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What rite of passage was my dear Una crossing?
And the fact that her first marking had etched into her skin after I’d taken her as my mizrah, as my mate, had not slipped past me. It wasn’t only these words that were sealing Una with dark fae magick. It was our union.
It was us.
I reached out and cupped her cheek, stroking her silky skin with my thumb. I needed her to come back to me or this ceaseless worrying would never go away.
“You love her.” Dalya’s whispered words filled the space between us.
I glanced up to find tears in her eyes, emotions of wonder and a touch of fear shining back at me. I didn’t understand why Dalya would be frightened. Perhaps some vision of hers that I didn’t want to hear right now. I didn’t care what the gods said through her at the moment. I simply wanted Una back.
I refused to respond. When I admitted as much, it would be to Una herself first.
“I’m sure you will love the child as well.”
I glanced up sharply at Dalya. She smiled.
I’d noticed the change in Una’s scent before we’d left Näkt Mir. Or rather, the additional scent—a woodsy spice beneath her own summer floral aroma. Apparently, Redvyr had as well. Thankfully, he hadn’t mentioned it when I shook him off at our meeting in Vanglosa.
We were now camped a short span away. Redvyr had given us permission to stay within his lands while Una recovered.
“Does she know yet?” Dalya asked.
The light fae weren’t born with the same heightened senses as us. But Una might already be aware of subtle changes in her body. I’d noticed she hadn’t been eating as much, and she was sleepier than usual.
“I’m not sure. I was waiting for her to tell me.”
The truth of it was that I was terrified. Would Una no longer want me in her bed if she knew she was with child? I knew she cared for me, but I’d been adamant that my goal in getting her here was to bear my heir. Would she reject my attentions, my affection, my company, now that I’d put a child in her womb?
For most wraith fae, and especially for kings, the mizrah typically left the king’s bed and went away to have their child. That was because many wraith kings did not bond with their mizrahs beyond making wraithlings. The thought of Una being anywhere but close to my side turned my insides to acid.
Dalya reached out to place a hand on Una’s forehead. That’s when I noticed some bruising on Dalya’s wrist.
“What is that from?” I nodded at her arm.
She quickly pulled her hand back and tucked the sleeve longer to cover it up. “My own silly mishap. I hit it against the coal stove in my tent.”
I frowned. “How—?”
Then Una mumbled something, stealing my attention back to her. Her eyes fluttered open and landed on me.
“Thank the gods,” I muttered. “Finally.”
She smiled. “Goll.” Her voice was hoarse from disuse.
I fell onto my knees and cupped her face in my hands, pressing my forehead to hers. I sensed more than heard Dalya leaving the tent.
“What’s wrong?” she muttered, lifting a hand to my shoulder.
“I’ve been so worried,” I admitted freely, my heart pounded as the relief coursed through my veins. I lifted away to look at her, to drink in her beautiful face. “How do you feel?”
She smiled brighter. “I feel amazing. There’s more magick living inside me.” There was pure joy in her voice.
“Yes, I can sense it,” I told her, my voice shaking with emotion. With relief. “Just as I did at Dragul Falls.”
She struggled to sit up.
“You need to rest.” I tried to urge her back down to the bed.
