Page 15 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

The two of us chuckled while the massive man shook his head and strutted away, vexed and with a mildly hurt pride.

After smacking a bunch of kisses on her soft cheek I asked, “How did you leave Eldmoor?”

Her expression looked beaten and marred with tired purple shadows. I’d hate to think it was because of the man who’d sired her. If only I could erase all memory of him from her. Maybe it was too much to send her to Eldmoor with all that was going on. She insisted she went. She said it would be good for her to be far from Taren and Adriata for a while. I was starting to regret letting her convince me.

“Asra is not how I remember it to be.” Nia had spent most of her years far from Olympia, studying other kingdoms in my stead, collecting information I needed, making sure their ships and soldiers strayed clear of our shores and their attention and curiosity away from my lands. Nia was the golden asset of my court. Her skills in persuasion and infiltration were immaculate not because of her magic, but because she had trained them to be immaculate without her magic—the same one she’d only grown confident to use after Kilian had taught her.

I frowned. “In what sense?”

“Please don’t over panic.” She waited for me to settle after that request and then pushed her sleeve up.

My eyes widened at the angry scar stretching on her forearm. My breathing grew furious. “Panic? Nia, you got injured. I got you injured.”

She sighed. “The issue is I didn’t actually get injured.” She reached into her pocket and handed me an amethyst with a black rune engraved in it. “It was one of the hexes I found around the Red Coven veil. It places a curse on everyone that trespasses within miles of it. They know, Snow. They know someone is attempting to enter their lands. They are on high alert in all corners and down to Heca. I’d never felt the presence of so many Dark Crafters gathered in one spot—ever.”

I took the stone from her, feeling the strange engraving with my thumb. The rock was warm and whatever it contained triggered something to roar in cautions inside me and black striation of tattoos crawled over my hands in response. “Take it to Visha and have her look at your arm too before you go to a healer.”

She nodded.

“Vocalise it, Nia.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, mother, I will see Visha.”

I smacked her bottom.

“May I ask,” Moriko’s cold voice came from the far end of the corridor. “Why are you inappropriately touching my lover?” Her blunt dark hair was pinned back, revealing the sharp structure of her features and the deadly hooded dark brown stare that suddenly softened when it met Nia.

I pointed a finger in her direction. “To gods you call her that again.”

The Autumn Queen raised a brow as she neared us, towering over Nia’s shorter form. “You what?” Pinching Nia’s chin, she lowered her lips to my friend’s and the two shared a loving kiss. Too loving.

“I really didn’t need to witness that.”

Nia giggled and Moriko gave me a satisfied look before wrapping an arm around her waist. “Why is she keeping you far from me?”

“Eldmoor,” Nia said. “We think Urinthia might be helping Silas.”

Moriko’s deadly earthy gaze slowly narrowed. “She sent you there on your own?”

“I am right here,” I said, lifting a hand.

Nia blinked a little confused at Moriko. “Are you saying that I am incapable of defending myself?”

Moriko didn’t answer. The smirk she gave Nia was enough of an answer. And so was the kiss that followed.

Though it struck me as odd to see it, I liked this. Nia giggling and enamoured. Right after Moriko had met us in Arynth, Nia served as emissary to Hanai. Fading back and forth, aiding and gathering help. Little did I know that Nia had been brave enough not to hide her infatuation, and Moriko had been smart enough to appreciate it. And I was happy she had chosen someone like the Autumn Queen. If she broke Nia’s heart, I would open war to the whole of Hanai and scorch her butterfly filled lands to ashes. And of course, Moriko knew that. Therefore, the chances of that happening were slim.

All too comfortably, her hand began descending lower and lower Nia’s back and I sneered. “Are you here to fondle my spy or you’re actually bothering me with something useful?”

Moriko gave me an amused look. “Bothering? Is your time down the dungeons so prime?”

“Yes. Unless you volunteer for my cadaver inspection then I'd much rather be up here.” My gaze raked over her and a bit of boredom fled from my system at the thought. “I’d like to find out if there is soil in your veins and a stone between your lungs. That is if you have lungs. Do you breathe through leaves and branches?”

Nia giggled a little, but the queen pointed a hand toward the meeting room, not amused by amusement. “After you.”

“As always, Mor dearest, as always,” I said, strutting towards the doors.

Visha, Sebastian and Albius were waiting for us. The two Lords who were both keeping an eye on Winter court and my father. If it had not been for them capturing any soldier that had managed their way back to the gates after the battle in Adriata, father would have long known my secret.