I opened my eyes to find him standing there with his mouth ajar.
Apparently, I can talk to you like this too.
“What?!”Owen’s eyes tried to leave his head entirely and I had to bite down a laugh. “How?” He shook his head. “But why? We aren’t soul bound?”
“No. Our bond doesn’t feel the same as my bond to Krew. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t strong. It’s definitely there.”
“I—”
“I didn’t think to even try it until now.” I paused. “And what is your middle name anyway? I didn’t even know it to say during the bonding.”
Owen snorted. “It’s Gerald. My dad’s name. Well, except he has always gone by Gerry.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Owen Gerald. It fits you.”
A crunch of a twig close to us drew our attention away. It was Shadow, standing there, looking at us.
“Hey, Shadow,” I smiled as he came close enough to sniff my hand. “Don’t worry, buddy, we will be back to running the forest soon. I have lots of trees to heal. We’ll be back.”
Rafe came from around a tree and marched right over to me, not hesitating at all.
I ran my hand along the fur on his back. His back that was healed, carried by his legs that were moving perfectly with every step he took. “I am so happy you’re okay, Rafe.”
He pressed his head into my palm.
“I told myself I wouldn’t say this, but,” Owen began.
I smiled at Rafe before looking at Owen. “This ought to be good.”
“I know I’m biased, but I really hope the queen of the forest becomes the queen of us all.”
Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “Dammit, I’m trying not to get my hopes up, Owen.”
He threw his free arm around my shoulders. “I know, but we’re both doing a poor job of it.”
The wolves went for the food, so we turned back to walk the meadow. “I want it to be us,” I whispered. “And I know that’s selfish, all things considered. The king is finally gone. That’s all that really matters.”
“It’s okay to want it,” Owen stated. “It’s not like you’ll kill Keir if he takes the throne. You guys aren’t Theon.”
I sighed. “No, we are not. But Krew would make an excellent king.”
“He would,” Owen agreed. “And soon enough you’ll know one way or the other so you can stop torturing yourself with knowing what you want and not knowing what will become of it. Once you know, you can move forward, disappointed in your wants or realized in them.”
It’s too early in the morning for your inspirational speeches.
He squinted at me. “All right, you have to teach me how to do that.”
I tipped my head back to laugh. “I’d rather not yet. Once you and Krew are both in my head, it might get a little crowded.”
“At least I can’t hear him flirt with you. I see that enough in real time.”
Laughing, we headed back to the castle. The castle that for the first time felt safe. Likehome.
* * *
It had takendays to get the king’s safe open. The royal sages and Enchanted had to work together in figuring out how to get into the damn thing.
In the end, it hadn’t been any amount of magic which had opened it. It’d been a disloyal from Rallis who had a penchant for lock picking. It was a twisted sort of satisfaction I gained watching a Rallis ruffian opening the king’s safe.
