Chapter 51
Chapter Fifty-One
EMORY
M averick stood on the balcony, which was missing half of its thick banister railing. Trees sprouted up through the stone, huge fissures and cracks splintering what once must’ve been a magnificent piece of architecture.
His back was to me, his clothes now clean, suspenders snapped in place over his crisp white button-up, tucked into his gray trousers. I had to admit, it was a nice view.
His head turned, and I jumped, realizing I’d been caught gawking. “Hi,” I said quickly.
He turned fully now and leaned against the part of the railing still standing. “Hi.”
I dragged the toe of my slipper over a crack in the balcony suddenly feeling shy. “I kept your notes, too, you know.”
“I’m sorry?” he asked.
I gave him a soft smile. “Driscoll accidentally spilled the contents of your satchel, and...”
His eyes widened. “And all the notes you wrote me over the years were inside. ”
I nodded. “I kept yours too. In a little box in the bunker along with all my artifacts. I’d read them over and over, especially on my worst days.”
The days when my husband was particularly cruel or life was particularly hard. Those notes were my escape.
He tilted his head. “Why are you telling me this?”
“I’m sorry,” I burst out. “I’m sorry about everything. I know you would never trap me in a marriage. I know you would never put your work before me. When I saw that vision, I was scared. It took me right back to my marriage with Gregory, to the worst years of my life. Before I met you. The Maverick you. Well, the bone collector you too. But, well, you know what I mean.” I flailed my hands in the air, suddenly not knowing what to do with them.
“Ah.” He tipped his head toward the shimmering blue lake in the distance. “So you realized the lake you fell into wasn’t the one El was talking about. The one that would show you your future.”
I blinked several times. Then looked at the lake he was pointing to. Then back at him. Spirits below. He was right. El had said the lake right outside the castle was where she’d seen her future. She’d been talking about this lake. Not the one we’d encountered on our travels. So what did that lake show?
Maverick took a few steps forward until he was standing right in front of me, then he used his finger to gently close my mouth. “You look surprised by this revelation.”
I was. “Somehow, I missed that completely. I was so caught up with the rest of her fantastical story that that detail slipped by me.” I searched his face, desperate to know if we still had a chance. Hopeful that I hadn’t messed up our relationship so badly that there would be no repairing it. “The truth is, when I started rereading those notes, I realized you would never do any of those things to me that Gregory had. That I didn’t care what some stupid lake showed me. We are the ones in control of our fate, and I won’t let my past dictate my future.”
His lips quirked up, and my heart melted. “Oh yeah?” He stepped closer, his arms wrapping around me.
“Well, your sister and Driscoll might’ve talked a little bit of sense into me as well. ”
“My sister can be very, very persistent.” He leaned down, trailing his lips over my jaw, and I shuddered.
“Now I know where she gets it from.”
“Mm,” he said.
“Marry me,” I burst out. The second time tonight my brain didn’t seem to have any control over my mouth.
Maverick’s arm’s stiffened, his lips frozen in place over my jawline.
I looked up to meet his gaze, swallowing as my stomach bubbled. “It’s okay if the answer is no. I hurt you. I didn’t believe in you. I didn’t believe in us. If you don’t want to marry me anymore?—”
He lifted me up and twirled me, his arms tight around my waist. “I asked you first,” he said, lips still twitching.
“Is that a yes?” I asked.
He stopped suddenly, arms hugging right under my butt, my hands now propped on his shoulders. I looked down at him with a question.
“Of course it’s a yes, Emory Von Lucas.”
My breath hitched. I’d been Emory Janey. Emory Growley. Neither names ever felt like me. But Emory Von Lucas. That didn’t scare me. It didn’t feel like I was losing a part of myself. It felt like I was claiming a part of myself.
I slid down his body until our foreheads met. “I can’t believe I get to be your wife. Do you think the frost queen will rescind your position once she knows you’ve married the white rabbit?”
He stilled, and I hoped he wasn’t already regretting this.
“That was beautiful,” a wobbly voice burst out.
Maverick and I jumped apart just in time for Driscoll, Annalee, and Aron to appear from behind the thick columns that stood in front of the balcony doors.
“Were you listening to that?” I asked.
“You’re getting married.” Annalee clapped and jumped up and down.
“Of course we were listening,” Driscoll said. “I’m the wedding whisperer. If there’s even a hint of a wedding happening, I’m summoned. I can help plan the entire thing. You have no idea how wrong you can go when it comes to dresses, colors, food...” He looked us up and down. “Especially you two. Knowing you, you’ll want to get married in some ancient, dusty tomb or in the middle of a volcano.”
Annalee rushed forward and barreled into Maverick. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Congratulations.” Aron nodded in our direction. “By the way, the lake we camped at? You are right. It does not show your future.”
I quirked a brow. This I wanted to hear.
“It’s a reflection of the worst parts of yourself,” Aron continued. “It shows you that which you fear the most. That lake actually wasn’t made by the curse. It was made long long ago in the Old World. By Spirit Frost. He and Spirit Star were feuding. Spirit Frost was angry and wanted to hurt Spirit Star. He knew the best way to do that would be to hurt her people, so he created a special mirror, one that reflected your worst fears about yourself, then flew high over the star lands and shattered the mirror. It fell into that lake, sinking to the bottom and coating all the rocks. Anyone who looks into the lake sees this ugly reflection of themselves.”
My mouth dropped open. So that truly hadn’t been a vision of the future.
“What a fascinating tale,” Maverick murmured.
It was. But all I could focus on was what a fool I’d been. How I’d hurt Maverick because of my own insecurities.
El clicked open the door, slipping outside and giving us a questioning look.
“They’re getting married,” Driscoll said. “At some point. If we survive all this and actually get out with our lives intact.”
El’s eyes widened, then she paused, and slowly signed, catching Maverick’s gaze.
He kissed Annalee on the head, keeping an arm roped around her while watching El. “Here? You can’t be serious.”
“What?” My gaze bounced between El and him. “What did she say?”
He looked over at me. “She said we should get married here. Tomorrow. Before we leave. Make a celebration of it.”
Annalee gasped. “Yes, it’s perfect!”
“It is,” Driscoll echoed. “It totally is. You two should get married. ”
I frowned. “Tomorrow? But... the watch. Time is running out.”
Annalee shook her head, black braids falling over her forehead with the movement. “You can take a day. The opening isn’t too far from here.”
Every protest I might’ve had never made it out of my mouth as I met Maverick’s gaze, his eyes shining brightly. I wanted to be his wife. And I didn’t want to wait.
“Tomorrow,” I said approvingly.
“We can plan everything,” Annalee said, gesturing between herself and Driscoll.
“We can provide the food and music,” Aron offered.
“Then it’s settled!” Driscoll squealed, and Annalee rushed over to him, grabbing his hands as they whispered furiously.
Maverick held his hand out to me. “So what do you say? Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife tomorrow?”
He reeled me to him, and I choked back a sob. “Of course I will.”
He hugged me tight, and I snuggled into his embrace. Tomorrow I would finally get to marry the man of my dreams.