Chapter 35
Galadon
I stood in the central area of the courtyard with a burning brazier before me, waiting for Rayna to exit the tunnel. She’d refused to get ready until I departed our underground chambers. Lorcan stood to my right as the one who would officiate the bonding ceremony. Aidan, Bailey, Titan, and my mother acted as witnesses and guests to my left.
Despite her heavy pregnancy, the Taugud pendragon’s mate hadn’t wanted to miss the occasion today, so she’d convinced a thousand-year-old sorceress, Verena, to open a portal near my territory border. They’d meet her again in a few hours to return to the fortress. I didn’t trust Verena or want her on my land, so Aidan flew Bailey the short distance from there to my home.
Next to the others stood Kade, who we had not invited, but he’d insisted he had a good reason for coming that he’d explain later. Since he was the Taugud pendragon’s eccentric uncle, I decided it would be diplomatic of me not to kill him.
Onyx stood with a wreath of white flowers around his neck—his idea, not ours—and pawed the ground just behind Kade. I wasn’t certain if he planned to be as generous as me about giving the strange shifter-sorcerer a pass to be here. Aidan’s uncle certainly appeared nervous as he kept casting glances behind him. Would his mysterious tome of predictions have warned him about death by horse hooves?
We had waited until two weeks after our battle with the Kandoran nest to conduct the ceremony. It allowed Rayna and me time to commission our ceremonial armbands and have our guests travel here. Since two of them were pendragons, we had to consider their busy schedules.
Finally, I caught movement at the tunnel entrance. Rayna’s head appeared first. The top section of her coppery-brown hair had been pulled back into a braid with small, white flowers woven into the locks. Then, more of her rose into view as she ascended to the top. She wore a sapphire blue strapless dress that showed off her bare shoulders. It was tight across her breasts, then flowed loosely to her knees. I’d hoped she’d choose that one. She wore simple black sandals on her feet with polish on her toes that matched her attire. Bailey had gifted her several bottles right after she arrived, and luckily, one worked for today’s ceremony.
I’d seen her in every way possible, but the sight of her now enthralled me. This woman who walked with such grace, beauty, and poise was the same one who’d spent more than ten minutes slicing and dicing an enemy in revenge before cutting off his head. She was absolutely perfect.
She smiled when our gazes met. Unfalteringly, she walked straight toward us and took her position across from me. Only the burning brazier acted as a barrier between us. Her hazel eyes were warm and loving as she focused on me, and I couldn’t look away. My mother moved forward and pressed an armband into my hand and another into Rayna’s. The two of us still didn’t break our gazes from each other.
Lorcan cleared his throat. “Galadon, you can begin with your declaration for Rayna.”
As my pendragon, his presence was required as a witness and to legitimize our union within our toriq, but he didn’t have to say or do much else. I wasn’t particularly fond of speaking with my heart, especially if anyone other than my mate was nearby. Today, though, she deserved to hear my true feelings in front of our closest friends—and Kade, I supposed.
Setting aside centuries of living a reclusive life and speaking to others as little as possible, I drew my breath and found the words I wanted to say. “Dear najeema, the first time I saw you, I had two warring instincts. One was to pull you into my arms and make you mine. The other was to kill you with my sword before I followed through with the first. In the end, I settled for something in the middle.”
Rayna’s lips twitched, but it wasn’t her turn to speak, so she said nothing.
“Each time we saw each other thereafter, my desire for you grew to my utter annoyance, and you had the impressive ability to enrage me with your flippant words. All the while, I knew I’d never harm a hair on your beautiful head, and worried if you’d ever figure that out. You certainly tested me often enough.”
Bailey let out a choked laugh, but I didn’t look her way.
“Still, I remained steadfast in my belief that I must never touch you until the night I found you on the battlefield dying. It would have been simple to leave you, but instead, all I could think of was that the world would lose all value for me if you died. The desperation I felt to save you in that moment was more than you can know, even if I could hardly admit it to myself at the time.”
Her gaze turned soft. These were the truths I needed to tell her.
“After my mother assured me you would live, I fled because I realized my feelings for you had grown deeper than I thought possible. Somehow, your snarky mouth had woven into my heart, and I evaded you as best I could until you turned up again. At some point before that, I’d already decided the only way to excise you from my thoughts was to take you for one day and do everything I’d imagined together in the hope it would sate me.”
Rayna shifted on her feet. I couldn’t help a crooked grin, knowing she was remembering that day and all we’d done. Through our bond, I could feel her arousal building. I couldn’t wait until later when we were alone. No doubt, she couldn’t, either.
“Of course, I knew in the back of my mind that I was only making matters worse, which is why I made you swear an oath against speaking of that day or seducing me. I was so desperate to deny us because of the slayer from my youth that I had to force you to be strong for me. While I kept avoiding the truth, you never did.”
I couldn’t help reaching across the fire to cup her cheek, uncaring of the flames licking at my arm since they couldn’t harm me anyway. “You fought for us over and over again and always told me exactly how you felt. I hurt you with my callousness and cruelty every time you tried to be honest with me, but I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Whatever you want or need, I’d fly to the ends of the universe to get it for you. No one will ever doubt my love or devotion to you from this point onward.”
“You are the beginning and the end for me.” I caressed her cheek with my thumb, wiping away a solitary tear that fell from her eye. “Even this land I’ve spent six centuries guarding means nothing without you.”
“With this bracelet,” I said, pulling away from her to hold it up for all to see the zaphiriam band, tinted with silvery flames on a blackened background, “I pledge my mind, body, and soul to you, Rayna. I am yours forever.”
I dropped it into the fire. It turned from red and orange to violet from a magical spell my mother placed on the flames when setting it up. As was the custom, I spent the next moments making silent wishes for my mate and her future. Above all, I wanted her to be happy, and I hoped I’d have the sense to get it right even when we were at odds. Also, I hoped we were guided to a path that would leave us both content, whether that was peace or the occasional battle.
After finishing my aspirations for her, I nodded at Lorcan.
He turned to Rayna. “You’re turn. The Faegud are ready to have our own honorary slayer, so the Taugud can stop bragging that they’re the only ones.”
I caught Aidan’s lips twitching. Of course, Lorcan couldn’t resist inserting a thought or two into the ceremony. Bailey’s dark hair covered her lowered face, but I suspected her shaking shoulders indicated a laugh she struggled to hide.
Rayna looked at Lorcan with surprise. “Is that true? I’ll have some sort of membership with the Faegud?”
I remembered always feeling alone and like an outsider until I became a member of a toriq. Though many still feared me, a strong community connection came with it. I felt the tangible difference when the former Faegud pendragon performed the official ceremony to admit me, which included blood oaths. A good leader could help their people be happy and prosper both mentally and physically.
“Yes.” Lorcan nodded. “It will be similar to Bailey because you’re a slayer, and outside of certain rules, such as your killing members of another toriq, can’t be held against us, and if they kill you while you’re hunting in their territory, we cannot retaliate. If you’re harmed while on official duties for us or while on our lands, then you are afforded the same protections as a full member. Though obviously, we’ll do all we can for you regardless, for Galadon’s sake. He’d make us all miserable otherwise.”
She gave him an amused grin. For me, I was simply grateful that if a time ever came when I needed backup to protect my mate, then I’d have it after this. Unlike when the Kandoran took her last time, and only Lorcan showed up with the Taugud.
“Great, thank you,” she said, then turned her beautiful gaze to me. “Galadon, I’ve never hidden my feelings, which you know very well. Most everyone here was aware of my attraction to you from the beginning. I mean, let’s face it, you are the most good-looking man and dragon I’ve ever seen. It was a shock the first time I saw you because I’d never been drawn to a shifter, but the connection I felt with you was instant. I had no desire to deny it since I’d been waiting for you for years.”
She blew out a breath. “But maybe I should start a little farther back to the Straegud seer’s vision of us. She told me I’d have the greatest battles of my life to gain my soulmate, but it would be worth it if I had patience and gave it my all. I spent about five years imagining what you were like, and every time I got lonely while on the road, I reminded myself we’d be together someday. That my solitude wasn’t forever.”
A lump formed in my throat. How would I have felt if I’d had years of imagining her and waiting for her? To know my soulmate was coming? Then she treated me rudely and rejected me time and again? I hadn’t understood her tears that day when she’d explained her feelings for me, and she’d sworn we could be together if I would only try. Still, I’d felt terrible sending her away in such a cold manner. It had torn at me, but I’d been blind to the pain of my past and thought I was doing the right thing for both of us.
I looked into her eyes and willed her to understand that I would strive to be everything for her that she ever wanted. Never again would I purposely harm her or push her away. It was why we stood here now, making these vows to each other.
Rayna continued, “So I think I’ve done everything I can to prove my feelings and love for you. That I would never hurt you like you thought. Just know nothing makes me happier than standing by your side through the good and the bad. Whatever our future holds, we’ll figure it out together.”
I nodded, hoping she understood I wanted the same.
My beautiful slayer held up the armband. “I pledge my mind, body, and soul to you, Galadon. I am yours forever.”
She dropped the metal band—similar to the other except larger—into the fire. This time, the flames turned white. Rayna closed her eyes and made her wishes for me. Something told me that whatever they were, they would be perfect. Of course, tradition dictated we never repeat them, or else they wouldn’t come true.
She opened her eyes, and love shined there, with the flickering firelight cast on them. Together, we reached into the fire and took hold of the arm bracelets. The heat warmed my fingers, but it couldn’t burn either of us. The flames returned to red and orange as we drew out our bands.
My gaze never left hers as I moved around the brazier and stepped closer to her. I lifted the symbol of our bonding and clamped it to her upper right arm. She closed her eyes as I bent to kiss her forehead, per tradition.
Next, she repeated the process, clamping the band to my upper right arm. I lowered my head as she pressed her lips to my face. It was a solemn act, with open and sincere love flowing between us. It was hard to believe I’d ever rejected something so inspiring and powerful. If I could go back in time, I’d slap myself for being a fool.
I took Rayna’s hands in mine, and we recited, “Mates forever.”
The power of that moment couldn’t be understated. It washed over us, strengthening the bond we’d already formed. My mother had told me that soulmates were exceptionally rare, but when they occurred, the pair could become an unstoppable force. I believed her.
We turned toward our audience, and they cheered for us.
Aidan came up first and clasped my arm, congratulating me. “I’m glad it worked out for you two, but if you ever need advice, I’m happy to help.”
“Thank you.” I glanced at Rayna, where she hugged Bailey, careful of the female’s protruding stomach. “To keep her happy, I’ll certainly ask if I need it—which might be often if I’m honest.”
The pendragon chuckled. “That’s wise of you. My greatest advice is to listen when she expresses her needs and support them. If she must hunt, you have to let her do it, but find a way to make it more comfortable for you. I can’t pretend it’s ever easy to let my mate out of my sight.”
I could only imagine, considering he was forced to let her go while pregnant with their son, and she couldn’t return for five years. Orion had already made his first shift to dragon form when he finally met his father. I didn’t think I could have survived that kind of separation.
“It’s certainly going to be difficult to live up to your example,” I said, meaning it.
Aidan gave him a wry smile. “I know you protected me with your magic during that mission to Dallas when Lorcan and I barely made it out of there with the Ghastanan hunting us. Then, you protected Bailey with another storm so she could escape Nanoq’s wrath and flee to the Coalition. Rayna has saved my mate’s life as well.” He clasped my shoulder, his discomfort with me clearly waning with the friendship we’d formed. “The same as when the Kandoran took you, we’ll always be there when you need us.”
“Thank you,” I said, trying to wrap my mind around having allies—friends—who could be that loyal. “It means a lot.”
Aidan stepped away, and Titan took his place, clasping my arm. A hint of anxiety reflected in his gaze, but somehow, he shoved it down until only sternness was left in his expression. “I don’t care how strong you are. If you hurt her again like you did that day, I will kill you or die trying.”
“Good,” I said, gripping his arm in return. “If I do it again, I deserve to die.”
The shifter released a breath. “Glad we understand each other.”
We withdrew our arm clasp, and I received congratulations from Lorcan and Kade next. My mother had already spoken to Rayna. She waited until I was done with the others and wrapped me in a warm embrace. Any lingering anger I felt for her was gone, with only love for her in its place. She stood up to me when others didn’t dare to protect my mate, as well as healing her multiple times. Ujala had done nothing except give since she arrived, and it was time I let go of the past.
Dipping my head, I whispered in her ear, “I forgive you, Ama. Though I still don’t understand all the reasons for what you did, I do believe you had good intentions. That’s all that matters now.” I kissed her forehead and pulled back. “I love you.”
Her golden gaze filled with tears of relief. “I never thought I’d hear those words—any of them. I love you, too, Galadon.”
Peace filled me that we were finally as we should have been long ago.
Kade cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “I know food and drinks were planned after this, but first, we need to visit the ring and artifact site.”
I stiffened. “How do you know about them?”
He lifted his brows. “Do you really have to ask? If it’s relevant to the future and affects my toriq in any way, it’s in my book. I translated the pages for this particular situation months ago, but I had to wait until you officially bonded to Rayna before I could tell you what I know.”
“It specifically said we had to officially bond first?” I asked, surprised that these words had been written somewhere in a book before I was born. It was harder to take than a seer telling Rayna more recently that we were soulmates.
“Yes,” Kade nodded. “Though I think it was one of the last things I wrote since it was at the end. In fact, I think the prophecy came to me right after they brought the artifact here.”
“Wait.” Rayna came forward. “Who brought it here? What is it?”
“I’ll explain what I can soon enough.”
Aidan, Bailey, Lorcan, and Titan looked confused since they knew nothing about my secret site. I didn’t like that he was speaking so openly about it. “Does everyone here need to know about this?”
“Of course, or I wouldn’t be saying it in front of them. Now, I need the shifters in dragon form so we can go there,” he said, lighting up in flames.
I resigned myself to this latest turn of events and followed his lead. A few minutes later, I held Rayna as I flew west. Aidan had Bailey cradled to his chest, and the rest flew independently. Dread and excitement filled me as we came closer.
For centuries, I’d wanted to know more about the strange objects on my land. My mother had given me some answers, but not enough. Kade was willing to give those, but he’d involved outsiders in the secret. I didn’t understand why he’d do that. If not for all his predictions being vital to those involved, I might have killed him for revealing the site. Though oddly, the protective urge that usually overcame me when the place was threatened was absent. Maybe it was fated that we meet there now to discuss it.
Everyone followed me until the fairy ring appeared, and we landed next to it. Once again, we shifted to our human forms to facilitate communication. Kade paced the fairy circle with unbridled excitement, muttering observations under his breath that made no sense. The rest of the visitors stared at it in open-mouthed shock.
“What is that thing?” Bailey asked, pointing at it.
I sighed. “We believe it’s a fairy circle. Something that can transport people between worlds, though I’ve never seen it work, and the magic is different from what we have on Earth.”
If she had to know the truth, I’d at least tell her what I knew to waylay answering more questions. We’d have to wait until Kade stopped poking and prying at the embedded stones before we could learn more.
Lorcan’s brows drew together. “Was this here in Texas, or did it cross with you from Kederrawien?”
“My entire territory crossed with me, including the ring and the artifact. They were on this soil six hundred years ago when my mother brought me.” I gestured toward the ground. “I suspect the ring is very old and originated on Earth long before moving with us, but the artifact was brought to Kederrawien a few years before I arrived.”
Kade shook his head as he traced the strange symbols carved on the algodonite. “I believe it was almost twenty years before you came, but you are right about the ring. It’s likely been here for fifty thousand years or more.”
“That long?” Aidan asked his uncle, now studying the zaphiriam metal circle and inlaid stones. “How can you be sure?”
“The oldest books in the castle library were transcribed numerous times, but they recorded the dates of all the previous editions. I found one that mentions a ring on the planet as far back as fifty thousand years, though I believe it was in Eur-ope , as the humans call it. I’ve been trying to work that out for months since the war ended, and I could shift my focus to the matter. I cannot confirm if this is the same one or not, though.”
Titan had been staring toward the area where the unusual grass grew. “The artifact is over there, correct?”
“Yes,” I said.
“It feels strange—almost alive.” The shifter began walking toward it.
I didn’t bother to stop him since the deadly flowers died off the week before, and it was safe to navigate again. We followed him as he seemed almost entranced by the site. Just before he reached the grass, he took his boots off and then walked over it barefoot. The rest of us exchanged bewildered looks.
Except Kade, whose gaze lit up. “My tome said a friend of Rayna’s would be sensitive to fae magic. I couldn’t narrow it down since she hardly socializes, and I rarely see her, but I suppose Titan makes sense. Aside from Galadon, he cares for her the most.”
His remark didn’t make me jealous. There was simply no attraction between them like that, and I appreciated that he looked out for her. I would never begrudge her that friendship.
Still, I didn’t understand how it mattered that Titan was sensitive to fae magic. I looked at Kade. “Why would he be mentioned in your tome?”
“He’ll need to be here when the otherworldly visitors come, along with you and Rayna, of course,” Kade said.
I scowled at him. “Otherworldly visitors?”
“Why would they come here?” Rayna asked, putting her hands on her hips.
Aidan crossed his arms. “Will they cause trouble?”
Kade threw his hands up. “Do I have to explain everything even though it is quite obvious?”
“YES!” they yelled in unison. Except my mother, who studied him strangely in silence.
“Oh, very well.” The older shifter began to pace. “This is everything I know, so if I don’t say it, then I have no idea except to guess. What I’ve learned is that the artifact was stolen from another planet almost twenty years before Galadon’s arrival and brought here—or Kederrawien at the time—and the thieves used the portal to transport it. They buried it with a few spells, but my prophecy tome said the artifact broke through those and laid its own. No, I do not know what is down there except that the longer it is gone, the worse things get for beings on this other planet. From what I gathered, none are like us on Earth, except there is a contingent of dragons. They are a different breed than what we have here, though.”
He continued pacing as a full minute of silence passed.
I rubbed my face, trying to absorb all he’d told us. “Is that all?”
“No.” He put a hand up. “I needed to gather my thoughts for a moment. I’m old, you know. My mind isn’t what it once was long ago. Anyway, descendants of whoever lost the artifact are due to return sometime in the next few years, but I don’t have a specific date. I only know it is sometime after yours and Rayna’s mating. When they come, they will need your help securing and transporting it.”
Rayna’s mouth gaped. “So, we aren’t just guarding that thing here. They may ask us to travel to another world with…whatever lives there?”
“Well, it’s not fully clear, but it sounds like that’s a strong possibility.”
“But why would we willingly go?” I asked, glaring at him.
“First, you two enjoy a good adventure whether you want to admit it or not.”
My mate shrugged, not denying it. I supposed I did occasionally, but this was far beyond an “adventure” and sounded dangerous. We’d be traveling to a world we knew nothing about.
Kade ticked a second finger. “And this world has an advantage the two of you would appreciate and can’t get here.”
“What is that?” I growled, hardly able to imagine anything with that strong of a lure.
He smiled. “There are only a few slayers there, but an interesting fact is they have all the powers of one here, but without the driving need to hunt. Once they pass their initiation, they can easily go years or decades without killing another. They only exist at all because there is a dragon presence, but for some reason, the magic works differently there. You could have the best of both worlds if you were to go.”
Rayna’s brows were drawn as she mulled that over. “But there is still a threat here that I can’t abandon.”
“For how long will you really be needed?” Kade asked, cocking his head. “If you kill at least one Kandoran every week for two years, that is over a hundred. Every other active slayer, will be doing the same. You will run out of Kandoran within a reasonable distance of here, and then you’ll be back to hunting other dragons. How long will Galadon’s neighbors tolerate that? And you’ve made it clear you don’t want the potion, so unless you change your mind, you will be in trouble at some point.”
I was still skeptical of this strange world he described, but he’d just made a very strong argument. A place where she could be a full slayer with all her powers, yet free of the killing urges? That sounded perfect in theory, but there was still so much we didn’t know.
I glanced at Rayna and noted she appeared as torn as me on the matter, so I turned back to Kade. “What do we know about the visitors who will come here?”
He shrugged. “Only that the rightful ones aren’t here to fight as long as you don’t threaten them.” Kade frowned at him. “Perhaps you can practice a friendly version of yourself that isn’t as…terrifying to others. Anyway, they are presented in my tome as desperate people who only want to fix what’s wrong with their world, and they’ll appreciate your help if you offer it. Just be aware others may come that you will need to stop, but you’ll feel the difference if that comes to pass. Their intentions will not be pure.”
“I’ll help them and go if Rayna and Galadon do,” Titan said from where he still walked on the grass. A relaxed, peaceful expression had come over his face, and he seemed entirely at home with the strange vegetation.
I caught his gaze. “Are you asking to stay on my land and wait for this day to come?”
“Hold on.” Lorcan stepped close to me. “Technically, this is Faegud territory, and I can’t just allow a Taugud shifter to move down here without following protocols.”
“No one questioned my mother staying here, and she still belongs to the Craegud,” I pointed out. Of course, no one gave healers a hard time if they wanted to stay a while without the right procedures, but the rules still applied to them.
He opened and closed his mouth. “Oh, very well. We’ll consider him a temporary guest as long as he doesn’t go to the jakhal so often that he raises suspicions.”
“Fair enough,” Titan agreed.
It occurred to me then that I’d just defended him staying, but Rayna’s happiness at the idea influenced me—I could sense joy through our bond and the expression on her face. Also, the shifter was a warrior who now knew the land’s secrets and could protect my territory when I had to be away, as well as look out for my mother. That was a distinct advantage. Of course, after such a long time of living alone, I seemed to be acquiring a lot of other residents of late.
“You can stay in one of my other tunnel quarters. One, in particular, has furniture and bedding,” I said. My mother had used it until we built her house above ground.
He nodded. “That is fine. I don’t need much to get by these days.”
I noted the sadness that haunted his gaze before he covered it up. Eliam’s death still weighed him down, which was understandable with how close they’d been to each other.
“Are you certain this is what you want? You have a good position with the guard,” Aidan said. There was no censure in the pendragon’s tone, only concern. He understood a toriq member was hurting, and he’d do what he could to help.
Titan nodded. “There are too many memories at the jakhal, and each day gets harder to stay there. Coming down here and doing what I can to help feels right.”
“Very well, then you have my permission as long as you check in with me every three months…and get word to me somehow if you do end up leaving for another world,” Aidan said, regret in his gaze as he turned to me. “I’m trusting you with him.”
I knew he meant he was handing over a valued warrior, but also someone in a fragile state of mind. How did I get myself into these odd situations? Still, Titan would fit right in with us. We were all working through painful pasts and trying to find peace with them.
“I will treat him as family,” I said, earning a grateful smile from my mate and a pleased look from my mother. She likely looked forward to more people being around our home. Rayna and I were terrible about disappearing for much of the day in my den, and I doubted that would change anytime soon after officially bonding.
Aidan dipped his chin. “Thank you.”
“Excellent.” Kade clasped his hands together. “Now that we’ve gotten important matters out of the way, perhaps we could move on to food and drinks?”
My mother nodded. “I only have a few finishing touches once we return, and then the food will be ready. Drinks can be served right away.”
Bailey rubbed her stomach. “Great. I’m starving.”
We flew back to my home and enjoyed a small celebration together. It was odd having so many people on my land, and that everyone knew about the secret location. The rare times I had visitors before, I’d spent all my time worrying they’d discover it. Aidan, Bailey, and Kade had to leave first to meet Verena and portal home. Lorcan stayed another hour to drink and ask my mother questions about the Craegud since he hoped to visit them sometime in the next year now that he was the official pendragon. He was considering trying to find a mate from one of the other shifter toriqan, but he’d take his time about deciding until he’d visited both.
After he left, I led Titan along a trail to the tunnel quarters where he’d be staying. He looked around the sparse chamber with only a bed, wardrobe, table, and two chairs, and said it would be fine for him. The next time Rayna needed to go on a hunt, we agreed he could come with us up north so he could collect some of his things from the fortress at the same time. He had a spare set of clothes in shiggara he could use for now.
Finally, I found my mate in our chambers. She put her arms around my neck and kissed me thoroughly. I detected a great deal of gratitude and, of course, a bit of lust from her through the bond. She truly was happy.
Rayna drew back to look up at me. “Thank you for doing the ceremony and for letting Titan stay. I know it can’t be easy letting so many people into your life after how long you’ve lived alone.”
I ran my fingers through her hair, marveling at the colors in the torchlight. “You’ve made me more open to…possibilities, and I meant it when I said I’d do whatever it takes to make you happy.”
“Even letting another male shifter live this close?” she asked, lifting a brow.
I laughed. “I’m secure enough in our bond as long as he never starts looking at you with interest, but I truly doubt that.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
Unable to help myself, I traced my fingers along her bare neck and shoulders. This dress held so many possibilities, and I had the rest of the night to discover them. The gleam in Rayna’s eyes told me she knew exactly what I was thinking, but she stopped my hand and gave me a serious look.
“Today is the first day we are officially bonded.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“No more regrets about the past. You had a lot to work through, and so did I, but I don’t want you to feel bad about how you treated me before. Your fears were valid.” She kissed my hand, where she clasped it against her chest. “I just want us to start over and be happy.”
That was a lot to ask, but I could tell it was important to her. “I’ll try.”
“Good.” She let go of my hand and let her own wander downward. “Now we can get to the fun stuff.”
Would she always amuse me this way? For the first time in my life, I truly looked forward to the future. No matter what happened, I'd have her by my side, and that was all that mattered.