The Love of a Wielder (Book Two of The Wielders Trilogy)

Chapter Eighteen

When Donovan arrived at Maren's rooms, he decided not to knock on her door. He didn't want her to feel like he might be rushing her. But he didn't want to leave either. So, he just stood there for a bit, aimlessly waiting and trying to come up with a valid reason to see her.

He had maybe been there for five or ten minutes when he saw her coming down the hall. He was grateful that she looked amused and not angry to see him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to pester you, only...well, I was trying to find an excuse to see you."

She smiled. "I'm glad you're here. I was going to go to your room, only I didn't know where it was."

His heart leapt. She wanted to see him, and she looked happy. This was an excellent sign.

"I don't mean to be rude, but if you don't know where your guests are, you aren't a terribly good lady of the house." He winked.

He was only teasing, but he hoped it would lead the conversation in the direction he thought it was going.

"How very fortunate I will not be the lady of this house," she said, returning his smile.

He had to resist the urge to cheer. He wanted to shout and grab her and yell to the whole house that she would be his forever.

That wasn't very appropriate, though, so instead he asked, "Will you be the lady of mine, then?"

"Well, the palace doesn't really belong to you, does it?" she said, smirking.

He laughed.

"Can we go in to your hideous accommodations, so I can kiss you properly, or are we just going to stand in the hall and grin at each other like lunatics?"

She smiled and swished past him to open the door to the sitting room. He followed her and when she turned back to him, he wrapped his arms around her, and pressed his lips to hers.

Gods, it was bliss. He kissed her again, and again, and again. It had been hardly more than a week since he kissed her last, but it felt like an eternity.

He pressed his forehead to hers.

"I love you."

"I love you," she whispered back.

It was the best thing he had ever heard.

He kissed her.

"You'll really marry me?"

He knew she'd said she would, but he was still slightly stunned by her decision.

"I really will. I must be mad," she said, smiling.

They kissed again and he heard her she sigh. He was so happy, he thought his heart might burst. He once thought she'd never be in his arms again; he could hardly believe she would never leave them.

"And we're having a baby."

Gods, a baby. A baby with Maren. It was the most magnificent thing he could think of. It was a miracle.

She smiled and nodded. "The Drakes think so, and I suppose I have to believe their collective powers."

He laughed. "I heard the Duke informed you about it. I never would have imagined that."

"You cannot have been as surprised as I was," she said, laughing.

He thought that was likely right, but he felt as though he was done talking about anyone else for the moment.

He kissed her again.

"I'm so happy."

She smiled. "Me too."