His finger glides under my chin and lifts my head so I meet his gaze. He's inches from me, his expression heartfelt, his scent musky and spicy and so delicious. "You'll never be lost at my side."
His words are like a fresh spring breeze chasing away the winter blues, and my eyes prick. I melt against him, and he embraces me. I don't even know why I'm crying, but all the emotions building inside me finally rush out. The news of my father. Not knowing who my mother is. Ahren pushing me aside. Not knowing where I belong. And who exactly am I, anyway? Am I better off back on Earth where I’m nobody and I can pretend I have a life?
Luther rubs my back and holds me close. There's something about him that always calms me. Maybe because I've known him the longest. He's seen the worst and best sides of me and still sticks around. For those reasons, I embrace what he offers and believe him when he says he'll always be by my side.
Luther
My heart hurts.
From what I've seen, Guendolyn has faced challenge after challenge, and she always fights back. She’s never once demanded to leave.
Not my little wolf.
She doesn't give up, I see that now. Her eagerness to uncover the truth of her past drives her, and I admire that more than she'll ever realize. Too many fall complacent, retreat from fear… but not her.
I embrace her as she softly sobs against my chest. Running my hand over her blonde hair, I don't rush her but let her settle down in her own time. We all need to regroup and reassess our next decisions when all hell breaks loose, and while her way of dealing is crying, mine is smashing anything in my way. Similar, in a way.
The heat from the fireplace engulfs us, while outside the sun peeks out from behind the clouds. The snowfall fades, as do the gray clouds.
This is what she needs. Time away from everything. Because once she finds out about the wedding, she will be heartbroken. Until then, I intend to make her smile so she has something to hold onto.
Guendolyn breaks from my embrace, her cheeks rosy, eyes still puffy.
"Change of scenery and fresh air, how does that sound?" I offer.
Her sweet lips curl upward as she nods. "I would love that." It warms me to see her smile rather than cry.
The maid appears from the kitchen, followed by Michae. She hands me a wicker basket covered by a white kitchen towel, and I feel like a servant about to stroll through the woods. But I take it nonetheless from her hand.
"Everything you need is in there, Your Highness." She bows her head slightly and retreats.
"Thank you," I say, and Guendolyn gives her thanks too. Michae bows his head as we leave the dining hall.
By the time we head downstairs and step outside into a courtyard, the expression on my little wolf's face is bursting with excitement.
"Where are we going?" She looks at me for an answer, and there is something riveting about her childlike enthusiasm. My chest tightens as my heart pounds for her. She affects me so easily, so quickly.
"You'll see,” I assure her and guide her over the snow-covered yard to the large black sleigh harnessed to a large chestnut horse.
Guendolyn's mouth hasn’t closed yet, and she quickens her steps. "Is this really for us? Oh my god, it looks like Santa’s sleigh.” She mumbles things I don’t understand, but her excitement is contagious. Then she turns to me abruptly. “Wait, the Bloodcursed are outside the walls."
“Who said anything about leaving the kingdom grounds?”
She’s bouncing on her feet and runs ahead, then climbs up into the open sleigh. She flops down onto the two-seater wooden bench covered in blankets, laughing when she looks my way.
“Hurry up,” she calls.
This is how I want her to feel every day. Who would have thought I'd end up such a love-struck sucker. I need my little wolf by my side, always. That's what matters. I reach her and set the basket under the bench in the sleigh and turn to find our stable manager, an older fae with long pointy ears sticking over messy white hair, marching over to me.
“Your Highness, you are all set to go. The paths have been cleared of snow.” There’s a glint in his eyes just like the maid’s and Michae’s as he glances over to Guendolyn and back at me. I can’t help but get the impression the staff at the mansion are excited for me to be with her. Or maybe it’s hopeful thinking on my part.
“Thank you.”
Beyond the castle and town and within the kingdom walls lies a woodland safe from Bloodcursed, where fae can hunt game and pick wild fruit and vegetables.
I climb into the sleigh, take the reins, and sit next to my little wolf. “Are you ready?”
“You bet. I’m so excited to do something fun. I still remember the Ferris Wheel you made for me.” She presses up against my side, and I wrap an arm around her.
The horse takes off, and she bursts out giggling as we lurch backwards in our seat. We quickly fall into a steady trot, going over small bumps over the terrain. A few maids wave to us from the grounds, and Guendolyn repays the favor. Once we leave behind the castle yard, we start moving faster. I swing the horse right and take the path where pines and firs stripped of leaves and pine needles fill the landscape.
Behind us lays another path that leads into the Seelie Shadow town, but today I want us away from everyone and the fucking drama of royal life.
We jostle in our seat, but Guendolyn doesn't dislodge herself from my side. “When I was young,” I begin, “I used to go into these woods and stay out here for a week at a
