“Tell me when you’re ready to leave and I’ll be right there,”my father whispered as we made it to the end. He leaned in for a hug. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I whispered, and choked back tears. There was so much I needed to tell him, but it would have to wait. My father let go hesitantly and took a seat in an aisle chair in the front row.
Ryder’s eyes softened as I approached, and when Maris reached out, I handed my weighty bouquet to her. Ryder grasped my hands in his, and I was surprised to find them sweaty and trembling. For someone who was such an asshole, what did he have to be nervous about? With the sea at my back, a breeze blew across my shoulders, making me shiver.
An unfamiliar older man with kind eyes led the ceremony. His words flowed out like a babbling creek—smooth, consistent, and calming. I accepted my fate and let my mind wander. If Jaspar was in the prison, I’d need to find the keys. Perhaps Roark would be willing to help.
Wings beating in the distance interrupted my thoughts. I shook my head and focused on Ryder. But when his eyes went wide, I turned and found three wyverns flying in from the west.
Ryder remained calm despite the surrounding guards drawing their swords. Turning to face the audience, I saw my father, amusedly watching the latecomers. The red gem on his lapel hit the fading sun just right. He saw my recognition, wiggled an eyebrow, and gave me a sly grin.
The three wyverns flew overhead and landed hard at the back of the crowd. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the guests. Amalee dismounted Ralti while Sky and Fisher dismounted from two separate wyverns. Fisher was no longer in the Rivale uniform and instead wore that of Kuroden’s.
“Our guests like to make quite an entrance, I see,” Ryder joked to the crowd, inciting chuckles. “Take a seat.” He smiled at the three and turned back to the officiant. “Continue.”
My shoulders tensed. Surely, we wouldn’t continue on as if their attendance was expected.
A bee buzzed in front of my face before finding its final resting place—Ryder’s shoulder. Its tiny legs carried its furry body as it moved up his collar and onto his neck. The critter, swiftly and entirely unprovoked, took its last moment of life to stab my betrothed.
Ryder flinched, let go of one of my hands, and slapped the bee, squishing it. Grabbing its tiny body with his thumb and finger, he flung it to the side, discarding the creature into the nearby grass. His skin reddened with a forming welt, and I smiled for the first time that day.
“Hi, Kam,” I whispered.
The officiant continued smoothly, “Ryder Sutton, do you take Audryn Clair as your wife?”
“I do,” Ryder replied coolly and looked to his left, eyeing the three who were still standing at the back.
“And do you accept the mating bond, knowing Audryn is the other piece to your soul, the one you were blessed by the land itself to spend the entirety of your lives together?” the officiant asked.
“Yes. I do.” Ryder smiled at me and squeezed my hands.
I didn’t return the gesture and instead looked away, gaze traveling past the crowd. Wrinkles etched deep around Amalee’s eyes, yet her face remained plain; she was an unwavering warrior. Amalee and Sky wore mostly black attire with silver armor covering their chests and midsections. Fisher and Sky angled themselves away, watching the guards who were multiplying around the perimeter in droves. They both kept a hand on the hilts of their swords, but hadn’t moved to unsheathe the blades.
“Audryn Clair.” The male’s voice snapped my attention to him. “Do you take Ryder Sutton as your husband?”
Stomach sinking, I looked back to Amalee, silently lookingfor direction on what the fuck she wanted me to do. We had three wyverns, four of us, my father who’d need help getting out of the area, and dozens of guards waiting to act.
Queen Arden, the woman I recognized from Kuroden, leaned over to the man next to her and whispered. They were impeccably dressed in purple garb, each bearing golden crowns on their heads. Concern marked her face as she spoke to the man, but her eyes stayed focused on me.
The officiant cleared his throat and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Do you need me to repeat the question, Miss Clair?”
“She doesn’t need you to repeat it,” Ryder snapped. “She obviously accepts, or she wouldn’t be here.”
Nausea raged, and I thought I might be sick. Blood rushed in my ears, and my heart raced. I found Ryder’s eyes and slowly shook my head. Magic hummed at my fingertips, reminding me of the endless life surrounding us.
He leaned in close and whispered, “All it takes is one word to Hunt, and each of your friends will be killed. I will kill your fathermyself.”
My breath quickened, and the dress shrunk to strangle me. With tingling limbs, I contemplated my options. I had one dagger on me to fend off Ryder. But he was swift, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get to my father before he did.
“Move on,” Ryder ordered the officiant.
“Uhm, yes … we will get back to that question.” The man pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at his brow. “Do you, Audryn Clair, accept the mating bond, recognizing Ryder is the other piece to your soul, the one you were blessed by the land to spend the entirety of your life with?”
A murmur moved through the crowd, drawing my attention. Several specks of red glistened among the seated guests like shining beacons of hope. I scanned over the guards along the perimeter, spotting rubies scattered among them—hidden within the enemy. My eyes landed on guard Roark and thesword at his side; the gold-adorned hilt framed a large, embedded ruby.
Draven leaned against the back wall of the castle, wearing his chef’s hat and a large closed-mouthed smile. A ruby gem was pinned to the tall fabric and glinted. The kitchen staff beside him displayed small rubies pinned to their uniform shirts.
It was all I needed to find the strength to take on whatever fight was waiting for me. There would be death, no doubt, likely even my own, but a life wasn’t worth living if I was tied to a man I despised. Even if I didn’t make it, I’d at least get to be with my mother and Kamden on the other side of the battle.
