CHAPTER 42
SOON, LENORE GENTLY PUSHED at the center of Edmund’s chest, guiding him back until their noses barely touched. Their breaths were shallow, the visible puffs of air intermingling with one another. Both their cheeks were flushed, their eyes hazy with affection for each other.
Edmund leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers. “Just one more?” he asked. His lips grazed the corner of hers before Lenore firmly held him back.
“You said that seven kisses ago,” she mumbled. She refused to let up, trying her hardest to pout at him. “Don’t you think the others will notice?”
Edmund let out a frustrated whine. “You looking like that just makes me want to kiss you more—” His eyes squeezed shut.
“Ugh, sorry, you’re right.” He reluctantly pulled back, paused, then leaned his head against Lenore’s shoulder.
His arms wrapped around her waist. Another low whine escaped him.
“I can’t wait any longer,” he blurted. “Let’s get married right after the Lunar Ball. ”
“W-WHAT?!” Lenore shrieked. “M-married?” She felt as if her head were steaming.
“I-I mean I’m not opposed to the idea—not at all, actually, but—hnnn…
” Her words crumbled, too flustered to speak.
She remembered Gwyneth mentioning how fast the wedding ceremonies came after.
Only now did the weight of that reality hit her.
“Once we find our fated mates, we usually wed as soon as we can. Is it too much for you?” Edmund pulled back slightly. His worried frown tugged at her heart. She quickly shook her head.
“W-well, no, it’s just—”
“I can wait one month. Max,” he said, sounding painfully strained. His brows drew tight, unable to look at her from his own embarrassment. “But that’s my limit.”
Lenore didn’t know whether to faint from the heat rushing through her body or laugh at his honesty. “Edmuuuund,” she groaned, flustered and fond. Her hands gripped at his shirt. “That’s not it. There’s just a couple of things—”
Edmund’s eyes suddenly widened. His hand ran through his hair as Lenore tilted her head at him in confusion. “I forgot the most important step, didn’t I?” He sucked in a breath, cringing at himself, as he muttered, “I’m a mess right now.”
Lenore watched curiously as one of his hands disappeared into his long coat before pulling out an etheria.
As soon as Edmund brought it between them, the stem quivered.
The creamy-white petals gradually unfurled as a glow flowed through them, painting a gradient of pinks and reds upon the blooming etheria.
Awe filled Lenore’s eyes, mesmerized by the magical transformation. A final shimmer ran through the petals, the etheria fully bloomed. The visual confirmation of their innate bond. Lenore’s eyes couldn’t leave the flower when Edmund offered it to her.
“Stars, it’s beautiful,” Lenore whispered. She gingerly touched the petals, then brought them close to her face. A sweet scent fluttered past her nose. Her legs swung, far too giddy to sit still. Edmund chuckled softly and leaned in, his head hovering close to Lenore’s.
“It’s... strange seeing it open while I’m the one holding it.” Edmund stared at the petals, almost as if he couldn’t believe what he saw. “All my life I’ve only seen others get theirs, and now... here I am. With my—” he cleared his throat. “Fated mate.”
A tingly feeling rose in Lenore’s chest. She beamed at him. “Did you think about who could be your mate—about what she could be like?”
“A little bit,” Edmund mumbled. Lenore teasingly raised her eyebrows.
“Fine. A lot.” He turned his head away, fingers gripping the edge of the balustrade tightly. Redness burned at the tips of his ears. Quietly he added, “And she turned out perfect.”
Lenore let herself give in to the irresistible urge to kiss him then—peppering him with kisses all over his face as she threw her arms around him.
The heat of his skin was like honey to her lips, a sweetness that she drank in fervently.
She laughed when he felt even hotter to the touch, and how, despite his embarrassed frown, he held her tight in his arms.
“Lenore, you’ll be the death of me.” Edmund squeezed her tight, resting his chin on top of her shoulder.
“Please don’t die,” Lenore laughed warmly. “We’ve only just gotten together.” She patted his back. “Thank you for the flower.”
A tight breath escaped him. “So... was the etheria bloom part of the things you mentioned before we get married?”
“N-no—although I’m very happy to have one.” She fiddled with the stem. “There’s more than a couple of things—”
“Tell me.” The assertiveness made her heart skip a beat.
“Well,” Lenore started. It was hard to think with the marriage talk distracting her mind. She brought the etheria close to her face, hiding her mouth as she mumbled, “Okay, well, before I say anything else, I want us to have rings, first of all.”
“Of course.” Edmund nodded, expression turning serious. “I’ll get you a ring from any of the finest craftsmen there is—Dwarven, Elven, or if you prefer something made from the dragons... I can arrange that.”
Lenore laughed. “It would be interesting to see what a dragon could make for a ring…” She glanced down at Edmund’s hands, imagining what a ring would look like on him. She smiled softly to herself. “Are rings a werewolf thing too?”
“We have an equivalent. It’s enchanted, so it’s a ring when we’re in our human forms, an ornate claw guard when we’re in our werewolf form, and a cuff as a wolf.” Edmund reached up, brushing his fingers against Lenore’s ring finger. “What metal do you want?”
“Um…” The flower twirled back and forth in Lenore’s fingers. “Silver. It’ll match us both nicely.”
“... I like that.” Edmund smiled. His voice turned teasing. “Now, what’re your other demands?”
A twinkle of light from the corner of Lenore’s eye stopped her from continuing. The light drew closer until she realized it was no other than Pip—the soft golden light emanating from his body was unmistakable, as was the bright gleam in his eyes.
“Pip piii!” Pip called out to her, circling around the pair as soon as he entered their space. Edmund raised a brow, growing all the more puzzled when Lenore reached out with a smile.
“Pip!” she greeted. “What’re you doing here?” A giggle left when Pip flew to her face, nuzzling her cheek.
“Its name is Pip?” Edmund stayed close to Lenore, watching the light sprite with narrowed eyes.
Even as Pip chirped at him, his frown persisted.
“Isn’t this a light sprite? Is that the light sprite’s name, or did you name it that?
Where did this thing even come from?” The multiple questions made Lenore chuckle.
“I did name him. Long story short, I met him on the same night the mithrial was hunted.”
Realization clicked in Edmund. “… Wait, so I wasn’t crazy. On the day that Hesper attacked you—that thing was there wasn’t it?”
Lenore turned to him, surprised. “What? You saw him?”
“It was like a flicker of light with no scent to it. I thought I was overthinking it.”
“You really do have sharp senses,” Lenore said. She blinked in amazement and the flush of red crept back into Edmund’s skin.
“And I’m amazed you had a companion like this the whole time,” he said.
“Same here. Without him, I don’t think I could’ve done half the things I did. He was helping me before he went off with…” Lenore trailed off. “Azelf.” Her smile faded. “Is he alright, Pip? What’s going on?”
Pip’s glowing aura flickered. The joy of their reunion fell short as the light sprite turned somber. “Pi…”
Out of thin air, a strip of paper formed between Pip’s arms. He handed the folded note to Lenore, then drew back, his stubby arms pressed close to his face, fidgeting with worry. A faint trace of Azelf’s scent lingered on the paper.
Lenore swallowed nervously. She unfolded the note. Only two words met her eyes, but it felt as the world itself crashed around her.
Arisa knows.
“Oh no.” The words slipped out under her breath as her eyes darted back and forth over the scrawled ink. Her hands turned cold, the warmth that once flourished in her chest vanishing into dread.
Edmund had leaned in close, face hardened as he read it over. A quiet growl rumbled in his throat. “How much does she know?”
Lenore had no answer to give. How little or how much was impossible to tell from the warning.
But she knew one thing.
“I have to go,” she said. The note crumpled in her hands. “To Ieric’s village. Right now.”
Edmund held her wrist before she could slide off the balustrade’s rail. “Ieric’s village? You’re not going anywhere until you tell me exactly what’s going on.”
“I’ll tell you everything while I get ready—” Lenore scooted off the hard stone and landed on her feet. She pulled him into a run, straight back to the house.
“Everything,” she said. “Starting from the moment you left.”