Gi hugs me tight. “I love you.”
“Love you.”
I aim toward the exit with Wilder’s heated gaze still on me.
Ry’s lips are moving,but I couldn’t care less about what he’s saying about the food. My focus is on Leigh leaving the party and how I haven’t had a chance to talk to Jaxson or anyone else about the daemons invading this city because of all the guests I had to greet tonight.
I quickly look away from Leigh, scanning everywhere for Soter. He’s here with several other Borealis Blades, providing extra security for the wedding, but he’s also here to help Glaucus Blade Commander Wendy Detzer find where these daemons are coming from. The case has been open for nearly five months—it’s time to close it without causing panic among the public.
Part of me wants to pull Soter aside, get an update on his progress, and offer help. It’s his first case as Borealis Blade Commander. But Leigh deserves my full attention this weekend. Whatever’s happening with the daemons will have to wait until after the honeymoon, but let’s pray the case gets solved well before then.
“Where’s Leigh going?” Isolde asks, catching my attention.
I twist to see Leigh saying a few parting words to her mother, edging closer to the exit.
Frowning, I move to intercept her. She wants to sleep alone tonight, but who said anything about sleeping? My grin widens. I have so many things I plan to do to her before we pledgeourselves to one another at the abbey. She’s been distracting me all night in that dress—the material so revealing I doubt she’s wearing anything underneath. I’ve made a private bet with myself to find out.
These formal parties have never really been my scene. The sparkling wine is too sour, all fizz and pretension. When I tried to order a beer earlier, Isolde acted as if I’d committed high treason. Did I overlook some unwritten royal protocol?
All I want is to be alone with Leigh. Nothing else should matter. Not the daemons, not Soter taking my job, not this ridiculous party—just her.
I take another step toward the exit. Leigh pauses mid-conversation, her gray eyes meeting mine and narrowing with recognition. She knows exactly what I’m thinking.
My smile sends a playful message:If you try to run, I’ll catch you.
Leigh shakes her head, offering a sly smile.
She needs to relax and let her hair down, so to speak. She’s been on edge for months. Maybe she feels pressured to make everything perfect this weekend, especially after Queen Jorina’s heart attack on Samhain. We’ve postponed our wedding multiple times, and now that the day is finally here, Leigh seems distracted. She’s been avoiding the subject since we got off the train this morning. Earlier, she gave me some excuse about archaic traditions and not sleeping together, then planted a mind-bending kiss on me. Still, before I could do anything about it, like checking out the honeymoon suite early, she giggled and ran off to get ready for the rehearsal dinner, leaving me alone and turned on as hell.
Leigh has been going through a lot lately, and I understand the struggle since I’m facing my own identity crisis. After years of active duty as a Blade, I retired two days ago—walking away from the career I’d been training for since my Emergence. I’deven made commander earlier than I ever thought possible, but I gave it all up without hesitation for her. Forus.
Now I’m having a hard time figuring out who I am without the badge. Being a Solar Witch means being a Blade isn’t just a job, it’s literally in my blood and part of my magical nature. When I enrolled, the Blade Academy made it clear that I needed to protect and serve. Even years after the Labor Laws were abolished, old habits die hard.
If Leigh knew how much I miss it, she’d think I love work more than her. I don’t; that could never be true.
Even now, I can barely believe she wants to marry me.Me.A nobody from the working class, who half the people in this room called Wilbur when we first met, as if I look anything like a Wilbur. Born part of the Nebula class with dirt under my nails and calluses on my hands, I never imagined a world where I’d end up with the Queen of Corona.
Yet here I am, about to become her husband. Sometimes I wonder if she’s settling, choosing me because she’s too busy to find someone better. But then she looks at me with genuine adoration… She looked at me the same way during the speeches tonight, like I’m her anchor in the storm—that’s when I know what we have is real.
She needs to remember how to be happy again. What happened with Aradia was not her fault. And I’m going to help her get there.
I click my tongue when Leigh leaves the party. She wants to be chased.
Ry grabs my sleeve before I can follow her.
I glare at him. “What?”
He frowns, golden curls making him look years younger than twenty-seven. “You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”
Yeah, I was too busy thinking about the Blades and getting Leigh naked to care. “Sorry. Habit.”
“I’ll overlook how rude that is since this weekend is about you and just repeat it: Jax has been on the phone for the past ten minutes, and he looks worried. Is he okay? He’s seemed kind of off all night.”
I follow Ry’s gaze. Jax stands away from the crowd, dark brows furrowed.
Is Wendy giving him a hard time? Jax isn’t on Domna duty tonight, but if there’s been an update on the case, she won’t hesitate to call him.
“Jax has seemed uneasy,” Isolde comments, her eyes fixed across the room.
