48. Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Eight
I woke up on the floor beside the vanity. I made it to the edge of my collarbone when the instinct to follow the knife with my essence kicked in. The pain seared through me like a secondary knife following the physical blade, but deeper inside.
My teeth clenched so hard to keep the scream in. Sweat covered my face and that was it.
I must have blacked out.
“Fuck.”
The failure stung more than the now-sealed flesh. I assumed a scar would form, but there wasn’t any from my inspection.
“Great.” I sighed while climbing into the chair. Dried blood coated the tip of the dagger, mocking me, daring me to try again.
The pain got the best of me, and I wasn’t eager to pick the blade back up.
Until I saw the darkness in my veins weren’t spread as far. In fact, the more I looked in the mirror, the wider my smile grew.
I looked good.
Normal.
Pointy ears and canines stood out in the reflection, so I was still Fae but maybe this was a good sign that it’d work.
Jumping to my feet, I tested the movement for nausea, or dizziness.
Nothing.
I felt better, and if I could just push past the pain then everything would be great.
Feeling on top of the world, there was only one person I wanted to see. Needed to see. His voice was in my head, and it wasn’t real.
Rune was in the woods. With the full moon approaching he’d likely spend more time in the Hallowstags, since it’s where he felt most comfortable.
It’d been two days since I saw him, saw anyone really. The closer I got, the louder my insecure thoughts became. Was he mad at me for hiding? For letting Tor touch me?
He sat on a fallen tree near a flowing creek. I peered over his shoulder expecting to see a creature with yellow eyes staring at her next meal but saw none. He must have scared them off already.
He didn’t face me, but strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me onto his lap as soon as he could reach me. “I can feel you thinking, Sapphira.”
“I was nervous you were mad at me for hiding in my room since we got back,” I said sheepishly.
He watched the water, his expression soft, and peaceful. That sharp jawline, those ears I wanted to nibble on, and that dark hair I loved running my fingers through. Fuck, he was so handsome.
“You’re so beautiful.” I sighed and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He smirked and finally looked at me.
“So, my beauty is what drew you away from your room? I understand now. You love me for my appearance,” he teased and I laughed.
“Oh, yes. I need to make sure my bloodline stays beautiful. Can you imagine, those icy eyes on a baby with my brown skin?” I lifted my chin, teasing back but his smile fell, and his throat bobbed.
“I was just—” Kidding. I meant to add that last bit but was silenced by his lips.
“Marry me.” He groaned and I froze. “I promise, Sapphira, my moon, my mate, that I will always be yours even with the earth has crumbled to dust.”
How does one breathe at a moment like this?
“I love you, my fierce warrior,” he continued, “and I want to claim you, worship you, crawl across the corners of the earth if I must to deserve the gift of your love, your heart.”
“Rune, I—”
“I don’t care if it’s days from now, months, or decades that we marry. I just wanted you to know how I feel, my desires, and that I am yours. No matter how much time you need.”
I’d sought him out because I felt hope burning inside me. I would beat Verin’s impossible poisons, and I would finish the job with his life. Basking with my mate made me excited for a future I hadn’t taken the time to imagine.
A life with Rune beyond the engagement to Tor, the war, the secrets.
We’d be happy. Blissfully so as long as we were together. Sweet babies with icy blue eyes, brown skin, and wild hair like mine. Oh, or dark black hair like his running around us. Even if they had the werewolf gene, we would kiss their faces, not burn them.
I wanted that life, that future with my mate, and after tonight when I took out my core to heal, I’d fight for it with every breath I had.
“I love you, Rune. You are the warrior of my heart, and as long as I have you, my fire will never die.” I pressed a kiss to his lips and whispered against them. “Yes, I am yours.”
A free hand of his snuck into mine and retreated, leaving something small yet hard in my palm.
“For when you’re ready.”
A tiger’s eye band.
He gave me a ring from his tiger’s eye core. He made me a ring from his essence, the very fabric of the male I loved himself.
“Celestine’s deadline ends soon.” I lifted the ring to inspect the beautiful marbling of yellows, blacks, and browns. “We will marry then.”
“Are you—” It was my time to silence him with my lips.
“Yes. I don’t need any large party. I just want to be yours in the kingdom’s eyes and take on Verin and any other threats together.
” A headache started to grow from the back of my neck.
Looks like my break from the poison was over.
It’d seen enough, though. Pain or no pain, Gregory’s book would get me through the worst of it, and this was what I had to look forward to.
A future with Rune, my mate, my warrior, and my soon-to-be husband.
“I’ve gotta go back. I may have to do something dangerous, and I need you to trust me, okay?”
He watched me with a raised brow but nodded.
“I love you, and I cannot wait to be claimed by you and the beast.” I kissed the tip of his nose. Rune held me tight before I untangled myself to eagerly race to my room and take out my core.
As I walked, I crafted a ring like Rune’s but from my own sapphire core but for him. I know he’d like that, feel honored as I had. I’d keep it safe until we bound ourselves together. A symbol of hope for the future.
The closer I got to the palace, the worse I felt. My headache expanded to my eyebrows and pain shot up my arm while sliding the ring into my pocket. I hissed and tucked myself behind a column in the throne room and watched the darkness in my veins spread with a vengeance.
Focusing on keeping my breaths steady, I bit into my free hand, while the other burned like molten lava crept through my bloodstream. If anyone found me right now, it’d be over. Keeping quiet and letting this rush of pain wash over me unnoticed.
Two steps echoed in the ballroom two columns down before a woman with a somewhat familiar shrill voice spoke. “I did as you asked, Father. I searched for the entrance to the Heart Tree’s cave.”