Copper Veins(9)

Then again, he’d just been told the identity of his mother’s killer, but too late to do anything with the information. That information could break any man. So I held him, stroking his back and whispering in his ear, the same tactics Micah had used time and again to calm me. In time, he straightened his back and wiped his eyes, then wrapped his arms around me and dragged me onto the forest floor with him.

“No,” he said, his voice hoarse, the leaves rustling beneath us, “I had no idea. And now, there is nothing I can do about it.”

“You killed him,” I murmured, my lips against his neck. “He was an evil, evil man, but thanks to you, he won’t hurt anyone else, not ever again.”

“Had I known, I could have demanded his lands, made his heirs destitute. I could have made him wish for death.” Micah blew out a huge breath and tightened his arms around me. “And none of it would have brought her back.”

“I’m so sorry,” I murmured. Lame, I know, but it’s what’s said. “Did…do you look like her?” I asked, weaving my fingers through his hair.

“Somewhat,” he replied. “She was of silver, like my father.”

“Selene is a beautiful name,” I said, because it was. “What was your father called?”

“Argyris.”

“And your mother started out as his consort?”

“Actually, he was hers. She was of the royal Silverstrand house, not he.”

“Was it unusual for a general to be a consort?”

“It was.” Micah rolled me onto my back, and I could finally see his reddened face. It made me want to bawl seeing him in such pain. “I’ve told you very little of my life, haven’t I?”

“It’s all right,” I murmured, touching my fingertips beneath his swollen eyelids. “There’s lots about me you don’t know.”

That got a smile. “Is there? What, pray tell, is there for me to learn about my wife?”

“Well there’s the time I won the eighth grade science fair,” I replied. “My project was magnetism.”

“Project?” he asked. “I thought you hadn’t used your ability before you met me.”

“Projects are just diagrams and things,” I explained. I’d forgotten that Micah had never been to middle school. Or any other school, for that matter. “I just talked about magnetism. I didn’t demonstrate it.”

“It must have been an excellent speech.”

“I got a trophy.”

“Was it made of copper?”

“Nah. Plastic.” We laughed at that, then he rolled us onto our sides and we rested in each other’s arms for a moment. “I think I know where I’d like to put some copper. At the manor, I mean.”

“Do you?” Micah smoothed the hair back from my brow. “Tell me.”

“Around the base of your mother’s statue.” Suddenly unsure, I dropped my gaze. “I mean, she sounds like such a wonderful person. Since I can’t meet her, I’d like to honor her.” I picked at Micah’s collar. “Without her, I wouldn’t have you.”

Micah didn’t say anything for a moment, and I worried that I’d offended him. I knew we’d only been married for one day, but when would we reach a point when I could speak my mind?

“That, my love, is a perfect idea,” Micah said. “My mother would have loved you.”

I couldn’t help it—I was so relieved that I laughed. “She would have? Makes sense, since my mom loves you.”

“Then perhaps she’ll stop injuring the silverkin,” Micah said dryly. We laughed some more, wonderful, hearty laughter. I know that Micah had only wept in front of me because he loved and trusted me, but I hoped to never see him so despondent again.

“She said she would. She’s been good lately.” I dared to kiss him then, and didn’t protest when he took it a bit further. “Can we go home now?”

“Yes, love.” Micah kissed me once more, then he stood and helped me to my feet. “I desperately want to be home with you.”





5


We walked all the way back to the manor instead of traveling by the faster metal pathways. While he didn’t say as much, I understood that Micah wanted the extra time to clear his head, and I was content to while away the rest of the morning with him.

“I’m still a bit…grumpy about being cheated out of our wedding night,” I muttered as we walked.

“Grumpy?” Micah repeated. We’d stopped beside a stream to relax and splash some cool water on our faces. “That is not quite the word I would have chosen.”