Chapter 76 Serena
SERENA
“What? What do you mean?”
“She left a note. She’s gone.”
“Let me see.”
Jace passes it to me in a daze.
Dear Jace,
I am so sorry. But we both deserve more than this. I am releasing you from your word and your obligation to me. I know this may not be what my father hoped for. I have to believe that he valued our individual happiness as much as his legacy. Please forgive me.
With love and regret,
Sorscha
“Oh my god.”
“I don’t understand. She just disappeared? No one saw her leave?” Zadyn asks.
Jace runs a hand through his hair, looking spent. “Max checked with every guard on watch.”
“We need to send out a search party.”
“My men are already searching,” Max assures me.
Jace sinks onto the edge of the bed, his shoulders curling inward. “What’s the use? To drag her back? Force her down the aisle? I’m not Kylian.” I try not to flinch at that statement. “This is all my fault.”
“It is not, Jace.”
The door cracks open, and Kai’s mess of raven hair pops through. “I’m a firm believer in being fashionably late, but the wedding guests are about to whip out the pitchforks—”
He stops when he sees the matching looks of dismay on our faces.
Dover pushes in behind him, glancing around. “Woah—what’s the matter?”
“Sorscha is missing,” Mar says.
“She ran away,” I clarify.
Kai bursts into laughter.
“Why are you laughing?! This is not funny, Kai.”
“It’s just that I’ve known Sorscha for a long time.” He plops down in the center of the bed, popping open the button of his jacket to reveal a sleek black collared shirt beneath. “Suffice it to say, I am not surprised by this sudden turn of events. Not in the least.”
“Well, if you know her so well, then maybe you could shed some light on where she’s run off to.” I lean against the bedpost, crossing my arms.
Kai shrugs. “Wish I could, savior, but she’s predictable in that she’s unpredictable.”
“He’s right,” Dover agrees.
I toss my hands up. “Wonderful.”
“You should stop infantilizing her. She’s a big girl. She can take care of herself.”
Mar gapes at Kai. “She is the future Queen of Aegar! She should not be out there unprotected—especially when we are on the brink of war!”
“Our men are already scouring the city for her.” Max steps forward, his calm jade eyes locking with each of ours. “We will find her.”
“We can’t just sit around and wait.” I gather up my dress, heading for the door.
Jace lifts his head. “Where are you going?”
“To find her. Are you guys coming or what?”
Kai rolls his eyes and drags himself off the bed.
“You’re the boss.”
The search is a bust. After hours of combing through the nearby valleys and villages on horseback, we return to the castle empty-handed to wait in Sorscha’s room. Jace stands across from me, peering out the bay window at the stars now dusting the faded blue sky.
“If something happens to her because she was running from me,” he trails off, a bitter expression crossing his face.
I reach out to clasp his arm. “We will find her. Trust me.”
He nods.
“I don’t understand. Where could she have gone?” Cece inverts her red lips into a pout, hovering near Zadyn on the chaise. “I’m worried sick.”
Leave it to Cece to make Sorscha’s disappearance about her. I fix my gaze on her.
“She never said anything to you about leaving? About wanting to run away?”
“No. Not really.” She lifts a slender shoulder.
“What do you mean, not really?”
“It’s no secret that she wasn’t thrilled with the idea of marrying. I don’t blame her. Especially after everything that’s happened.” Cece’s green eyes flash between me and Jace, barreling right through discretion. “But she made no mention of running away.”
The door swings open, and in steps Sorscha, hair windblown and button nose tinged pink from the slight bite in the air.
Everyone leaps to their feet. I’m surprised to see Eaton step through the door behind her.
“Thank gods,” Mar breathes, clutching her chest.
“Sorscha, what the hell!” I throw my arms around her neck, nearly knocking her over. “Are you alright? Where have you been?”
“I’m fine.” She pats me, pulling back. Her eyes look brighter, her cheeks a little rosier. She’s been a ghost around the castle since Derek, but she looks alive again. Like herself.
I glance from her to Eaton, sensing something different about the two of them.
Jace steps closer, his voice tight. “What’s going on here?”
Sorscha’s honeyed eyes slide toward him. “I can’t marry you, Jace.”
Her fingers slip into Eaton’s.
My mouth drops.
“Because we’re already married.”
Before I can register a thing, Jace’s fist slams into Eaton’s face, ramming him back into the door.
“Jace!” I shout.
Sorscha cries out, whirling toward Eaton, but he’s already on his feet, lunging toward Jace. Dover and Zadyn rush to break them up.
“Aerill’s tits!” Kai doubles over behind us, roaring.
“Let’s just take a breather, shall we? We’re all friends here,” Dover says to the room, now so clouded with testosterone it’s hard to breathe.
“What is wrong with you?” I hiss at Jace.
“Me?!” he shouts, flinging an accusatory finger in Eaton’s face. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?!”
Zadyn grasps Eaton’s collar, shoving him backward.
“Are you kidding me, Eaton?!” he bursts. “I didn’t bring you here so you could hijack this wedding!”
“Don’t you think I know that?” He tosses Zadyn off so that Sorscha can fuss over him. Some of his hostility eases as he peers down at her with intense adoration. “This wasn’t planned.”
“Can someone please explain what in hell is going on?” Mar barks, tossing up her hands.
“We’re mates,” Eaton replies, rubbing his jaw where Jace hit him.
“Oh my god,” I sputter, taking a step back.
Jace’s chest heaves as he coughs a bitter laugh and turns away. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly relieved in this moment.
“It all happened so fast,” Sorscha rushes to explain.
“Eaton and I got to talking at the rehearsal party. I honestly thought nothing of it. But then last night as I was heading to bed, we bumped into each other in the hall, and I knew right then and there. We didn’t mean to worry you all.
Jace, I’m so sorry—” She moves toward him.
“I didn’t mean to run off like that. But I couldn’t marry you. ”
Jace is quiet for a long time, bracing his hand on the window frame.
“Sorscha, I’m glad you found your mate, I really am. But we had a plan.” He finally lifts his gaze to her.
“I know.” Sorscha’s eyes fall to the carpet, a twinge of regret turning her pink lips down. “I know my father wanted it to be you, but you know this was the right thing. For both of us.”
She takes Jace’s hand, and slowly he begins to thaw. No one can withstand the warmth of Sorscha’s touch. There is nothing—not even an ice storm—that would not melt before her.
“Gronwen is going to take a fit when he hears,” he murmurs.
“This doesn’t really change anything,” Kai pipes. “You’re both royals. You perform the Bloodfast and we gain two more weapons. Big ones. Win-win.” He gestures between Sorscha and Eaton.
He’s right. Still, an awkward silence falls over the room.
“Well, are we going to just stand here staring at each other, or head downstairs?” Kai looks around expectantly.
“What?” Jace hisses, annoyed.
“We’ve got a thousand caskets of wine and enough cake to feed a kingdom. Why waste a perfectly good celebration?” He waggles his brows, his lips parting into a mischievous smile.
Dover’s mouth twists as he surveys us. “He kind of has a point.”
“Kai is right,” Sorscha says, turning from Jace.
“Today may have been unexpected, but there’s been so much gloom lately, so much sorrow…
I want tonight to be different. I want to celebrate with my friends, like old times.
” She reaches for Mar’s hands. “I’m sorry I’ve been distant.
But I’m starting to feel like myself again.
” She slides a grateful look toward Eaton.
“So please, for this one night, can we all just pretend to be happy?”
“Sorscha, we are happy for you.” Mar’s face softens. “Of course we are.”
“Then let’s go downstairs and party like only we can.” She tugs Mar’s hands, making her shimmy.
“Last one downstairs has to break the news to Gronwen!” Kai yells, swinging around the bedpost and sprinting for the door. Dover dashes after him, shoving him into the frame and barreling past.
Zadyn looks at me, shaking his head. I shrug, giving him a half-smile. But the weight of Jace’s eyes has me turning to find him watching the two of us intently.
The room has emptied, leaving only the three of us behind. The silence screams in my ears.
“Shall we?” I force my feet to move toward the door.
I don’t have to look back to know that they’ve followed behind me.