29

Ever since we’d been together, she’d been closer to the surface, but less irritable, too. It was a strange sensation. I almost wished we could take a break from all the pageantry of the negotiations so I could ask him to go on a run with me. A moonlight run, a days-long run. I wanted to spend time with him, just the two of us, as our wolves. I’d never felt that desire so strongly before.

It felt like we were on the brink of something, but I wasn’t sure what it was.

While he was in the shower, I’d rolled over in bed and grabbed the “History of Fae” from the nightstand to start thumbing through it again in an attempt to distract myself from my circling thoughts. It was so dense, it was almost guaranteed to put me to sleep.

“Not really,” I said. “There’s so much information, and it doesn’t even seem to be laid out in any ways that make sense. I keep stumbling across strange little tidbits, though. Did you know the Fae queen influences the movement of all the Fae in the realm? Like a hive of ants. Their villages and neighborhoods radiate out from her, which is why a lot of early Fae were nomadic.”

“Interesting,” Elias said in a tone that suggested he was quite sick of hearing these fun facts.

I laughed and set the book aside again. “Sorry,” I said. “I know this bores you.”

“It’s not that.” He sighed and sat at the edge of the bed, then pressed his fingers into his temples. “It’s these damn talks.”

“No progress after dinner yesterday?” I asked.

“He said in the morning he was ready to sign,” Elias said, “but then when the documents were on the table, he balked and said he’s unsure about the importation tax clause. It’s ridiculous. He’s demanding more money from Frasia—but I don’t think there’s anything we could do to make him agree.” He carded one hand through his hair. “There’s something holding him back. He’s stalling for some reason. But I have no idea what the fuck he wants. He’s just wasting our time.”

King Draunar’s green eyes flashed in my memory. He’d looked at me so intensely when he’d called me into his private study, placing his hand on my back, inviting me for lunch.

The talks had dragged on for so long, and for no reason.

Unless the reason was me.

I pressed my lips together. We needed these peace talks to come to fruition to ensure the safety of Frasia in general. If I raised the idea that King Draunar was delaying the treaty because he wanted something from me… Elias wouldn’t react well. There was a real chance he’d do something impulsive and even dangerous. Like challenge Draunar. I knew Elias was strong, but there was no way he could take down a dragon in hand-to-hand combat.

“So I asked him if we could take today off,” Elias said. “I need a break from all those gods-forsaken meetings.”

“That seems like a good idea,” I said. “What are you doing instead?”

“Not sure yet,” he said. Then with a smile, he leaned down and kissed me again. “I was hoping I’d spend it with you.”

How could I say no to that?

We made our way out of the palace to the courtyard behind the throne room. It was a gorgeous day, with a clear sky above and a breeze cutting the temperate weather. The air smelled clean and fresh, and I longed to shift and run. In the past, when I’d wanted to shift, it’d always been out of necessity. I’d kept her locked up for so long that she had to explode forth. But now, it wasn’t that she was demanding to come out—I wanted to release her. It was a subtle but dramatic difference. My nape itched with the urge to shift. If Elias could feel it radiating off me, he said nothing, but he did throw me a wolfish smile.

“This way,” he said. “There’s something I want to show you.”

At the northernmost end of the courtyard, the gardens gave way to the natural forest. It was a well-tended barrier, save for a narrow path that led into the trees. The trees were different than the ones I was familiar with from Frasia: they were taller, with branches that tangled together, making a dense canopy of rich green through which the sun fell in golden, dappled patches. The ground beneath our feet was spongy with moss and dotted with immense mushrooms.

“It’s beautiful out here,” I murmured.

“I’ve been doing some exploring,” he admitted. “If I can’t sleep. Or if I need a break from the meetings. Come, this way.”

A little deeper into the forest there was a small clearing, with a tiny, forgotten gazebo. It was nearly overgrown with ivy, and part of the roof had collapsed, as if the forest was trying to take it back. The mossy ground nearly covered in tiny flowers of white and gold. It was like something from a dream. I inhaled deeply, wishing for my wolf’s nose.

Elias pulled my cloak from my shoulders, folded it neatly, then set it in the gazebo. “Reyna,” he said with a smile, “shall we run?”

“Oh, please,” I said. “Gods, I need it.”

“I thought you might,” he said. “I love running with you.”

My heart barreled into my throat, fluttery with anticipation. Briefly, I couldn’t find any words. Elias had said it so casually, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Maybe, a small part of me thought, maybe it was. Maybe this was the closest we could get to a normal relationship, free of all the baggage or our roles as the leaders of Frasia.

Elias pulled his linen shirt up and over his head, then shook out his dark hair. His body was gorgeous in the mid-morning sunlight, glowing and gold. I flushed as I remembered what we’d done just hours prior, and how I’d explored every curve of his chest with my tongue. How was it possible that we’d rolled around in bed together just hours before, and yet I already wanted to get my hands on him again?