Relief fills her, and she curls against Rominy’s chest.
“Tharios showed us the magic threads connecting them. I don’t really understand it. Is it part of a normal elven binding? Or a Lothlesi one?”
“Neither. It’s ancient Lothlesi magic. Tharios...he sacrificed his freedom to save someone’s life.”
“Viala’s?”
“No.” Elowyn buries her face against Rominy’s neck and pushes memories of that day away.
“I didn’t mean to upset you, love. We can talk about something else.”
“He did it to save me. The day they met, I was there. And...he used his magic to bind himself as her protector for life so they would let me go. A life for a life.”
It takes a moment for Rominy to respond. “I am very confused now. I thought we liked Viala.”
His words lighten the tension in Elowyn’s heart, and she almost laughs. “We do. But we didn’t know that at the time. There was some confusion about whether I was being invited to New Valderi or kidnapped. It’s difficult to explain.”
“I see.” He pauses for a moment. “Actually, I don’t, but I’ll take your word for it.”
“The Lothlesi are wary of humans. I don’t know why. They were concerned about the heartbinding. But Tharios played the hero, sacrificed himself, binded with the princess, and smoothed hostilities between our people.”
“I sort of did that, too, you know.”
When she looks at him again, he’s grinning.
“Such a sacrifice,” he whispers. “Giving up my freedom to marry the princess and ensure peace between our kingdoms.”
She stares at him for a moment. He’s clearly not serious, but he’s surprisingly lighthearted compared to how downtrodden he was the last time he arrived here.
“Don’t blame yourself for whatever happened that day that I don’t understand,” Rominy adds softly. “Sometimes, the biggest sacrifice turns out to be the best thing to ever happen to someone. It was for me. And I’ve seen how Tharios looks at Viala. I’m pretty sure he feels the same way about his sacrifice as I feel about mine. You are the best thing to ever happen to me, love. And I would choose you every time.”
Whistling wind. Romantic Rominy is making an appearance tonight.
“Do you think when Tharios takes Viala in his arms, he’s regretting what he did?” Rominy murmurs near her ear.
“No. He...he loves her. Desperately.”
Rominy’s breath is warm on her neck, and her eyes slide shut. What is he doing?
“So why feel guilty about the role the universe let you play in their love story?” His nose nuzzles her ear, and she gasps.
If Rominy keeps doing that, she won’t be thinking about Tharios at all.
“Are you suggesting it was destiny?” she manages. “Destiny that he bound himself to her that day?”
“Some people are destined to be together. It’s written in their hearts and can’t be undone or pushed aside. It can only be embraced, wholly and completely.”
When he presses his lips to her ear, she whimpers.
“Rominy—”
“Wholly and completely, love. A force too powerful to deny, at least for long.”
Her fire magic prods at her, heat spreading deep within.
“We aren’t talking about Tharios anymore, are we?” she asks on hitched breaths.
His lips brush against the tip of her ear. “I want you, Elowyn. All of you.”
