* * *
On my way back to the castle, I stopped briefly at the camp. What looked like an empty field one moment transformed into a bustling hub as soon as I crossed beneath the wards. Thanks to the magic keeping our climate mild, those staying within shouldn’t have been too uncomfortable while we built or shifted places for all of them to live. Two families had already taken up residence in Anwen’s vacant home.
People nodded as I passed, all seeming content with the current arrangement as they built fires for cooking the rations Aveen and Eava had organized. Children darted beneath tent flaps and leapt over the ropes tied to the stakes in the ground.
I found Ruairi at the center of it all, kneeling next to a stack of wool blankets donated by a few of the Danú who had come by the castle to show their support for this endeavor. Not that there had been many, but with the curse broken, my people seemed in more generous spirits.
I came to a stop next to my friend. “All going well?”
“As well as can be expected,” he replied, standing up and dusting the grass and dirt from his breeches. “Folks seem optimistic.”
“For once.”
He chuckled. “For once.”
Between a gap in the tents, I could make out the start of the trees leading to the Black Forest. The Queen hadn’t sent any letters since the last one, and I still wasn’t sure letting the dissenters go had been the correct course of action, but there was nothing to be done about that now. “We have to get them all moved by tomorrow night.”
“I know. Rían’s already found homes for twenty. Another thirty or so only have small cottages back in Airren that shouldn’t take too much to shift.”
“That’s feckin’ brilliant.” We’d already decided to spread out the cottages across our land. Having them all in one place would make them too easy a target. Still, I believed that my people would be more welcoming of the newcomers than those in Airren had been to us. Hopefully, my faith in them wasn’t misplaced.
Ruairi nodded his agreement.
I scanned the sea of faces busying themselves around the camp, some I recognized, most I didn’t. The one I was searching for was nowhere to be found. “Have you seen my wife?”
“Last I heard, she was taking the little lad back to the castle for a nap.”
Two young women in brown muslin dresses strolled up to Ruairi, their cheeks painted pink with a blush as they exchanged excited glances. “Excuse me?” the one with dark brown hair said. “Is this where we come for rations?”
Ruairi didn’t seem to notice the way their gazes raked over him like he was a thick slice of blackberry cobbler. “Afraid I’ve only blankets here. The rations are down that way.” He gestured between the tents.
“There are an awful lot of people,” the other woman remarked after a quick glance in the direction indicated. “Would you be so kind as to show us where to go?”
I bit back my smile and left him to it.
* * *
After what felt like the longest day of my life, I finally made it to my bedroom only to find my wife stepping out of the tub. Talk about brilliant timing. Water cascaded from her dark curtain of hair to her round backside. She must’ve heard me in the doorway, because she turned to throw a knowing smile over her shoulder and asked me to retrieve the towel from beside the fire.
I’d never moved as fast, grabbing the length of linen and bringing it over to the porcelain tub. When she went to reach for it, I eased her hand back to her side. “Allow me.”
Her smile grew as she took my proffered hand and stepped out of the tub. I ran the linen over her shoulders and arms, down her back to the swell of her hips. Gooseflesh prickled her skin as I moved to dry her chest, taking extra care to catch every single drop from her perky breasts.
“I think you’ve got it all,” she giggled.
“No. I missed a spot. Look right there.”
“Where?”
I bent to capture her nipple with my tongue. Her hands made their way into my hair, holding me as I teased her until we were both out of breath. When I eased back, her dusky nipple glistened. “See? All wet.” I grazed the soft linen across the very tip. “I’m only being thorough. Is there anywhere else that may be wet and need some attention?”
Her gray eyes darkened as she sank onto the side of the tub and spread her creamy white thighs.