Wickedly Ever After

Morning After

Despite me overcoming Madoc and the Court of Teeth, being crowned Queen of Elfhame, not to mention beheading an enormous serpent, it turns out my connection to the land and weapon prowess can't stop me from scorching a pair of eggs. I curse and throw the pan down, then immediately grab my head in pain. I am never drinking again. Never mind that it was a celebratory party. All I wanted was something to dull this hangover. I glare at the blackened eggs in disgust.

"What did they ever do to you?"

Surprised, I turn around to find Taryn smirking at me, fresh-faced in one of her favorite gowns. "Hey, I told you to stop drinking after that second glass," she says, shrugging as as she wanders closer, inspecting the mess. "But I guess you really wanted to win the contest."

I scowl. "When Cardan wakes up, I am going to murder him." I dump my failed breakfast in the trash. "Then I'm going to murder Vivi for winning."

Taryn sighs. "It's scary that you always want to kill the people you love most." She gives me a side-smile and takes the pan from my hands. "Here, I'll clean up. Go wake everyone else up. It's almost 10 and I want to go back home."

I run a hand through my hair and head towards the bedrooms before jolting to a stop. "Wait. Do you know if Heather and Vivi are uh. . . up and active?" I grin at Taryn's flush. "What do you have to be embarrassed about?" I say, motioning towards her baby bump.

Taryn gives me her death stare. "I saw you and Cardan last night."

Now it's my turn to blush and I make a face at her before barging into Heather and Vivi curled in each other's arms. "Time to get up!" I pull open the curtains, letting in a flood of buttery sunshine. 

Vivi moans and hugs Heather tighter. "Go away."

Heather cracks open an eye. "Oh, good morning Jude." She raises an elbow and halfheartedly jabs Vivi in the stomach. "Get off me, you slug." When Vivi pokes her back, Heather sticks out a tongue. 

"I know where else you can put that tongue," Vivi remarks sleepily.

I cough loudly and slowly inch away as Heather pummels Vivi's arm. "I'm just going to leave right now." 

I close the door firmly behind me and stare at the room across from it. The guest room door is propped open just enough for me to see a mess of dark hair spilling across the pillow. I silently kick myself for being so shy. So you declared your love to each other. So what? You still want to stab him for being annoying all the time. Gathering my resolve, I march in, ready to yell for him to get up in his ear when his hand snakes out and pulls me onto the bed.

I topple onto him with a whoof! and almost instinctively press my arm against his throat but all he does is laugh. 

"Your reflexes are getting slower," he murmurs and I twist my neck to glare at him. 

"Being hangover in the morning because someone suggested a drinking contest of all things does that to a person," I snap back.

Cardan smiles at me lazily, ignoring the pressure on his neck and tiptoeing fingers up my shoulder to play with my hair. "Where'd you go this morning?"

"Why? Miss me?" I release my grip and he lets out a huff of air.

"Very much so, actually." I was basically lying on his chest and he began humming as he folded his arms around me. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the peacefulness. In moments like these, it was hard to remember I ever hated him.

"I would say liar, but. . ."

Cardan opens his mouth to say something but winces at a cut lip. I turn to say sorry about giving him that the night before, but before I can, Vivi rushes in and yells, "Breakfast, love bugs!"

We both groan in pain and Vivi smirks evilly. "Just returning the favor. By the way, you two are just adorable." She leaves, but the smell of bacon and toast leaves my mouth watering.

"If you had anything to do with the favor part," Cardan moans, "I might just throw up on you." 

I yelp in dismay. "Cardan! Throw up in the toilet!" 

I make to get up but he tightens his hold, turns my head and reaches up to press his lips to mine. Against all odds, he still smells fresh and I cup his cheek with a hand. When we part, Cardan stares deep into my eyes and says, "Jude."

"What?" I ask, slightly breathless.

"Where's the bathroom." He gags and I immediately go into action, hauling him to the toilet and closing the door to give him privacy as he retches. I shiver at the memory of the past few moments and Taryn catches me with a dreamy smile when she pops in from the kitchen, wearing a frilly apron that must have been Heather's. 

She raises an eyebrow. "Okay, I won't ask, but go get Oak for me, will you? It should be appropriate for him to come out now." She gives me a knowing look. "Let's just say you two were. . . wild last night."

I flail to her, ready to punch her in the arm, but she disappears just as the bathroom door opens. Cardan walks out, flicking water off his hands and grinning at me. His hair is rumply on one side and his clothes are all wrinkled and stained, but he still looks perfect. "So what's next, my queen?"

I smile at him and link his arm with mine. "First, Oak. And then, breakfast!"