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“Yes, ma’am. I will get you changed and ready right away.”
Aeris and I went upstairs to my bath to wash off the tiring target practice. My attendants already had the water hot, steamy, and scented with oils, while Eadaoin and Talulla stood by with my dinner tray. Aeris sent the tray away while the attendants undressed me. I long since stopped arguing with them about dressing and undressing myself.
If compliments don’t work on the empty-chested man, what will? What else did Papa do to woo Mama?
My mind went through the stories she told me as I stepped into my bath. The doors blew out, snapping me out of my memories. Bradach walked inside.
“Bradach,” I cried, slapping my hands over my exposed bits. “You’re back.”
“That I am, my queen.” He bowed low, wings crowning and spreading the calming scent of wind, rain, and pine. “As proud as I would be to die for you, I can happily report I did not.”
“That’s great, but”—I flapped a hand—“would you mind?”
“Mind what?”
“Leaving! I’m naked.”
“Oh, right. If you insist.”
“Thank you.”
He then proceeded to strip off his clothes. “Now, where was I?”
I gave up.
“Aeris, my blossom,” he said, kneeling beside her sitting on my chaise.
“What?” she snapped.
“I missed you most of all.”
Her eye roll made me giggle.
“I can’t apologize enough for scaring and being away from you for so long, but I hope this comes close.” Bradach got something out of his pocket and covered it, holding up his closed palms to her.
Aeris tried to seem disinterested. “What is it?” she breezed, gaze fixed on a spot on the ceiling.
He opened his palms. “It’s a snowflake from the highest mountain peak in all of Wind and Wild, where the stars still shine. I encased it in everlasting glass for you.” He placed the beautiful silver necklace in her hand. “If the stars won’t shine on you, my love, I will bring them to you. My wings will carry you until the day your heart flies side by side with mine.”
“Wow,” someone breathed.
It was me. Was that the kind of sweet, flowery stuff Papa said to Mama, because if it was, I understood why she said she’d never known a love like theirs.
Me, Eadaoin, and my attendants fixed on them—wide-eyed and waiting for Aeris’s response. She reddened under our gaze.
“Will you wear it?” he asked.
“Well, I mean...” She roughly cleared her throat. “You— Nothing you said made any sense,” she cried, “but if you went through all that trouble... I could... I could possibly wear it.
“Thank you,” she mumbled so low, I almost didn’t hear her.
Her tomato-red cheeks shone brighter than an orblight as he lifted her hair, and carefully placed the necklace on her feathered collarbone.
“You’re beautiful.” Bradach bent and pressed a featherlight kiss to her lips.
Aeris’s eyes fluttered shut—the softest sigh escaping her.
Then her lids ripped open and she shot up, spinning her back to him. “Bradach, you forget yourself in the presence of our queen. Leave us, you’re making her uncomfortable.”
