I sat down in the grass right on the edge of the meadow while I waited for him to return with the food.
“Hi, Rafe,” I called out nicely to where they had also stopped running and now stood watching me. “Who is your friend?”
I looked to the other wolf, the scar running across his nose.
“He’s beautiful. I don’t know where he got that scar, but I am glad he is still here.”
As if understanding my every word, the two wolves came forward a few steps.
I kept my voice soft. “Owen is going to grab the food, then you two can eat.”
Rafe stepped forward, sniffing along the ground as he approached me. Remembering how all the wolves had showed up the night of our wedding, probably having felt the shockwave of magic from the actual bonding, I felt nothing but respect and awe for these creatures.
I loved these wolves. I wanted the forest healed and fixed for many reasons, but I also wanted to see their pack healthy, too.
The black wolf followed behind Rafe, far more tentative, stopping to look me in the eyes every few inches.
“It’s okay, buddy,” I offered. “I do not wish to harm you.”
Rafe, having reached me, sniffed my hand and then nudged it with his nose. I gently ran my fingers along his nose like I knew he liked.
“We have come a long way haven’t we, Rafe?”
The other wolf slowly approached. Though the black wolf never touched me, he did get almost a foot away, sniffing in my direction the entire time. Once he got as far as he felt comfortable coming, he wagged his tail gently.
“Nice to meet you too,” I smiled. “We are going to need a name for you, aren’t we?”
Both wolves snapped their heads up in the direction of the back hedge and I knew that Owen must be returning with the food.
“Ready for breakfast?” I asked them.
The wolves backed up into the trees by the time Owen made it back over.
I was smiling ear to ear as we walked back across the meadow to the castle. I needed a shower and a nap. Particularly if I was going to have to switch my days back to normal hours now. But it had been a good morning.
* * *
I readone of the queen’s journals as I waited for Krew to return from dinner. We’d long since finished checking every page for any more secret messages, but now I just read them for entertainment. To get to know the mother-in-law I should have met but never would. A woman I think I would have really loved.
I was exhausted. It had been a great day, but I was ready for bed. I yearned for the days when we could train in daylight hours, not having to hide it from the king with either late nights or early mornings.
Furthermore, I yearned for the day we all didn’t spend multiple hours a day training to kill the king. It’d be nice to be able to train forourselves. Or find some other less violent hobbies. I wasn’t sure when the last time Owen just sat down to read a book was, but his neck muscles told me it’d been a while.
Some day. Some day, Keir and either Gwen or Molly could run the country, king and queen, and Krew and I could raise Warrick and our own family in some random wing of the castle. Krew would have to keep the disloyal at bay and continue his work with The Six, and I’m sure also help his brother in numerous ways with the weight of the crown. And Owen would be there too, not needing to be my personal guard any longer, but back to helping Krew and being his shadow. But we would all be free. Free to not only live our lives, but also free to finally fix the issues that plagued Wylan.
Of course, there was also the chance that Krew was the true heir to Wylan and we would be the ones ruling the country. And though that thought had long ago plagued me, I also knew Krew would, unlike his father, be a just king. The truth was that it didn’t really matter which brother became king. The day Theon was off the throne was the day the healing in Wylan would begin.
Krew came in the door shortly after and I realized that I’d been daydreaming and not reading any more pages of the journal for multiple minutes now.
“I am not training with Keir tonight,” Krew informed me.
I smiled. “I am not training with Owen tonight.”
As he began taking off his tailcoat he added, “I heard the two of you will be switching to mornings.” He threw his tailcoat at the foot of the bed. “And Keir and I will probably only practice a few nights a week now. We need to keep our focus on finding the object which holds our mother’s magic, which can fortunately be done in the daylight.”
“No word about the ring yet?”
Krew shook his head. “No. No good news anyway. It appears it may be just that, a ring.”
