“Start with that, then. Invite some of them to go shopping with you,” Kenric says. “You’ve got an honor guard to accompany you. May as well make use of them.”

  I sit thinking about this when Kenric breaks the silence, “Víl?, my love," he begins, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down my spine, "I find myself utterly bored by this journey. Don't you think we should find some way to... entertain ourselves?"

  I raise an eyebrow at him with a smirk, “Kenric, whatever could you be planning?”

  He leans forward, catching the hem of my dress, slowly inching it up. His fingers dance over my skin as he slides my skirts up and out of his way. “I’ve been dying to see what else is under this dress besides you all day.”

  My breath hitches as I watch him uncover me. He spins so that he’s kneeling in the carriage. My skirts continue to rise until Kenric looks up at me, a wicked grin on his face. “Lift up, love. I don’t want your skirts to get dirty.”

  My skirts are shoved aside, and Kenric removes my small clothes.

  He shoves my legs wider and looks at me as if I were a meal and he were starving. His fingers reach for me, almost of their own volition. I moan, hips bucking, seeking more than just trailing fingertips. Finally, Kenric gives me what I need, but it’s slow, torturous circles.

  I’m panting and begging, “Kenric, please.”

  He grins at me, his fingers moving, trailing lower. "Please what, love?"

  Kenric asks as his fingers slowly fill me.

  “More,”I demand between pants. Kenric obliges as his mouth captures mine.

  It’s a searing, plundering kiss with his tongue mimicking his fingers. I’m moaning into his mouth, trembling as I fly apart. Kenric swallows all my noises as he draws this out to something nearly impossible. Just when I think it’s almost done, I’m impaled. All this does is extend things even more.

  I hear his growl in my ear, “Gods! I love that feeling.”

  He does this on purpose, but I can’t deny that I enjoy it too. He starts to move, and I’m nearly ready to scream again.

  His mouth closes over mine, and he drinks my noises. “Am I more riveting than your Yegalian book?” he growls in my ear. He shifts position slightly, and I moan. “I’ll take that as yes,” Kenric chuckles.

  He’s slow and deliberate. I can see the tension building in him. Every muscle, every tendon is standing out. His breathing is a bit ragged. I adore being able to make my glorious male lose his composure, to be able to make the calm, steady one go wild. His hand moves between us. “Let’s try for another,” he growls.

  My back arches, and his mouth closes over mine, keeping our cries to ourselves. A bit later, he helps me clean up and rearrange my clothing. I help him with his. “Was I more interesting than your Yegalian book?” he asks again, smirking.

  I shrug, “We’ll see. I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet.”

  Kenric laughs, and I snuggle against him, mulling over what he’d said earlier about meeting the other ladies halfway. I’m still thinking this over, when I doze off on Kenric’s shoulder.

  I wake up in a bed in one of Duke Jellema’s coaching inns with Kenric’s arm around my waist. I can already tell that the elevation has changed. We’re definitely heading into the mountains. Kenric is clearly in the mood, but I’d prefer to wait until we reach the hunting lodge.

  “How much further is it to this hunting lodge?” I ask.

  “Late tonight or early tomorrow,” Kenric replies, “It’s not so much the distance as it is the slope. It’s steep in places, so the road doubles on itself so that carriages and wagons can get up it.”

  “If the choice is late tonight or camping out on the roof of the carriage, I’d prefer late tonight,” I reply.

  “That’s a pity,” Kenric growls in my ear, “I’ve dreamed of having my way with you under the stars.” “Mmmm,”

  I smirk, “I might be amenable to that, but not on the side of a road where bandits might be lurking or some farmer gets an eye full.”

  Kenric groans but gets dressed, and we’re soon on our way again. It’s a bit after sunset when we reach the hunting lodge. Kenric was right, this forest is ancient. The giant trees are soothing. I want to shed my clothes and run through it. I want to dance around the trees. Uncle Torsten’s lodge seems to be less of a lodge and more of a well-fortified manor. It’s built right into the mountain itself. It’s larger than I had expected and constructed of rough-hewn granite and massive, dark timbers.

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  It's obvious that whoever built it was more concerned with durability than aesthetics, yet it's oddly attractive. It looks sturdy and safe. The formidable exterior is topped with a roof clad in thick slate slabs and is pitched to shed snow. It has glass windows, but they are protected by heavy timber and iron shutters. It seems as if it could withstand a minor siege. I step inside, and the atmosphere shifts from formidable defense to cozy comfort. The entryway opens into the Great Hall. The centerpiece of the Great Hall is a colossal, stone, double fireplace that’s currently stacked with logs.

  It's big enough to roast an ox or warm a couple of dozen weary travelers. I sniff and smell leather, woodsmoke, seasoned meat, and someone’s pipe tobacco. Instead of the judgmental tapestries of Oskar’s palace, the walls here are covered with practical tools. Well-kept bows, spears, swords, and axes gleam, ready for use. Massive maps of the area, a luxury item here, hang in a few places around the room. Two of them are glassed over, and someone’s made notations in wax on the glass.

  The floors are dark wood, swept clean and well waxed. Scattered across the floors are thick, deep furs from wolves, sheep, bears, and elk. I want to kick off my shoes and wiggle my toes in them while we drink something warm. There’s no grand dais here, just a single massive table, set for a casual meal. I look, and all the chairs seem to be built on his Uncle’s scale. I may need a few blankets to sit on, or I might have trouble reaching the table. Either way, I will be swinging my feet like a child.

  The whole place feels like a big warm hug. The best part is that we are well away from Oskar and the scheming, covetous dukes. I grin at Kenric and kick off my shoes. I run outside and bury my toes in the grass. I quickly strip off what the locals call hose, but what I’d call over-the-knee socks. Now my toes can properly commune with the grass. After being in Dobile, in the palace, this is glorious. Even the dryads might feel at home in this place. I want to climb the trees and roll in the grass.

  I start to sing an old song about a pixie who has been freed and finds herself back in the forest. While I’m singing, I begin to dance. It isn’t anything specific. It’s just joy at being in the forest again. I am leaping and swirling as I sing. There isn’t much iron here, and stones that have been cut aren’t so sharp and polished. My senses have come alive, and my magic, somewhat repressed for so long, is humming just beneath my skin. As the song is ending, I leap into a turn and land to see a huge man standing next to Kenric.

  He laughs and pats Kenric on the back, “I wasn’t sure what kind of woman would want to visit the hunting lodge. I knew you said she’d like it here, but… I think she loves it.”

  Kenric nods, “Her favorite place in her home is a forest.”

  Embarrassed now, I stop and blush. I don’t mind Kenric seeing me like this, but I don’t know this man or how he might react. I struggle for a moment to pull my magic back. Gods forbid I start to glow. Who knows what they might make of that, here?

  Kenric holds out his hand, and I run to take it.

  I look up at the large man, “You must be Uncle Torsten.”

  He might be the largest human I’ve seen yet.

  He laughs, “Close. Torsten is my father. I’m Kenric’s cousin, Ulrick. Papa sent me to make sure you arrived and got settled in. Come… I’ll show you where everything is. Papa will be by tomorrow to see if you need anything.”

  Ulrick points out the well-stocked pantry, the stacks of logs, and all the necessities, including a bath.

  I dart back outside to pick up my shoes and hose. My toes are wiggling in the grass, and I heave a huge sigh of relief. This is a happy place. I can sense it in the forest and the house. I hope Kenric’s keep is like this.

  I turn to go back inside as Ulrick asks Kenric, “Where did you find this forest sprite, eh?”

  Kenric shifts a bit, “I met her when they sent us all to the Fey kingdom to negotiate a trade agreement between Ellisar and Oskar.”

  Ulrick gets an odd expression and glances over at me.

  “I’d heard one of the trade delegation married a Fey princess…” Ulrick trails off.

  I lift my hand and waggle my fingers at him, “Since Kenric was the only one unattached, he’s the only one to return to Centis with a Fey wife.”

  Ulrick palms his face, “Oh gods! Nothing here is nice enough for a princess. You can come to the main house, but even then…”

  I laugh, “Don’t you dare! It’s lovely and perfect.”

  Ulrick looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind or suddenly sprouted a second head.

  I wave him off, “I’ve been stuck either on a ship in the middle of the ocean, or in Varpua at Duke Jellema’s palace, or in Dobile at Oskar’s Palace. I have had quite enough of palaces for a while. This is… homey, comfortable. I wouldn’t change a thing. The trees here are amazing. It’s perfect.”

  “Our king is still chasing all the new brides around,” Kenric says.

  Ulrick eyes me, “I suppose that includes you.”

  I nod, “He started the morning after our wedding. I’ve managed to put him off, for now. We’ll see what he tries when we get back.”

  “Leave that for the carriage ride back to Dobile,” Kenric says, “This is a time to celebrate.”

  I look around at the hunting lodge, “I couldn’t think of anywhere better.”

  I look at Ulrick, “You grew up with this, I take it.”

  He nods, unsure of what I’m thinking. “That’s why you don’t see it for the sanctuary that it is,” I say with a smile.

  Ulrick looks thoughtful for a moment, and I wave both of them outside, where my honor guard is helping the maids unload everything. I turn around to face the lodge.

  “I wish you could see it through my eyes. You have stout stone walls, good, strong shutters for the windows, and a slate roof that looks like it might shed the end of the world. Inside, everything is warm and cozy. These magnificent trees surround it. I can feel them. The energy here is happy. We haven’t been here more than a couple of hours, and I already adore this place,” I explain.

  “It’s certainly a far cry from all the poisoned words, fake flattery, and devious backstabbing in Oskar’s Court,” Kenric observes.

  “That’s part of what makes it so perfect,” I agree.

  “I just want to go home to Herrenstein. I hate being stuck at court. I’ve already been away most of a year. My Sergeant can only do so much, and I want to get Víl? settled in and comfortable before next winter,” Kenric grumbles.

  “I can’t help you get your new wife settled, but we can probably spare Luka to go manage your estate for a few months,” Ulrick says.

  “I don’t want my smallholders run off. Most of them have been with my mother’s family for generations,” Kenric says, “They’re good people.”

  Do you think the Physician will blackmail Oskar? Let me know in the comments...