Page 9 of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows

“What?”

“Zephyrus. Seriously… how could you fuck a man with wings?”

I burst into a laugh and rolled my eyes. “The idea was intriguing.”

“But, as you pointed out, disappointing.”

“Yes, well, never judge a man’s bedroom prowess by his wings.”

Apollo snorted, but then his expression softened, and he traced his thumb over my jaw as gently as a breeze trickling through a garden of flowers. “That’s not advice I’ll ever need to take. The man I’m interested in, thankfully, lacks wings.”

I smiled and bent into him, letting the tendrils of golden light that seemed to seep from him wrap us up together.

4

Epiphany

The letter in my hand weighed heavily against my palm as I ambled through the gardens where crisp oranges and auburns had eased their way through all the greens. I slipped my fingers under the seal and broke it. Gale’s looping handwriting filled the page inside. Dear Pip, (How strange it is to address you so informally in writing, but after the scolding you gave me in your last letter, I decided to acquiesce.)

I grinned.

It has already started snowing here. I can’t help but think that you would love it.

I sighed and folded the parchment up. Already my head ached as the letters bounced around on the page, my childhood struggles with reading echoing through my mind. I’d finish it later. As much as I liked Gale, he was a complication. An attractive complication who would probably make an excellent husband and whom my family and our kingdom would love to see me align with. But… my heart wanted other things.

I reached the stables where peachy light warmed the space, and the sweet smell of fresh hay mixed in with earthy animal scents. Horses huffed breaths and twitched their ears. I walked over to Meadow and scratched under her chin before ambling farther into the building.

Valerian stood beside a cart stacked with hay, sweat glistening his tan skin. He heaved a bundle onto his shoulder, climbed up a ladder, and tossed it with a chuff into a stack. My heart—the wicked, unsatisfied thing that it was—picked up its pace. Val’s boots hit the ground with a thump, and he swiped the back of his arm over his forehead and grinned at me. “Hey, Pip.”

I stepped onto the boards of an empty stall. “Can you get out of here today?”

He lugged another bundle of hay on his shoulder. “It’s a damn shame, really, but they actually expect me to work.” He winked before ascending up the ladder again.

I leaned back, so my gaze could follow him, my curls draping down along my dress. “I thought Hyacinth had given you permission to leave whenever Temi and I needed you.”

“I didn’t realize, with the king being home, that Cyn’s whims still counted.”

“Cyn doesn’t have whims.”

He dropped to the straw-littered floor again and smirked at me. “Pip, he’s courting a god. He has whims.”

I laughed. “So, is that a no?”

Valerian paused and leaned against a beam, pulling his gloves off. “I’m afraid I’d better stay on today.” He nodded to the cart. “It’s hay season. A lot of work needs to be done, and I don’t want to shirk my part.”

“I guess I’ll have to tell you here, then. Unless…” I chewed the edge of my lip. “I’m bothering you.”

His emerald eyes sparkled, the dark stubble along his jaw gleaming with highlights of auburn, and his voice took on a husky tenor. “You never bother me, Epiphany.”

My stomach warmed, and I twisted my fingers together but pushed humor into my words. “Guess what?”

Valerian grabbed a tin mug from where it hung on a nail and dipped water from a drinking bucket into it before taking a swallow. “Ah, so it’s going to be a guessing game. And you know I love them.” He tapped his free thumb against his chin. “Let’s see, it’s nearly autumn, and you rushed in here. You and Temi have planned a hunting trip?”

“Okay, you’re on the right track. But think bigger.”

“Bigger? Hmm.” He took another drink from his cup before discarding the mug. “You and Temi and the girls from the city”—he stretched the words out—“have planned a hunting trip.”

I rolled my eyes. “No. What if I told you I could get you out of mucking stalls for a few more months?”