He sighed. “I spread my darkness to spite my father for taking you from me. I swore to damn every soul I could, to taint all he deemed pure. I blamed him and my brothers for your death…” He lowered his gaze. “Denying even in my defeat that I was the only one to blame.”
Her fingers brushed his jaw. “You were never to blame.”
“You died in my arms, Alora. You took one look at me and your heart stopped.”
“Yes…” she whispered. “That night … I ran because I was being hunted.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “By Vorak.”
Alora slipped away from him and wrapped her arms around herself as she stared blankly at the mirror above the vanity.
“I remember everything now, Rune.” Her chest heaved with a breath, her eyes drawing to the glowing crimson tear in the sky.“The time we had together in the cottage was magical, until one day he spoke to me.”
Rune moved closer to her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Vorak haunted me when you were absent. He said my blood was precious and that it called to all demons, even to you. I feared perhaps I was going mad like my mother.” Alora’s eyes lifted to his. “But then I saw through your glamor.”
Rune stared at her, frozen.
She took his hand. “Even then, I was never afraid of you.” Tears glistened in her eyes as she continued. “But he was coming for me and the only way to stop him was to curse myself. To seal away my soul forever so he could never take my magic.”
Rune stopped breathing from thegravityof it.
Alora’s voice shook. “I tried to warn you, but Vorak arrived with the Blood Moon… so I fled.” Her tears spilled and Rune embraced her.
She buried her face in his chest. “I am so sorry I did that to you. To us. But if he had taken me then, if he had used my blood, our bond would have been shattered, Rune. He would have killed you. Iknewit. I couldfeelyour death.”
There was so much certainty in her words, he had no recourse to argue. His power was nothing compared to Vorak. A cold chill sank in his body, but Rune ignored the feeling.
“I did the only thing I could,” Alora said, looking up at him sadly. “I cursed myself to fall into a deep sleep like death. It was the only way to seal my power away, breaking my connection to Vorak. Soyouwouldn’t burn for loving me.”
The truth hollowed him out. All those years of loathing. He had carried her death like a penance, believing her loss was his sin to bear.
“All this time…” He sighed and drew her close, bowed his head to hers. “I believed you chose death rather than sufferbeing bound to a demon. When in truth, you chose it to save me. My gorgeous wife… defying a Primordial with ease.”
“I would do it again.”
He gave an incredulous scoff at the resolve in her tone. “I always knew you were dangerous.”
She laughed faintly.
Rune’s thumb brushed her cheek. “I thought I would never see you again,” he murmured. “Until I heard you sing once more, leaving me to wonder of this miracle. Then you walked into my cave, begging for my aid and I resolved to do anything to keep you.” He swallowed. “I twisted the terms of that bargain. Bound you into a marriage contract. Anchored you to me beneath the guise of ritual and law, claiming it would cost your soul. But I never claimed it, Alora.” His hand trembled where it cupped her face. “For even then, I could only wait … and hope for you to choose me.”
Alora’s breath faltered, softening her eyes as she pressed closer. “So many secrets,” she teased faintly. “What more could you be hiding?”
She meant it as a jest, but Rune had more to admit.
He drew back and turned over his right hand, exposing the god’s mark on his wrist. “From the beginning, I have lied to you about nearly everything. About my life, my name, and what I am.”
After a shallow breath, he released the last of his glamor and the symbol faded, its black lines dissolving into nothing.
There was no mask left to wear.
Only truth.
“I am not a trueborn god…” Rune confessed. “And only the gods are given a fated bride.”
The firelight danced over her startled face as a new understanding settled.
Rune’s hands shook. “I have done so much evil, but perhaps the worst of them was changing your fate… Caelum was meant for you.”
