Chapter Fourteen

Kerren adjusted the royal sash he’d been given to wear for Brook’s initiation. It was strange seeing the King and Queen’s emblem in place of the Barrows insignia he’d grown up with.

Stranger still was, when dressed in the deep brown leather expected of his station, how much he resembled Artur.

He narrowed his eyes and applied his most serious expression. There it is. He was definitely Artur’s son. Perhaps if I’d spent more of my upbringing scowling, I would have seen it sooner.

A careful knock sounded on his door, then it squeaked open. Vevina poked her head in.

“Wait,” she said. “Before you kick me out.”

“It’s alright. Come in,” he said, leaving the full-length mirror.

She entered and held out a lavish bouquet of flowers. “I returned to Earth and got these roses. I thought perhaps you could give them to Brook.”

He took the bouquet and smiled down at it. Amidst the red roses were Leannan’s tears, a cream flower which was considered the natural symbol of Weylan Barrows.

“I suppose we’re stuck together again,” he commented the Vevina. “And you’ve already set about to fix something I’ve mucked up.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. Her hair blossomed with soft pink highlights on a dark blue canvas, showing that her mood was a mixed bag. “Lorelei and I retrieved Lady Brook this morning and it was clear that things weren’t… as they should be.”

“Ah.” He’d gone to Brook’s room as soon as he’d woken, to try to rectify their misunderstanding, only to find her missing. “I assumed. It wouldn’t be a fae ritual unless she got the full makeover, right?”

“She’s gorgeous,” Vevina breathed. “I wish I knew what mood I needed to be in to copy that red. Even if I had to be furious, it would probably be worth it.”

He laughed and held the bouquet up, taking a deep breath of the floral scent. It smelled like Brooke, or maybe he was too busy thinking of her to notice anything else.

“Is she wearing something traditional?” He tried to imagine her in the flowing simple dresses that the Queen tended to wear to such occasions.

“Not quite. I think it’s the start of a new era of fashion here,” Vevina said gleefully, tugging at her own long dress. “About time, really.”

He sat on the bench at the end of the bed and sighed.

“I cocked it up,” he admitted.

She pursed her lips and joined him on the bench. “More than I did?”

“Quite possibly, yes.”

* * * *

Brook stood beside the doorway to the ballroom so that she could greet each fae in attendance as they arrived. As the Prince, Kerren was supposed to stand behind her along with Artur and Catriona, but first, he wanted his chance to greet her.

He’d entered the room from the back but made a beeline towards her, flowers at the ready. No one else had arrived yet, so if he was lucky they’d have a few moments to talk first.

“Brook,” he called.

She turned, and he nearly tripped over his own feet.

Her bright hair had been woven into the tight braids Catriona preferred, but the bottom was left to hang in loose waves. Her dress hung off her shoulders and hugged her curves before flowing out from her calves. The material was deep red but shifted to an earthy bronze depending on the light. Gold embroidery decorated the long bell sleeves as well as the neckline, which scooped low and revealed the delicious mounds of her breasts.

Clothing had rarely caught his attention before he’d met Brook. Now he lived to see what she’d appear in next. The traditional dress of Prism wouldn’t have been suitable to her boldness. This creation embodied her well.

“You look radiant,” he said once he could speak.

“Thank you,” she replied cordially. Her eyes lowered to the bouquet in his hands. “Are those for me or are you accessorizing?”

He held them out to her and she took them. As she sniffed them, a genuine smile curved her lips, but only for a moment.

“They’re lovely.”

“Can we talk?” he asked.

“Not now…” she glanced to the doorway. “The guests are arriving. We can talk later, when there’s no rush.”

He heard the footsteps and cursed. He hadn’t arrived as early as he’d hoped, or the fae were eager to get the party started.

“Kerren,” Catriona called.

He looked over his shoulder for a second then back to Brook, who had already placed the flowers down on the gift table beside her.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Her eyes closed, and she turned away from him. He couldn’t tell if her reaction was good or bad, but either way, he had to step back and join the King and Queen. At least he hadn’t been slapped, though. Vevina insisted that human women loved to slap men.

* * * *

At first, Kerren thought he was imagining Brook avoiding him. But now that she’d practically raced across the dance floor to escape him, he knew it wasn’t in his head. She wasn’t going to make an apology easy.

Artur appeared at his side and Kerren fumbled at first, resorting to the decades of programming that told him to drop everything and bow to the King. Who knew how long it would be before he thought of Artur as family. As a father.

“Your intended seems to be on a mission,” Artur commented.

“She’s not my intended,” Kerren said somewhat bitterly.

Artur placed a hand on Kerren’s shoulder. “What did you do wrong?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Having been married for over a century, I can spot the signs. Catriona can literally suck the noise from a room so that it’s devastatingly clear when she’s giving me the silent treatment,” Artur confessed in a deep voice.

Kerren’s lips quirked in amusement. “Yes, well… how do you fix it?”

“In your case? Wait for the embrace. You can’t catch her in here, but you can catch her out there,” he said, motioning outside. “Nature can hide you.”

“I’m not sure a sneak attack is the wisest, and I’m not that stealthy.”

“You have my blood. Shifting came naturally because you expected it. Blending into the shade and trees is easier than remaking your entire form to suit your spirit. Trust me.”

Artur patted his shoulder and left. Kerren made his way outside and sat on a bench. During the embrace, Brook would be united with the land of Prism. She wasn’t going to be claimed by a family or a person, but the spirit of the world itself.

And in everything that had happened, he hadn’t even had the chance to explain it to her.

He watched everyone move in and out of the palace; Chatting, mingling, waiting for the ceremony to begin. The sun had already set, but nothing would start until the moon was above the palace.

After what seemed like forever, most of the crowd filed out into the large garden and gathered around the tree that stood central to the landscape.

Catriona and Artur guided Brook forward and Kerren stood, the breath escaping his lungs at the sight of her again.

The tree seemed to light from within, and pixies appeared in the branches, sitting and waiting like the rest of the crowd. Catriona took Brook’s left hand and held it out towards the tree. The aurleis vines hiding in the shadows came to life and reached out to her, circling her wrist like a bracelet of lush purple blossoms.

The Queen whispered to Brook, no doubt giving her instructions. Everyone else present understood the ceremony, but she would be in the dark.

“Do you accept the gift of the land and air, the waters and fade, and the spirit of our blood?” Artur asked.

Brook cleared her throat, and after a quick glance to Catriona responded, “I accept this gift and offer my life’s essence, that which flows through my heart. I request to be reborn into a vessel of this earth and be an instrument of her will.”

“Your heart is pure, your sacrifice welcomed,” Artur intoned.

Brook stepped closer to the tree and placed her palm flat against the trunk. The vines twisted tighter and held her in place. A second passed, then she gasped.

Kerren flinched and watched as she pulled her hand away as far as the vine would allow. A thorn remained exposed on the trunk, glistening with her dark blood.

“Mortal blood to feed the past,” she said with a slight whimper, holding her hand aloft and displaying the cut. “Given freely and with reverence to seal my future.”

The crowd murmured thanks and bowed. Slowly, the vines released Brook and Catriona pressed a cloth to the wound.

“We have witnessed the birth of a new daughter of Prism. All celebrate the binding of Lady Brook Donovan, who shall now tend the southern valleys of Weylan Barrows.”

Kerren clapped along with the group. While some hated to have their land divided, he saw no issue with Brook having a claim on a portion of the Barrows.

The majority of men and women headed inside, and Artur looked Kerren’s way before heading in himself. Brook looked up into the tree and seemed to be conversing with the pixies hiding therein.

Once the crowd had thinned he slipped into the shadows. With careful steps, he placed himself at Brook’s back.

She jumped and turned, hand to her chest. “Where did you come from?”

“Could we talk?”

“I have to head inside,” she insisted.

She looked over his shoulder and into the ballroom. Music had begun to play again, giving him an idea.

“Dance with me?” he asked.

“Kerren…”

“Just one dance. I’m not trying to ruin your night,” he promised. “If after one dance you’re sick of me, I’ll be scarce the rest of the ball.”

She exhaled, brows furrowed. “Fine.”

He took her by the hand that wasn’t injured and led her to the dance floor. The existing occupants cleared away, giving them wide berth to dance and talk.

Placing a hand on her waist and guiding her to the rhythm, he stared into her eyes.

“I love you, Brook,” he started. She pursed her lips, but he continued, “My timing was terrible, but my intentions were honest. I had already made up my mind to tell you this before I was summoned.”

“You say that,” she muttered.

“It’s the truth,” he insisted. He spun her around and pulled her close again. “There was too much going on yesterday, and everything became muddled. I want to stay with you. Prince or not, I was ready to lay it out on the line.”

“You should have said something,” she hissed.

“I should have, I know. Part of me was scared that it wouldn’t be approved, and part of me wondered if perhaps you were only with me because I was your only choice.”

He hadn’t planned on saying it, but once the words escaped his lips he heard how foolish it sounded.

“I’ve never been afraid before, Brook. I didn’t know how to handle it. But know that if you weren’t called here, if we were back on Earth, I still would love you. And you’re right—I should have told you before I told anyone else.”

Her expression softened, and he bent over her to speak against her ear.

“I was bored and lonely for decades. Yet you come into my life and suddenly I see everything so clearly. You awakened me. I appreciate so much more than I did before. I see the world through your eyes, the wonder you experience, and I realize that I have missed so much.”

“Kerren…”

“I don’t want to miss anything else. I want to share every minute with you. I can’t imagine my life with anyone else, and I don’t want to. There is no one more perfect for me than you,” he confessed.

Something wet brushed his cheek, making him pull back. Light reflected off the trails of tears falling over Brook’s face.

“I’ve made you cry,” he whispered.

“Damnit,” she said with a soft laugh. “Yes, you have. Because I needed to know this. I needed to know that you’d be happy here, or there, or wherever. I needed to know that I was enough for you.”

“Of course, you are.”

“Then my answer is yes,” she said.

He blinked in confusion then stopped dancing. “Yes?”

“Yes. It’s been so fast, and so crazy, but yes. I’ve never been more certain of anything than this—I want to marry you,” she said, fresh tears falling.

He wiped the moisture from her cheeks with his thumbs and bent over her, pulling her into a kiss. Drawing back, he laughed.

“Oh… Gerri said to call her if you needed anything.”

Brook arched a brow. “That… she… of course. I can’t believe you went to Gerri.”

“I didn’t. Vevina did for me.”

“That makes so much more sense,” Brook murmured.

“Pardon me,” Catriona interrupted. “Since you too have finally come to your senses, Brook, I wanted to discuss your future employment.”

“Right now?” Kerren asked. “We’ve just—”

“Brook expressed a sincere desire to be involved in her future, which means yes, right now, because it’s the right moment,” Catriona said firmly.

Brook eyed him before stepping away. “I’ll be back.”

“I’ll be waiting.”