The yearning in his soul coalesced in a burst of peace, the soothing sensation freeing him of the burden of sorrow he’d carried for so much of his life.You’ll always be with me.
Gentle laughter brought a smile to him as Avery’s presence faded away.
Moving forward, he joined the others, pausing to share a smile with his soul-daughter and his comrades as he wound his way to Celina. Her smile was radiant, eyes brightening with joy as he finally reached her. Taking his hand, she led him in the dance, inviting him to follow her toward a new path.
Chapter 35
Intheweehoursof the morning, golden dawn blanketed the heart of the mountain. Celina had woken early to view the sunrise and hadn’t been disappointed as she watched the shades of gold drive out the shadows of night from the protected glade.
She had never seen anything like it and wondered if it was unique to this spot or to all sacred spaces. The amount of knowledge that had been lost continually amazed her. Along with the refugee program, she had a desire to bring some of their other lost traditions back to life.
Rodric’s presence pulled her attention away from the mist. He bent to brush his lips over her ear. “Come with me.”
Rising from her barely used bedding, Celina did a quick head count of the children sleeping around her before following Rodric out into the quiet morning.
Taking her hand, he led her down to the sacred pool. The mist was so thick that she could barely see the blue glimmer through the tendrils. She took in the scent of morning with a relaxed sigh. Rodric squeezed her hand, continuing to lead her quietly around the pool. From their vantage point in the meadow, the pool seemed to disappear into the landscape of trees. Up close, she could see that it did not, in fact, disappear. Weeping trees dipped to kiss the water, hiding a narrow inlet that passed under them and continued on the other side.
Ducking through the thick trees that bordered this side of the pool, they emerged into a completely secluded area. Climbing up the stone steps built into the landscape, they found carved stone benches shaped in a half circle. The small space would have been meant to hold only a few witnesses or participants. A stone pedestal matched the one in the ceremonial place where they’d held the healing rite. Gently weeping trees rose above the area, their branches overhanging just enough to shade the space.
If the meadow and glade could be described as idyllic and serene, this space was breathtaking. Though equally reverent, it had a different feel to it than the bonfire space. Rather than a space for communal joining, it evoked deep, quiet awe.
“What was this space used for?” She kept her voice soft.
“Daya said it’s one of the spots used for individual rituals and rites of passage.”
“It’s beautiful.”
Tunneling his fingers into her loose hair, Rodric pulled her to him for a deep kiss. Sparks of joy and rightness set off inside her as she rose to meet him, returning the loving greeting with passion. After a few moments, he drew back, looking down at her with heavy emotion.
“Rodric, I—”
“Celina—”
He smiled and kissed her cheekbone, fingers still trailing through her hair in a continual caress. “You go.”
“Things will be a little wild when we return. I don’t want to wait until then to settle things between us.”
“Oh? Are thingsunsettled?” He gave her a mischievous smirk he must have picked up from Brenna.
“Yes,” she said, smiling at his expression.
“Mmm… What do you propose we do about that, Lady Blackwood?”
Heart fluttering, she looked into his dark green eyes. She’d known from the moment their souls touched, even before, that he was her mate. They were already bound completely. Her soul would never respond to another as it did to him. The choices and decisions came from how they would change their lives to accommodate that bond. He had much more at stake than she did and would be the one to make sacrifices and major changes.
Quieting her nerves that worried he wouldn’t be eager to accept so much upheaval in his life, she asked, “Will you join with me, Rodric?”
“Yes.” He smiled at her, no tension emanating from him. “But are you sure—”
“Yes!”
“Let me finish.” His hands moved to her neck, holding her head still. “Are you sure you’re okay with a private joining? If you want witnesses to our binding vows, we can wait.”
“No. We’ll have to do something public at some point because of my position in the realm. But I want this to be just between us.” Wanting to be fair, she stated her concern one last time. “I know we’re bonded already but making it official is complex and will bring changes, especially with us being from different realms.”
“Changes I am more than ready for. I’ll follow you anywhere, Celina.” Planting a soft kiss on her lips, he let her go.
Picking up the bag he’d dropped earlier, he took a seat on one of the stone benches. She sat next to him, watching curiously as he pulled out a carved wooden box.
