She ate it without protesting and asked for water. I watched her drink, then smile and drink again before she nestled back into our burrow, and to my joy, she placed her head on my chest. Her body relaxed against mine, and she exhaled slowly.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
‘My unbroken Viper. I thank the gods for our meeting in that forest.’ I kissed her again, wondering what I’d done to deserve her – to gain her trust, to have her fall apart in my arms,unrestrained in her pleasure. I wanted to dress my feelings in words worthy of her, to let her know she was a part of me, the most beautiful part, but everything that came to mind felt shallow and theatrical.
Just tell her if that’s how you feel. Tell her so you never regret leaving the words unsaid.
I hadn’t realised Cinared was listening, but he was right. I smiled when Sana trailed her finger over my nose, chuckling when she tapped its tip. I took her hand and kissed the inside of her palm.
‘Marry me.’
Her pupils widened, but she remained silent, so I continued. ‘I don’t have much to offer. I can’t promise to be virtuous, because I’m obsessed with you. I can’t promise to be reasonable, because what I feel for you transcends reason. All I can promise is that in every moment, here and beyond the Veil, I will always love you. Be my queen, Sanika.’
She remained silent. The flames crackled in the fireplace, saving us from absolute silence, but I had to close my eyes, preparing for her refusal. Sana had told me no before. I knew how much she cherished her freedom, how much she loved her workshop and Tova’s company, but I had to ask.
‘I want to, but do I have to lose it all?’ she whispered, wrapping her arms around my neck. I breathed in, the sound so loud that Sana’s lips twitched, and a soft chuckle shook her body. ‘You know I come with baggage. My family, my magic, the Brotherhood… I bet Tova will move in too, and before you know it, you’ll have them all here.’
A soft, painless slap landed on her bare arse, making her yelp while I raised my eyebrow in mock scolding.
‘Is that what’s holding you back? As long as I have you, I’ll take in Tova, Lily, and the entire Brotherhood.’ Her laughter gave wind to my eloquence, and I started speaking nonsense just tosee her bright smile get wider. ‘I mean it, Viper. Bring them all. I have a few titles to spare. I can make Irsha a knight, and I’ll even renovate dungeons for Lilliana’s convenience.’
Her bright, unrestrained giggling was the best reward. Somewhere between the bouts of laughter, she gave me her answer.
And Dagome gained a new queen.
Chapter 42
Roksana
Reynard’s chest steadily rose and fell beneath my cheek. His heartbeat had lulled me to sleep earlier in this strange nest of blankets and pillows he’d created, but now it kept me awake. The darkness of the bedroom slowly faded, replaced by the greyness of first light before the morning sun touched the sky with its rosy fingers.
I tilted my head and kissed the soft, warm skin of his chest. His arm tightened around me, holding me firm, and he muttered a commanding, “No.”
I glanced at his face, so peaceful in slumber. The beard that framed surprisingly full lips was much longer than I remembered. A dark circle under his remaining eye stood out against the light winter tone of his skin. He was exhausted, and my throat tightened at the sight.
‘How long were you searching for me?’ Two days, three? Maybe longer. I swallowed hard, taking his hand and prying it from my side before I slid off the bed. There was a letter opener on the side table, so I grabbed it and walked to the bathroom,determined to spare him the sight of the last gruelling task from my visit to Tivalaran.
‘You can do it, Sana, just a little more pain,’ I muttered, closing the door behind me and reaching for the clean towels. I found a mirror and stood in front of it, twisting my body to see my side. There it was, the slight, half-healed scar, insignificant among all the other cuts and bruises, and yet more precious than anything else. I could only hope that turning myself into a corpse courier hadn’t damaged the schemata.
‘Oh fuck… Oh mother fuckity fuck…’ I muttered, gritting my teeth, tears welling in my eyes when I started cutting. My breathing became deep, laboured gasps, and my heart raced, but soon, it was long enough to push my fingers inside.
I could feel it. The small, hard pellet was there, nestled within my flesh, but each time I tried to grab it, my blood-soaked fingers slipped, and a jolt of pain shot down my leg. A loud crash from the other side of the door startled me with its intensity, but before I could understand, the bathroom door slammed open with a deafening roar.
‘Sana!’
I jumped, placing my palm flat against my side. I was able to cover the cut, but there was blood everywhere. I stared wide-eyed at Reynard, naked as the day he was born, his eye blazing gold with berserker fury and twin daggers in his hands.
‘I smelled blood…’ he muttered. ‘I woke up and smelled blood. You weren’t by my side.’ He looked dazed, but the longer I stood silent, the more his eyes cleared.
‘It’s alright.’ I tried to soothe the beast, but his gaze focused on my bloody side.
Rey slowly placed the daggers on the shelf, not once looking away. ‘What’s going on here? Why are you cutting yourself?’ he asked in a voice so devoid of emotion while berserker’s gold overtook his iris.
‘It’s not what it looks like. I’m trying to retrieve the schemata, but the roll is slippery.’ I took my hand and showed him the cut I’d made.
‘You hid Wey Gates schemata in your arse?’ He sat heavily on the stool next to the vanity table. ‘I’m still dreaming – no, it’s a fucking nightmare.’
‘Not in my arse, on my hip,’ I said, turning back to the mirror. If he already knew, there was no reason to prolong the procedure. ‘Do you have a hook or something to grab it? This bloody thing doesn’t want to come out.’
