“How far along?”
“Almost two months.”
He studied her stomach, the place that would soon swell with the child growing inside her. Their child. “You didn’t tell me, I’m assuming, because you didn’t want me to worry.”
Yrene bit her lip. “Something like that.”
He snorted. “And when you were waddling around, belly near bursting?”
Yrene whacked his arm. “I’m not going to waddle.”
Chaol laughed, and tugged her into his arms. “You’ll waddle beautifully, was what I meant to say.” Yrene’s laughter reverberated into him, and Chaol kissed the top of her head, her temple. “We’re having a child,” he murmured onto her hair.
Her arms came around him. “We are,” she whispered. “But how did you know?”
“My father,” Chaol grumbled, “apparently possesses better observational skills than I do.”
He felt, more than saw, her cringe. “You’re not angry I didn’t tell you?”
“No. I would have appreciated hearing it from your lips first, but I understand why you didn’t want to say anything yet. Stupid as it might be,” he added, nipping at her ear. Yrene jabbed him in the ribs, and he laughed again. Laughed, even though every day they’d fought in this battle, every opponent he’d faced, he’d dreaded making a fatal mistake. Had been unable to forget that should he fall, he’d be taking them both with him.
Her arms tightened around him, and Yrene nestled her head against his chest. “You’ll be a brilliant father,” she said softly. “The most brilliant one to ever exist.”
“High praise indeed, coming from a woman who wanted to toss me from the highest window of the Torre a few months ago.”
“A healer would never be so unprofessional.”
Chaol grinned, and breathed in her scent before he pulled back and brushed his mouth against hers. “I am happier than I can ever express, Yrene, to share this with you. Anything you need, I am yours to command.”
Her lips twitched upward. “Dangerous words.”
But Chaol ran his thumb over her wedding band. “I’ll have to win this war quickly, then, so I can have our house built by the summer.”
She rolled her eyes. “A noble reason to defeat Erawan.”
Chaol stole another kiss from her. “As much as I would like to show you just how much I am at your command,” he said against her mouth, “I have another matter to deal with before bed.”
Yrene’s brows rose.
He grimaced. “I need to introduce Aelin to my father. Before they run into each other.” The man hadn’t been near the hall when they’d arrived, and Chaol had been too worried for Farasha’s well-being to bother hunting him down.
Yrene cringed, though amusement sparked in her eyes. “Is it bad if I want to join you? And bring snacks?”
Chaol slung an arm around her shoulders, giving Farasha a farewell stroke before they left. Despite the cane, each step was limping, and the pain in his back lanced down his legs, but it was secondary. All of it, even the damned war, was secondary to the woman at his side.
To the future they’d build together.
As well as Yrene’s conversation with Chaol had gone, that’s how badly things went between Aelin Galathynius and his father.
Yrene didn’t bring snacks, but that was only because by the time they reached the Great Hall, they had intercepted his father. Storming toward the room where Aelin and her companions had gone for a reprieve.
“Father,” Chaol said, falling into step beside him.
Yrene said nothing, monitoring Chaol’s movements. The pain in his back had to be great, if he was limping this deeply, even while her magic refilled. She had no idea where he’d left his chair—if it had been crushed under falling debris. She prayed it had not.
His father snapped, “You fail to wake me when the Queen of Terrasen arrives at my castle?”
“It wasn’t a priority.” Chaol halted before the door that opened into the small chamber that had been vacated for the queen and knocked.
A grunt was the only confirmation before Yrene’s husband shouldered open the door enough to poke his head inside. “My father,” Chaol said to whoever was inside, presumably the queen, “would like to see you.”
Silence, then the rustling of clothes and steps.
Yrene kept back as Aelin Galathynius appeared, her face and hands clean, but clothes still dirty. At her side stood that towering, silver-haired Fae warrior—Rowan Whitethorn. Whom the royals had spoken of with such fear and respect months ago. In the room, Lady Elide sat against the far wall, a tray of food beside her, and the giant white wolf lay sprawled on the ground, monitoring with half-lidded eyes.
A shock to see the shift, to realize these Fae might be powerful and ancient, but they still had one foot in the forest. The queen, it seemed, preferred the form as well, her delicately pointed ears half-hidden by her unbound hair. Behind her, there was no sign of the golden-haired, melancholy warrior, Gavriel, or the utterly terrifying Lorcan. Thank Silba for that, at least.
Aelin left the door open, though their two court members remained seated. Bored, almost.
“Well, now,” was all the queen said as she stepped into the hall.
Chaol’s father looked over the warrior-prince at her side. Then he turned his head toward Chaol and said, “I assume they met in Wendlyn. After you sent her there.”
Yrene tensed at the taunting in the man’s voice. Bastard. Horrible bastard.
Aelin clicked her tongue. “Yes, yes, let’s get all that out of the way. Though I don’t think your son really regrets it, does he?” Aelin’s eyes shifted to Yrene, and Yrene tried not to flinch under that turquoise-and-gold stare. Different from the fire she’d beheld that night in Innish, but still full of that razor-sharp awareness. Different—they were both different from the girls they’d been. A smile curved the queen’s mouth. “I think he made out rather well for himself.” She frowned up at her consort. “Yrene, at least, doesn’t seem like the sort to hog the blankets and snore in one’s ear all night.”
Yrene coughed as Prince Rowan only smiled at the queen. “I don’t mind your snoring,” he said mildly.
Aelin’s mouth twitched when she turned to Chaol’s father. Yrene’s own laughter died at the lack of light on the man’s face. Chaol was tense as a drawn bowstring as the queen said to his father, “Don’t waste your breath on taunts. I’m tired, and hungry, and it won’t end well for you.”
“This is my keep.”
Aelin made a good show of gaping at the ceiling, the walls, the floors. “Is it really?”
Yrene had to duck her head to hide her grin. So did Chaol.
But Aelin said to the Lord of Anielle, “I trust you’re not going to get in our way.”
A line in the sand. Yrene’s breath caught in her throat.
Chaol’s father said simply, “Last I looked you were not Queen of Adarlan.”
“No, but your son is Hand to the King, which means he outranks you.” Aelin smiled with horrific sweetness at Chaol. “Haven’t you told him that?”
Yrene and Aelin were no longer the girls they’d been in Innish, yes, but that wildfire still remained in the queen’s spirit. Wildfire touched with insanity.
Chaol shrugged. “I figured I’d tell him when the time arose.”
His father glowered.
Prince Rowan, however, said to the man, “You’ve defended and prepared your people admirably. We have no plans to take that from you.”
“I don’t need the approval of Fae brutes,” the lord sneered.
Aelin clapped Rowan on the shoulder. “Brute. I like that. Better than ‘buzzard,’ right?”
Yrene had no idea what the queen was talking about, but she held in her laugh anyway.
Aelin sketched a mocking bow to the Lord of Anielle. “On that lovely parting note, we’re going to finish up our dinners. Enjoy your evening, we’ll see you on the battlements tomorrow, and please do rot in hell.”
Then Aelin was turning away, a hand guiding her husband inside. But not before the queen threw a grin over her shoulder to Yrene and Chaol and said, eyes bright—with joy and warmth this time, “Congratulations.”