I wanted to take her home with me and keep her in my castle forever, but…just look at her. She didn’t deserve to be languishing in a dying realm, because despite my bold request, I had no idea if I could do any of what I’d just claimed.
I thought of the terraces reaching to the sky. The children laughing. The nighttime market under the glow of faelights and the warmth of Lyrae’s hand in mine. The way she’d looked at me like I was her entire world, when I already knew she was mine.
But…
“Yes,” I repeated, louder this time. “I wish for her to not bear any responsibility for anything that transpired in my realm, and then, in two days’ time, the Triune shall be yours. Consider that mission accomplished.”
Anaria held my stare for a long moment. “I’m sending Zephryn back with you.” I swore I heard a low groan of protest from the big shifter—not that I blamed him. “He will observe only, then return with the Triune when you are finished.”
I lowered my head. “That arrangement is acceptable to me. Thank you, my queen. I am looking forward to a long alliance with the Kingdom of Valarian.” And already missing Lyrae, standing right beside me, staring straight ahead, her jaw clenched so tight I worried she might break her teeth.
The seer leaned closer to the queen, whispering in her ear, one hand on Anaria’s shoulder, squeezing tight. But she never took her eyes off me, and suddenly, I could hardly breathe, like my lungs had stopped working.
This was really happening.
I was making my choice.
My kingdom, my legacy, my realm—and all that future would cost me was the female I was completely in love with.
But this was the city Lyrae loved. Her feeling had shone from her eyes as we’d walked the streets—the gentle way she’d smiled at the children, the pride on her face at the repaired homes and high walls, even her sorrow over thefallen, how she’d known every last detail of every place we’d passed.
I had no right to drag her from her home.
Lyrae lifted her chin. “You’re making the right decision, Anaria,” she murmured. “Kaden will not let you down, and neither will I.”
She never looked at me, stiff and tense like that sword she swung so efficiently.
For the first time in my life, I let myself think of the future.
Of building a place where children laughed and lights glowed in windows and people held hands like every night meant home.
And Lyrae—Lyrae might not be beside me, but she’d be here.
Happy.
And that had to count for something, I told myself.
61
LYRAE
The throne room doors closed behind us with the boom of a giant’s fist.
For a heartbeat, the sound echoed through the white-veined marble corridor, then the vastness of the Citadelle swallowed even that up, returning to the empty hush of night—all the fawning royal courtiers gone, no one except us and a few disinterested guards, who recognized my seething temper enough to avert their eyes as I stalked past.
Two days.
Two days for Rooke to use the Triune.
I led the way, everyone else strung out behind me, heading—out of habit—for my rooms at the far end of the palace. It was too late for Rooke to return home, and we’d never talked about what would happen after our audience with Anaria.
Hadn’t wanted to plan that far ahead, I supposed.
Rooke’s shoulders were rigid beneath his dark cloak, still marked by beads of water where the snow had melted. Ryland moved beside me with that lazy predator’s grace he wore like a second skin. Varian behind us, quiet as a blade—watching everyone, missing nothing—while Ariel craned her neck to see…everything.
Gods, my sister. Probably already planning how much trouble she could get into.
And me?
