“You know our laws. Once we’re mated, she is mine and mine alone. You can’t so much as touch her once she’s part of a mate bond. I’ve broken no law in claiming her.” He pulls her in front of him and takes her by the throat. “I forsake the one true soul fate has set aside for me and take this changeling as my mate.”
Her wide eyes lock with mine.
“I suppose I can fully claim her here in the mud.” He glances down at the stony, filthy ground. “After all, she’s a changeling. I assume she’s used to being ridden hard on the dirt.” He slides his hand down her stomach.
“You had your chance.” I raise my hands, but before I can press them to the barrier, something explodes nearby. No, not nearby. The purple blast emanates from me. The grass around me is blown down, the horses and soldiers at my back knocked over as the massive blast shoots from every direction.
I blink, and somehow, I realize this is the very first time I’m truly seeing Emma. My heart beats fully, everything inside me focusing on her, her heart, her breath, her soul.
“Mine.” The word rips from me as I’m torn apart from the inside out.
33
Emma
Iclench my eyes shut as Solano burns bright enough to set all of Arin alight. Varan gasps and drags me back a few paces.
My ribs still ache, but underneath them, warmth blooms. A heat that comes from Solano, love that pools inside me.
“They broke the curse!” Brock whoops in a decidedly un-Brock-like fashion.
Varan hisses as my skin glows, the sun running through my veins.
And when I look up, I find an enormous lion, its mane wild, its eyes golden. Rearing back, it lets out a roar that makes my knees go weak. The barrier between us trembles, then fiery cracks begin to form.
Varan drags me backwards. “No, no, no!”
The cracks spread until Varan’s shield dissipates, the barrier turning to nothing but a rush of flames that sparkle and burst in the sun.
With another roar, Solano crosses the barrier and comes for me.
I step toward him, but Varan yanks me back.
“Come any closer, and I’ll open her throat!” he shrieks, his fangs pressing against my neck.
Solano’s eyes stare out at me from his beautiful feral.
“I’m sorry I ever doubted you.” I send the words to him, hoping he can hear me. Varan isn’t going to let me go. He’d rather see me dead than let Solano have an ounce of happiness. Another tear slides down my cheek.
“I love you.” The thought is as clear and permanent as a crystal, refracting from a thousand facets in my mind.
The lion’s gaze lifts, and before Varan can utter another word, he’s gone.
I whirl and find nothing but white ash floating away in the breeze, the sun destroying Varan with a relentless intensity.
The lion pads over to me and nuzzles my injured side. A flash of green sparks along my skin, and my pain leaves, burned up just like Varan.
I turn and wrap my arms around the enormous lion, and Solano’s purr soothes me, promising me safety and love as I nuzzle into his soft mane. A huge, warm paw presses against my back as Brock, Charen, and the king’s soldiers advance.
“Nice feral.” Charen smirks as he hurries toward the house, but it, too, is fading and falling, even the stone turning to ash under Solano’s power. “I didn’t get to kill anyone.” He turns and extinguishes the dark magic in his palm with a regretful sigh.
“Kneel before your king.” Brock barks, and the soldiers obey. I can’t let go of Solano, can’t stop crying at how good it feels to simply be with him.
I glance over my shoulder and find Charen and the soldiers all on their knees.
“My lord.” Brock bows to Solano, then turns to me. “And my lady.” He drops to his knee.
Solano roars with approval, then swipes me onto his back.
