A myriad of twists and turns took us to places in the palace I’d never dreamed existed. The trek seemed endless, my limbs already heavy and aching from the weight of the evening’s events. With the fear that I’d unknowingly put a noose around Heraphia’s neck too.
When we finally stopped, it was at a panel of flimsy wood. My mate cracked it ever so slightly, peering into the hall beyond. But it was the middle of the night, and no souls drifted about.
He tugged me along behind him until we reached anopulent door. With a press of his palms against the frame, it swung inward on silent hinges.
A lock clicked into place behind us, effectively caging me in with the male who had killed my parents and hunted me down.
And somehow was also my fated mate.
And who had told the world of our bond mere hours before.
The gravity of it all slammed into me as he turned to face me again. His stoic composure crumbled like an ancient castle. In a few steps, he crashed into a chair, air whooshing out of him.
“Thank you for not putting up a fight,” he murmured, his velvety voice unusually thick.
“Tell me what happened,” I demanded, coming to stand in front of him. He shifted, and I realized I’d stepped on his ice-blue cape. I’d long since changed out of the finery the Korona had stuffed me into, opting for a linen sleeping set instead.
Vaeron yanked one diamond, then the other, off his shoulders. Without its fasteners, the cape fell away. He bundled it up and threw it like it had personally offended him. The stones clattered somewhere into the distance.
Never had I seen him so unraveled. Even when I pushed him, punished him with my words, he was more controlled.
“Dasha is the daughter of the male who hurt you,” he began slowly, raking his hands through his hair. He slumped forward in the chair, rubbing his temples. “Who happens to be Stadiel’s greatest threat. A political rival, if you will. The Koron believes he has designs on the Angel throne. To prevent that, he and my sister arranged the marriage between Dasha and me.”
“You could have said no,” I replied.
He huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “No, little fugitive, I could not have.” He finally looked at me again. “Not until you.”
My breath hitched. He reached for my wrist, guiding mecloser to him. His touch seared my skin, and I withheld a shiver as I waited for him to speak.
“The betrothal is over.”
I hated that relief that bloomed in my chest. Wetness brimmed in my eyes. Vaeron reached up and caught one drop on the end of his finger. He brought the salt to his lips and tasted it. “I should never have made you cry. The only time I want your tears is when they are borne of pleasure.”
The sensual way he spoke made my core clench.
“What about us?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer. He’d been gone for hours…
My mate groaned, a heavy, burdened sound. “Iaoth is furious. Not as much as Stadiel. This has greatly changed his plans. It is more imperative now than ever before that we win this war. That he and my sister straddle the Skala Mountains. That we exterminate the Demons and their dark magic once and for all.”
I frowned at the mention of the slaughter that would have to take place. I opened my mouth to speak, but he silenced me.
“I know—they know—you are Elessarum. Which is where everything becomes…complicated.” His eyes searched mine, beseeching me to understand. “The Seers will have to use their power to its fullest extent now. The days you’ve been having? They’ll be longer. More intense. There will be more drugs. More channels. They even spoke of power sharing.”
Ice shattered through my veins. Our mind magics made it possible, unlike with other races, in theory. Power sharing was considered to be a grave sin—if it was even possible. I didn’t know a single person alive or dead who had attempted it. Each of our gifts were handpicked for each individual by the Goddess, a holy blessing we weren’t supposed to take lightly.
“Heraphia is already exhausted as it is. You have to get her out of there,” I pleaded with him.
His chin dropped to his chest. I’d never seen him look so defeated. His pristine posture, bowed by the weight of his duties—to me, to his sister, to the realm. “I can’t. They’d know immediately it was me, and I will not put you in further danger.”
He was right, and I hated it.
“Then at least let me give her virelthorn too. I can’t lose her, Vaeron. I can’t.” My voice fractured on the last word, tears blurring my vision. “She’s all I have left.”
To my surprise, he didn’t flinch at the words, merely accepting that he wasn’t on my list. “I’ll do what I can,” he finally sighed, lifting his gaze to meet mine.
“Thank you,” I whispered, dashing the backs of my wrists across my cheeks to dry them.
“There’s more.”
