With Everything I Am (The Three #2)(109)

Last night was the last night they’d have.

Forever.

She was standing in what she guessed was a living room though all of them kind of looked like that. Or at least as far as she got except she found a library and what appeared to be a knitting room as there were huge skeins of wool in big, wide-woven baskets by the comfy chairs. She was staring out the window at the landscape (mostly tall, rolling, snow covered woods, as far as she could see) when Callum found her.

She tensed, expecting him to be angry that she’d started the tour on her own but he just strode right up to her, shifting to stand at her back. His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her to his front and dipped his head to kiss her neck.

She told herself she shivered because she was cold (though that wasn’t the reason).

And she decided now was as good a time as any.

Sonia opened her mouth to speak but Callum beat her to it.

“Have you liked what you’ve seen, little one?”

“Yes, you have a lovely home,” she told him and then went on, “Callum –”

He interrupted by correcting her, “We have a lovely home.”

“Yes. Right. Cal –”

He cut her off yet again, informing her, “We’re planning a victory celebration first. I owe it to my men. All the warriors who fought will be arriving over the next few weeks and my guard returning home.” He gave her a squeeze and his voice dipped low. “Then, two weeks later, we’ll have The Royal Mating.” He rested his chin on her shoulder and asked, “Are you okay with that?”

As she didn’t know what A Mating was, even though she heard a lot of talk about it, she couldn’t exactly say.

As she didn’t feel like there was anything to celebrate, though, the answer was “no”.

“Callum –” she began again.

“There you are.” She heard a man say and both she and Callum (though Callum didn’t let her go) turned to the door to see Drogan entering while smiling.

He started to drop to a knee but Sonia blurted out, “No!” and his head jerked up as Callum’s body went solid.

Oh good goodness.

She’d done something wrong.

Drogan looked questioningly at Callum.

“Keep your feet,” Callum told him, his voice purely kingly and sounding annoyed.

Sonia needed to cover.

“I did something wrong,” she stated to which neither man replied so she ventured forth. “It’s just that, in your… I mean our home, it should be casual. People should feel comfortable and not… you know…” she trailed off and twisted her head to look at Callum before asking, “Shouldn’t it?”

Callum looked as annoyed as he’d sounded (and as kingly).

He didn’t speak.

Sonia’s heart started beating madly.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m just not used to people bowing to me and it makes me uncomfortable.”

There was a long moment of silence before Callum sighed.

He let her go and looked at Drogan. “Your queen doesn’t want you to take a knee in the castle, inform Mara and Callista.”

“Of course, your grace,” Drogan said but his mouth was twitching and he thankfully changed the subject by informing Callum, “There’s an urgent call from Duke Ryon.”

Callum nodded, curled a hand around her neck and brought her close for a kiss on the top of her head before he started to the door. “Sonia needs coffee. Can you show her to the kitchens so Mara can get her some? Have Mara bring her to me in my study when she’s done.”

He didn’t wait for a reply as he disappeared out the door.

Drogan came forward and held his crooked arm out, inviting, “Let’s get you some coffee.”

She took in a breath, let it out and slid her arm through his.

He escorted her out the door as she announced, “So far, I’m not good at being queen.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” he replied and she looked up at him to see he was grinning. “His grace seemed very pleased this morning with the reports we heard that, during the battles you’d taken our women into your home, kept them company and tried to keep their spirits up even as your own mate was fighting.”

Sonia told herself that the warm feeling that bloomed in her belly was not the feeling of pride at his words (when it was).

“Okay then, I think it’s all the royal stuff I’m not good at. The rules and the protocol,” she went on.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get Mara to explain it to you. She’d love that,” Drogan told her.

If Maraleena was the talker she seemed at their first meeting then Sonia was pretty certain she’d love it too, so would Sonia.

“That’s a great idea.” She smiled up at Drogan.

They’d gone down two flights of stairs and were in a hallway when Drogan stopped her and stated, “You should know, Cal doesn’t like all that official stuff either. I only call him ‘your grace’ in company. I’ve been in his service and the service of his father for so long I never bow anything but my head to him and neither does Mara or Callista.”

She stared up at him in astonishment, not believing a word he said and also shocked because he, too, looked old enough to be Callum’s brother, not to have served his father.