He would pay whatever it took. As would I.
Goddess, please give us a few days’ rest.I prayed.Time to gather our strength for the next challenge. Time to love.
In answer, a large upswelling of water moved on the horizon, as if an enormous beast swam quickly in the depths, and for a moment I could have sworn I saw more than mere dolphins leaping in the wake it left. I waved in greeting, wondering if my eyes deceived me… and one of the figures that swam in the distance lifted a hand in return before diving back into the depths.
ROYA
Valerie ta Farthan was a lot of things: a feared leader, a queen of the underworld, an accomplished assassin and businesswoman. But the only title that mattered was the one I gave her, and today I was using it as a weapon. “Mom? Please stay here on Havira. Don’t leave me alone with all these men.”
Her laughter rang out, filling the enormous dressing room that had once been Queen Nesta’s, and was now mine. Altair had ordered her room to be redecorated in my favorite colors—the turquoise of Kavin’s eyes, the gold of Icarus’s, the dark brown of Thorn’s hair, and the bright pink of the hibiscus blooms that Altair brought into our chambers each morning. As if every day was a celebration of our mating.
Of course, today was the real day to celebrate. I shifted, looking into the long, mirrored glass where my image was reflected. I had seen myself a thousand times, and never appreciated my own beauty. But now, with strings of seed pearls draped in my hair, the topmost golden-blonde strands woven around the delicate pearl and gold filigree crown, a hint of blush on my cheeks and lips, making the pink stand out even more, and the shimmer of gold that kept appearing on my shoulders and arms, as if my insubstantial wings were fighting to be seen… I knew I was beautiful.
And beloved.
My eyes fell on the silver-handled brush and mirror Kavin had brought on the trip. They had been his mother’s, and he had carried them as a courting gift for an unknown Omega… and given them to his mate, just that morning.
“You know I have to go back to Verdan City to close up my businesses and hand the keys over to my successors,” Valerie finally replied, wiping her eyes. “But I will return as soon as I can. I won’t lose any more years with you—not to the Guild, or Verdan, or fate.” Her eyes fell on my abdomen. “I want to be around when the grandchildren make an appearance.”
“I’m not pregnant,” I hissed, my eyes darting to the door. If even one of my mates heard her joking, they would have me wrapped in cotton wool, and our short honeymoon trip to a neighboring island would be canceled permanently.
Naari giggled softly from her chair across the room, where she was stitching tiny golden beads on the toe of my wedding slippers—a Haviran custom for the family of the bride to perform on the wedding day. Naari had cried for an hour when I’d informed her she was my aunt now, so she had to help me with the royal wedding and coronation. I scowled at her anyway; she was a terrible gossip, and if she told Altair… She mimed buttoning her lips, though, so I relaxed.
“Not yet,” Valerie agreed, lifting the dress she had brought all the way from Verdan, and helping me slip it over my hair without mussing a single strand. I held my arms up while she quickly fastened the row of tiny jet-glass buttons along the side.
The gown had been wrapped in a watertight, waxed package until just that morning, and Naari had been convinced it would be too wrinkled to wear as a wedding dress. But when Valerie had unfolded it, it had been perfect.
Perfectly sexy, too. It was a dress unlike any I had seen. With wide skirts, it hugged my curves close at the bodice, and was made of fine silk with a long slit up one leg and a neckline that left one shoulder scandalously bare. It wasn’t at all the fashion in Verdan City, but it was red, a brilliant scarlet, and I knew my men would take one look at me and—
“They’re going to lose their minds,” Valerie gasped. “Roya. You look…”
Naari beamed. “Like the Goddess Herself.”
I rolled my eyes. “I love it, Valerie. It’s the perfect wedding gift.” I lifted the edge of the hem to my nose and sniffed. “It smells amazing, too. Lavender and caramel.” The scent was familiar, somehow, though I couldn’t place it.
Valerie’s eyes twinkled as she handed me the jeweled daggers that had been Talon’s wedding gift on behalf of his family line, and an apology for kidnapping me and striking me in anger. Although Valerie, once she had heard about that incident, had already gotten her revenge. I was sure he would walk with a limp for a few months at least.
“Hmm, I’m not certain I can wear them with this dress,” I murmured, peering around for a belt.
“That’s why Thorn had this made,” she said, lifting a butter-soft leather harness from a wooden chest and holding it out. It was a gorgeous thigh holster, with two perfect tubes of soft leather that would run down my thigh, encasing each blade. I slipped them in, then lifted the dress, securing the four small bronze buckles in place. I took a few steps and saw that the long slit on my dress exposed the blades when I walked. “Too much?” I mused.
“Absolutely not,” a voice at the door answered. In a second, I had a dagger in my hand, ready to hurl.
“Talon, what in the Goddess’s hells? I could have killed you!”
He chuckled and rubbed his beard, taking me in. “That’s why he fell for you, isn’t it? The danger of you, all wrapped up like a piece of sweet taffy. Icarus always did like his dinners so spicy they hurt his tongue. Good to know he hasn’t changed over the years.”
Talon stepped into the room, dressed like the king he was in a brilliant white shirt with a close-fitting golden waistcoat, and soft leather trousers that left nothing to the imagination. “Your dress,” he said, “it’s a style that was in fashion in Wyngel, years ago. Very elegant, very daring. My brother is a lucky man.”
A hint of sadness crept into his gaze. Talon had spent the past weeks re-establishing trade relations with Havira, and re-bonding with his brother. Once he had finally heard Icarus’s side of the story, Talon had wept, then almost flown off to kill his old friend, Rabbas, who had caused the rift and lost him his mate.
But Icarus had convinced him to stay for the wedding, and return prepared for a coup. Rabbas had already heard of his renewed friendship with Icarus, we were certain, and Talon had seen reason. It would serve no one for Talon to be killed by treachery at this late date… least of all the innocent Wren, who was still living somewhere in the world, tied to Talon by the old mating bond.
“You look amazing.” He held out his arm to escort me to the sacred stone for the ceremony, and took a deep breath, “And you smell…” He froze, his nostrils dilated, eyes filled with shock.
“Your mating bond,” I whispered, just as Talon reached my side. “That’s where I smelled it!”
My eyes widened and Talon’s wyvern rose, the gold fire in his eyes shining as he grasped my biceps. “Where is she?”
