Page 64 of The Ruthless Fae King
Dropping my fingers to my side, I splayed them out. The group behind me stepped back a pace and I called the wind to me. It whistled through the trees’ frozen branches, causing the icicles to break off and fall to the ground. It was a warm up, and good so far. Opening my eyes, I reached out my right hand and allowed a fraction of the rage I had built up for Queen Zaphira leak out of me and embolden my power. A wall of wind ripped through the canyon to the right and slammed into the tree, breaking it in half. There were gasps behind me but I stayed focused on my power.
There was something new there, something wild and cold and reckless. I pulled on it, letting the magic flow out of me, and yelped when an ice shard flew from my palm and slammed into the trunk of a tree.
I dropped my hold over my powers and then spun, facing Lucien with wide eyes. My heart rattled against my chest like a bird in a cage and I feared he would somehow be mad.
“You havesome ofmypower.” He sounded in awe.
“That was amazing!” Kailani added.
The elf king rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, now we know the blood donation worked. It more than worked.”
That made me beam. “Do you think it’s permanent?” I asked.
The elf king peered at his wife, who shrugged. “No way to know. We are on new ground with this. But I’ll take extensive notes in my medical journal and leave a copy with you in case you ever need to use it with your people again,” she said.
I gave her a smile of gratitude, but I was worried about what Lucien was thinking, and everyone seemed to catch on to that because one by one they left to go back inside.
“Are you mad?” I asked him, stepping closer so that he could pull me into his arms.
He did, wrapping them around me tightly. “Never. I’m surprised and happy. The more powerful you are, the more protected you will be,” he said.
I frowned. “Then why do you look sad?” I asked. Maybe he didn’t realize how much he wore his emotions out in the open, but I could tell by the look on his face that something was bothering him.
He shook his head. “Nothing. It’s selfish.”
I peered up at him, craning my neck. “Tell me!”
He planted a kiss on my lips and then pulled on my hand. “I’ll show you.”
We walked past the snow-covered garden and to a giant cathedral I hadn’t noticed in the distance. It was made of stone and stood two stories high, with dark wooden arches and ornate trusses. As we neared, I gasped at the beautiful stained glass depicting the phases of the moon, along with all of the different elements.
“I didn’t know you had a cathedral in Winter Court.” Cathedrals were usually associated with those who worshiped the Maker. We had many in Fall Court. But Winter Court was rumored to be lacking in the belief of a higher power or a preordained destiny.
“My mother had it built. She demanded to my father that she had a place to worship the Maker,” he said as he reached for the ornate engraved wooden door. I smiled at the thought of his mother demanding his non-believing father build her a cathedral.
When he opened the door, I stepped inside and a little gasp of surprise escaped me.
There were hundreds of white flowers, freshly hung from the ceiling, lining the aisle and all over the front altar. No one knew what the Maker looked like but we knew all came from him and all returned to him, so we envisioned him a lot like the bright shining sun that hung in the sky.Giver of life. A huge orange and yellow sun was centered in the far wall of the stained glass. It cast buttery hues along the white flowers.
“I’m sad because I wanted to marry you here.Today. I didn’t want to wait, I didn’t want to have to fight Zaphira right now. I want to live out my life in peace as your husband.”
I spun, blinking away tears, knowing that these flowers were fresh because he’d asked his staff to ready this room to marry me.
I sniffled. “When did you have this done?”
I wanted to be selfish too. I wanted to marry and not have to rush off into dangerous territory and possibly get killed.
“Yesterday, before I left with Drae to come get you. I told my staff I was returning with my bride to be and we would marry at once. Then Zaphira attacked and you got hurt and… well, you know the rest.” His face looked downcast.
“I’m sorry.” I grasped the sides of his jaw. “I promise you, after I get Spring and Summer to send their troops to the war, wewillmarry. I’ll go now and be right back. With Drae flying, I can be back in a few hours.”
He sighed, looking upset. “Last time you said that, you were taken by another man and I found you half dead.”
I pulled him to me, crushing his lips against mine as an ache built in my core. Did he have any idea how much I wanted him? I’d never desired anything more in my life.
Pulling back, I held his gaze. “Iwillmarry you, Lucien Thorne. I swear it on the Maker in this house of worship.”
Lucien grinned. “Now you have to or you’ll be struck by lightning.”
