The feel of her hand sliding into mine, her delicate scent of jasmine and vanilla, the way her mouth parted beneath my own the first time we kissed, the warmth of her body against me in our bed, the look in her eyes when she told me she loved me.
I anchor myself to each beautiful memory with savage desperation. I cannot allow fear to fracture my focus, or else I will lose the path.
Once, I rode into battle to save my mother. I remember the certainty I felt then—that love alone was enough to cut through anything, that if I fought hard enough, the outcome would bend to my will. I was wrong.
But I am not that young, naïve prince anymore. I will end anyone who stands in my way, and I will not come home without my mate.
A thunderous sound splits the air, rolling through the chamber as magic ripples across the center of the arch, like a stone dropped in a still pond. Light bursts from the carved runes and wind explodes outward, whipping at our cloaks.
The empty center of the arch darkens, twisting into a blackness deeper than shadow, a void ringed in silver flame.
Pain lances through my skull as I grit my teeth, pouring more power into the gate.
The darkness within the arch moves like fog across the center. Tarin shouts something behind me, but the roaring in the chamber drowns out his words. Warm blood runs from mynostrils and my hands shake with the strain of holding the path together as I reach across the void for my mate.
The bond answers with a sharp, aching pull, and I know I’ve found her. She’s far away, frightened, but alive.
The portal shudders and then snaps into terrible, blazing sharpness. Skeletal trees rise from the ground and beyond them lies a castle covered in thorny vines.
I lower my arms slowly, chest heaving, and then draw my sword. Black steel gleams in the silver light. Around me, my warriors do the same.
I glance back at Tarin, fear and worry marring his features. There are a thousand things I could say.Take care of the kingdom, do not let grief make you cruel… if I do not return, know that I loved you.But he already knows all these things. What comes out instead is, “Remember your promise.”
His eyes shine with sadness as he bows his head. “I will.”
It is enough. It has to be.
I look back to the portal. Cold blackness churns inside it, edged in ancient light. Beyond that darkness is the Goblin King’s stronghold, and my wife. My queen.
Mine.
Every part of me sharpens into a single, lethal point. If he has touched her, I will end him. If he has frightened her, I will teach him the true meaning of fear as I kill him slowly. He dared to take she who is mine, and he is about to understand with brutal certainty what kind of monster he has provoked.
I walk to the edge of the gate. The ancient magic within pulls at me. Behind me, a half dozen warriors ready themselves.
“For the queen,” Dain says.
“For the queen,” the others answer.
I bare my fangs and then step into the darkness.
CHAPTER 50
VIVIENNE
As I face the Goblin King, my hands tremble at my sides, but I curl my fingers into my skirts so he cannot see it. Lifting my chin, I square my shoulders and straighten my spine.
The Goblin King is worse than I imagined. Not because he is monstrous to behold—because he is not—but because there is something unsettling in his golden eyes as they study me intently.
“Why have you brought me here?” I demand.
He cocks his head. “Did you not receive the summons? I sent no fewer than six to Valethryn. When you did not come, I was forced to act.”
“What I meant,” I begin, struggling to keep my voice even despite my fear, “is that there’s no reason for you to take me from my husband and bring me here against my will. I am married now.”
The words come out fast and defensive before heat rushes into my cheeks when I realize perhaps that isn’t enough. Maybehe needs me to spell it out for the magic of the bargain to be satisfied even though he claimed it wouldn’t matter.
Still, I decide to try anyway. I force the next part out, even as my face burns. “And the marriage has been… sealed.”
