“You,” he said, his deep voice reverberating in her chest as his storm-blue eyes roamed her face, “are the most exquisite creature I’ve ever seen.”
Katy stared at him incredulously. But he seemed to be telling the truth. There was no repulsion in his expression as he took in her wings, her arms, or her forehead. He merely traced the swirls on her forehead with the tips of his fingers.
Gingerly, she reached out and touched his mark as well.
“What is it?” he asked.
Unsure of how to answer, Katy looked around for his shield. When she found it, she held it up for him to see. She held her breath as he froze then leaned in closer. Whatever had created the mark was surely her fault.
“I wish I knew what it meant,” she finally ventured to say.
His jaw was tight when he finally looked away from his reflection, but his eyes softened as he stood and drew her into his chest.
“All it means is that the whole world will see that I belong to you,” he said into her hair.
“But I don’t understand,” Katy said, leaning into him. “How did you survive? How did everything survive? Tearlach said—”
“I get the feeling that Tearlach was less than truthful about more than one subject.” Peter paused, running his hand down her hair again and again as he rested his chin on her head. “How did you know how to release my power?”
“Tearlach kept saying there was a wall around your heart, one created by your ancestors. At first I thought it was just a figure of speech, but after he continued to use the word wall over and over again, I realized that your power must have been locked up the same way I was trying to lock away mine.”
“But how did you know you could break it down?”
Katy gave him a wry smile and held up one hand. “Firin Reaghan was always going on about how everything has a purpose.” She shrugged. “Why else would Atharo give me the ability to break everything I touch? Besides, I had nothing to lose by trying.”
“Well, I’m certainly glad you did.”
Katy snuggled into his neck as best she could. The cold steel of his chain mail made her wish he wasn’t wearing his armor, but she immediately regretted the thought when he began to pull away. He held onto her hand, however, as he dropped onto one knee.
“Katy, I’ve loved you my whole life. Never was there a day when I didn’t think of you or wish for you to be by my side.” He gave her a wry smile of his own. “Even when I was fooled into believing myself in love with another, I never stopped needing you.”
Katy thought she might faint, but the strong warmth of his hands on hers kept her standing.
“I’ve been a fool,” he continued. “I listened to those who didn’t know me best. Those who didn’t know you, and I don’t want to make that mistake ever again. But Atharo seems to have given me one more chance.” He swallowed, suddenly looking much more like a scared boy than a fearsome knight.
How Katy had missed that boy.
“Katy, will you marry me?”
She traced the ivy on his jaw with her finger. There were a thousand words she wished to say. Polite niceties for a gentleman. Proper groveling for a prince. Romantic poetry for a lover. But none of them seemed fitting for Peter, for the boy she had loved every day of her life.
“I suppose I should marry you,” she finally said softly. His eyes widened, and she nearly laughed. “But first you must make me one more promise.”
He frowned. “And what would that be?”
“That you will never leave me behind again.”
A glorious smile lit his face, and he laughed as he stood and drew her into his arms once more. And just as he leaned down to kiss her again, the remaining clouds parted to their east, light flooding the moor and drenching them in its golden rays.
Perhaps Atharo didn’t have to speak aloud to be heard after all.
“And by the way, I was right.”
Katy looked up to see an ornery expression on his face. “About what?”
“I told you good things happen when you wake up early.”
59
Just How Far
By the time Peter and Katy made it down to the main courtyard, the knights had regrouped the lower knights, soldiers, and guards and set them to different tasks. Some were still in the city, chasing down the surviving creatures, while others appeared to be taking roll. As Peter and Katy neared them, a hush fell over the men. He could feel their stares upon his left jaw where the mystery mark sat, but he did his best to ignore them.
“Your Highness,” Tomas said in a soft voice as he stepped forward. “We found the king.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw Katy briefly close her eyes and sigh. He turned back to Tomas. From the look on the man’s face, he didn’t need to even ask. So he took a deep breath to steady himself and nodded.
“Thank you.” He swallowed the emotion that threatened to burst out of his throat, the one that screamed he wasn’t ready. He’d known the kingdom would be his one day when he’d accepted the crown, but he hadn’t expected it to be so soon. And though his uncle was hardly the justice seeker Peter would have wished, he had been there for Peter. He’d mourned his father’s death just as deeply as Peter, and then he’d raised Peter as his own son in the dark days that followed. He squeezed Katy’s hand in an effort to steady himself. He was in charge now. He couldn’t fall to pieces. Not just yet. “The others?” he managed to ask.
“Carey and Antony are still helping the guards track down the remaining animals. Dom is taking count of our surviving forces.” His eyes flicked over to Katy, and Peter saw the brief moment of shock before he controlled his features again and returned his attention to Peter.
“And how are our numbers?” Peter asked.
“Dom hasn’t finished counting, but we’ve already lost too many.”
Peter gave a stiff nod, but the truth was still difficult to swallow. And not only had he lost his uncle, but the weight of the isle was already on his shoulders. Whether he was ready or not, Peter was going to be king.
“What about Benjamin?” he asked. Some part of him hoped he was already dead. Because if he wasn’t, the young man would merit the death penalty. That was one more life Peter would be forced to take, more blood that had to be spilled. And Peter was so tired of death.
“The fool boy was mangled by one of the olc’s own creatures. Carey found him in an alley behind a smithing shop.”
Peter sent up a silent prayer of thanks to Atharo. That decision had been made for him. Then he looked up and surveyed the bedraggled bunch of men standing listlessly in the courtyard before him. “When you are more organized and can contact the others, tell them to join me in the war room.”
Within an hour, the civilians were stepping out into the sun, blinking at its brightness, and Peter’s knights were assembled in the war room. It seemed so empty without his uncle, Briant, or Benjamin. The large wooden seat that had been his uncle’s felt too large for Peter, despite the fact that he was much taller than the king. But for the first time, Katy was there as well, and this helped assuage the pain. Peter leaned forward with his elbows on the table and addressed Katy and the men.
“I’m going to be honest. I’m not even sure where to begin. The king is dead, our forces are weakened significantly, and I need to begin the tedious process of changing the laws so that my future wife isn’t sentenced to death for existing. So,” he made eye contact with each one of his men, “any ideas?”
Domnhall, Carey, and Tomas exchanged glances.
Peter frowned. “What is it?”
Domnhall folded his hands and stared at them. “It’s not that we object to your new betrothed in any sense.” He gave Katy a kind smile then looked back at Peter. “It’s just that you’ve already promised your hand to Lady Saraid...”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Everyone turned to look at Antony.
“Lady Saraid and I took the law and our lives into our own hands when we chose to deal with Miss
Katrin ourselves,” he looked miserably at Katy, “for which I cannot begin to express my shame.”
“What does that mean?” Tomas frowned.
“It means that upon disobeying a direct order from the prince, Lady Saraid and I forfeited our places before the king. By law, I no longer have the honor to be a knight, and she is forbidden from becoming queen. We are both subject to imprisonment and, if the king so chooses, death for our disobedience.”
No one spoke for a long time. The only sounds that could be heard were the distant cries of voices from down in the courtyard and in the halls where people were beginning once again to gather and look for their dead. Despite his former anger, Peter felt a great sadness settle upon him. Yes, he was still furious with Antony and Saraid. But there was a sorrow, too, in considering all they had given up in their rash decision to take the law into their own hands.
“Antony is correct,” Peter finally forced himself to say. “And I will figure out some way to deal with that later.” He looked Antony in the eye. “For both of you. But for now, we have a tremendous number of tasks at hand, and all I know is that I can’t do them alone.”
“Well,” Carey said, giving Peter one of his rare smiles, “that’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?”
* * *
Peter had hoped that the coronation could soon take place and he and Katy could be married. Rebuilding their army and restoring order to the city, much less the outlying villages that had been touched by Tearlach’s forest and storms, was turning out to be more of a headache than he had ever imagined, and it only seemed fitting that he should get to do it with a queen by his side. Unfortunately, convincing his knights of Katy’s right to be queen had been a much easier task than convincing his advisers.
“I understand wishing to change the laws slowly to ease into a new era,” said Lord McCarty. He was the oldest of Peter’s advisers, a tall sniveling man whom Peter had never much liked. “But giving immediate legality to creatures of magic after four centuries outlawing it?”
“Particularly in light of the recent events,” another adviser added. “There could be riots in the streets! Any such creatures seeking a home here might be met with violence and degradation by the people.”
“Precisely.” Lord McCarty nodded a little too emphatically. He looked at Peter again. “Couldn’t you find another lady from among our court? Lady Saraid’s younger sister, perhaps?”
Peter couldn’t believe his ears. “Absolutely not! I’ve given Katy my word–”
“You probably should stop doing that,” Lord Waters murmured.
“And,” Peter glared at the droopy-eyed lord, “I love her. So you and the others had better come up with a way to change the laws, fast.” He threw up his hands. “It’s no wonder the other isles cut off contact with us after the war! Our laws are an abomination to Atharo, and I’m not about to begin my rule with such ignorance at the helm.”
And so Peter and his advisers had argued in circles for four weeks. But after issuing some vaguely worded threats concerning the advisers’ favorite privileges, Peter finally got what he wanted. He fairly danced out into the hallway and was even more delighted when he spotted Katy herself walking toward him.
“Ho now, come here.” Peter reached out and grabbed her hand. “Where are you going?”
“I have a dress fitting.” Katy laughed. “I think your cousin is determined that I have a new dress for every day of the year.”
“While I couldn’t be more pleased that you and Muirin are the closest of friends again, the fitting can wait. I’ve hardly seen you recently.”
“It’s not my fault.” Katy straightened Peter’s cloak. “You’ve been the one running in circles for the last month. There.” She smiled up at him when she was satisfied with his collar. “What is it?”
“Oh, nothing.” He picked her up by the waist and lifted her into the air, spinning around as she shrieked with surprise and laughter. “I’m only going to marry an extraordinarily beautiful woman and make her queen so I can lie back and let her make all the important decisions for me.”
“Well, we’d better find this queen so she can make all my decisions, too. And possibly attend a few dress fittings.”
Peter gave her a scowl, but Katy just laughed again, fairly glowing as he put her down. She bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, reminding Peter of the little girl he had fallen in love with the first time. He scooped her into a dance and began waltzing down the hallway. Katy let him, closing her eyes and leaning her head back with a contented smile as he whirled her around. Peter was fairly sure he caught the shocked and indignant look of a few of the older courtiers who were passing by, so he just twirled her even faster. Then he took her by the hand and dragged her out to the nearest balcony, where he seated himself on its ledge and she snuggled up against his side.
The sun was just beginning to set, casting orange and golden rays across the blue skies above. The air was barely cold enough to make one wish for a thick cloak, and in the distance, the trees had become balls of red, orange, yellow, and brown. Peter drew in a sharp breath of frigid air and let it burn pleasantly as it made its way down to his lungs. Then he pulled Katy closer and arranged his cloak so that it was wrapped around both of them.
“How are you?” he asked, basking in her warmth and inhaling her scent, like pinecones and trees.
She leaned her head back and gave him an adorable impish grin. “I’m stupendous.”
“I know you are, but how are you feeling? With all of...” he gestured at the castle, “this, I mean.”
“Why?” She pulled back to see him a little better.
“I was talking to Muirin today.”
“Oh?” Her face fell just slightly.
Peter hesitated. He would have to tread carefully. “She says you’re progressing wonderfully. You already know the majority of court etiquette, thanks to Father’s lessons when we were little, and your understanding of your duties grows by the day.”
“But?”
Peter looked at the ground. “She says you seem unsure. Of yourself.” Barely into the conversation, and he was already botching it. He could see so by the immediate hunch in her shoulders.
She looked back down at the moor where the shadows were lengthening, and she was quiet for a long time. “I’m doing my best.” She sighed. “But it’s hard. There’s a lot to take in.”
“If it’s the people who are giving you trouble—”
“Oh, it’s not them. I mean, many of them haven’t accepted me yet, but that’s only to be expected.”
“And?”
“And…I just feel as though I’m missing something. Now that I know what I am…and who my people are, I have more questions than ever before.” She turned her blue eyes up to look into his. “I wish I knew more about my power and my family. For instance,” she looked at her hands, “I still don’t understand my power. Tearlach was able to control the weather. He said he was a summer fairy since he was born in the summer. I seem to have been given the ability to break things.” She shook her head and gave a wry laugh. “He said I was an autumn fairy because I was born in the autumn. He also said he’d never met another like me, but he thought there probably were more out there.” She looked back up at the moor. “Somewhere.”
Peter opened his mouth but couldn’t think of anything to say. He hated the feeling that was settling in his gut, but unfortunately, it was one he was all too familiar with. How many hours had he spent with Katy in their childhood as she cried over a mishap of her powers or something cruel one of the other children said? And no matter how many times he felt powerless to help her, that feeling never grew any less frustrating.
“Well,” he scratched his head, “if you ask me it doesn’t matter.”
Katy quirked an eyebrow.
“I mean it.” He tapped her nose, and she gave him the slightest hint of a smile. “You were always unique. I suppose I like that. It made me feel special that my friend was something that no one else could have. And
now that this magnificent creature is about to become my wife, I can’t think of any greater privilege.”
His rewarding kiss for such a magnificent speech was interrupted when a knock sounded on the open door of the balcony. Peter swallowed the inappropriate word that he longed to utter, and instead tried to rearrange his expression so he wasn’t glaring daggers at the guard who joined them.
“A thousand pardons, sire,” the guard bowed, “but you requested that Lady Saraid be brought to you.”
Peter closed his eyes and forced a nod. “Thank you, John.” He’d forgotten that he had chosen today of all days to finally deal with Saraid. “Bring her here.”
Katy stood, much to Peter’s regret. “I’ll give you a moment,” she said softly.
“Don’t go far.” He gave her a sheepish smile.
“Oh, I don’t intend to.” Her blue eyes hardened like an azurite stone. “I don’t trust that woman any more than her ridiculous excuse for a dog.” And she turned and marched away.
Peter shivered just a little, though why, he couldn’t say. He tried to gather his wits and remember the speech he had rehearsed in his room time and time again over the last four weeks, but he didn’t have long. Saraid’s footsteps could already be heard in the hall.
When she finally stepped out onto the balcony, he couldn’t help noticing that her dress was an uncharacteristically muted shade compared to the bold colors she usually wore. Her hair had been pulled back into a severe knot on the back of her head, and her posture was demure. So convincing was her penitent appearance that he almost missed the way her eyes followed his every move.
He clasped his hands behind his back and faced the moor. “I could have held this meeting in a court of law. In fact, I probably should have.” He finally turned and met her eyes. “But I thought we owed it to ourselves to be honest here and now.” Then he sighed. “I just need to know why.”
“Very well then. If you want honesty, I’ll give it to you.” She straightened. “You were in love with her. Any fool could see that. And I am no fool.”
The Autumn Fairy (The Autumn Fairy Trilogy Book 1) Page 44