CHAPTER 48
THE VOWS WE KEEP
May the Four keep your love strong like the Earth, uplifting like Air, unstoppable like Water and burning like Fire.
– Traditional Lyran Wedding Blessing
True to his word, Sebastian shoved a plate of bread, cheese and apple at her before she’d been allowed to do anything else. He stood right next to her, arms folded, watching her like a hawk.
“Sebastian, this isn’t necessary–”
His glare made the words die in her throat. He was right. She hadn’t eaten since the battle. Ten days ago. So she ate. She could only manage half of it, but it was enough that he gave her a begrudging nod. “Fine, but you’re having a proper meal at dinner.”
She agreed without complaint, and pulled him excitedly through the corridors towards where Alys was waiting. She was here to celebrate with her despite Alaric Hale’s disapproval. Alys threw her arms around both of them the moment she saw them, happy tears spilling down her face.
“You’re getting married–” Alys began as she let them go.
“I am,” Kara nodded, her head still spinning.
“You’re going to be Lady Thorne,” Alys practically squealed. “You have to show me everything!”
So, Kara and Sebastian showed her around the Keep that afternoon, Alys’s laughter carrying down the stone halls, already making plans for flowers and feasts.
“Well,” Alys said with a mischievous grin, linking her arm through Kara’s, “In one month’s time I’ll be related to both Heroes of Vallenna.” She flicked her auburn curls back dramatically, green eyes dancing. “That makes me practically royalty.”
Sebastian pulled a face. “Gods, don’t call us that.”
Alys smirked, utterly unbothered. “Too late, cousin.”
Kara squeezed his hand. “Yep. You’re stuck with us now, my lord.”
She burst out laughing at the look on his face. And it felt so good.
I could stare at him all day.
It amazed her how beautiful Thorne appeared with Sebastian at her side.
The halls seemed warmer, the world itself brighter.
She glanced at him again – the third time in as many minutes – just to make sure he was still there.
She hadn’t been able to let go of his hand.
Not even for a moment. And she didn’t intend to.
Several times she willed a private thanks to the Arcanth.
Though it never answered, she hoped it heard.
Hoped it knew how grateful she was, that it had her loyalty for as long as she lived.
By the time Alys was settled into her chambers, Kara’s heart felt lighter.
When they were finally alone again, Kara tipped her head onto Sebastian’s shoulder. “I want to tell you something.”
He pulled her closer. “What is it?”
“Before I changed things – when you...” she forced the words out, “...when you died – Sienna and Alys were there. They came to Thorne. Stayed with me every night. Sat there until morning came, casting their magic so I could sleep. Sienna took part of my grief into herself. Carried it when I couldn’t breathe beneath it.
” Kara swallowed, the memory painful. “They saved my life.”
Sebastian kissed her temple and held there. His gratitude flooded fiercely through her chest.
“I want them both beside me at the wedding,” Kara said. She looked up at him. “As family. Alys already is, of course, but Sienna... well, they both stood with me in the darkest place I’ve ever been. There’s no one else I’d want.”
Sebastian nodded solemnly. “Then they’ll stand with you.”
Kara sent the hawk immediately, inviting Sienna to Thorne to help with the wedding. She would ask her to stand as witness when she arrived. She watched the hawk fly south towards Lyra with a smile.
That night, for the first time in over a week, Kara fell asleep in Sebastian’s arms. She lay her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Her favourite sound in all of Vallenna. She’d missed it so much.
But hours later, she woke to silence.
She reached for him, but found only empty sheets.
“No–” she cried, the word strangled, panicked. “Sebastian!”
Don’t let it have been a dream.
Don’t let him be dead.
Kara threw herself off the bed and stumbled blindly through the chamber, the stone floor cold on her feet. She couldn’t think straight, just screamed his name again and again. Strong arms closed around her the moment she reached the corridor.
“Kara!” Sebastian’s voice was alarmed as he crushed her to him. The reassuring beat of his heart thumped hard against her ear. It was racing. She grabbed at him desperately, sobbing uncontrollably.
Oh thank the Four. Thank you, thank you.
“I couldn’t find you! I thought – I thought–”
“It’s okay, Kara, I’m here. I’m alive – with you.”
“Please don’t – don’t leave me. Not yet. Please, Sebastian, don’t.”
He buried his face in her hair. “I’m sorry. I only went for water. I didn’t think–” He cursed under his breath, holding her even tighter. “I’ll wake you next time.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “Promise me?”
His ice-blue eyes stared into her, his face lined with worry. “I promise.”
In the days that followed, they learnt what their scars meant.
Their magic answered when they called, golden, crimson, emerald – and so did all the others.
The Arcanth’s gift still lived within them, yet it felt heavier, as though the power strained against their veins.
Making shields exhausted Kara now – but she could still hold them – and the scars burned each time they cast, but the corruption was contained, bearable.
Then they moved onto blade work.
Sebastian’s sword hit the training post with a loud crack. Precise. Deadly.
“Shit.”
“What?”
He parried and hit the post again.
Kara frowned. It looked perfect.
“What’s wrong?”
“Too slow.”
He reset his stance. Struck again. Kara saw it this time, just a heartbeat slower than before.
“Maybe you’re tired?”
“It’s not that.”
She felt his scars burn through the bond before she saw the crimson. His sword flashed. No quicker.
“You know no one will be able to tell–” Kara began.
“I can tell. My crimson comes slower too.”
“It was barely a second, Sebastian–”
“In battle, seconds are life and death.” He turned back to the post. “I need to train harder. Learn to fight around it.”
“I’ll train with you,” Kara offered immediately.
So they did.
They trained together, the two of them, in Thorne’s grounds, learning each other’s new rhythms. Sebastian changed his combinations, adjusted his footwork, learnt to work with the slower magic instead of against it.
And when Edward challenged Sebastian to spar, Sebastian won easily.
His friend had clapped him on the shoulder, gracious in defeat, none the wiser.
Kara became strategic with her shields, casting them for short bursts and healing herself in between – emerald didn’t hurt the way their other magic did.
One afternoon, Kara watched Rowan at the other end of the training grounds, shooting arrows at a target with frightening precision.
“I didn’t know Thorne had archers.”
Sebastian looked over. “We don’t. She learned from mother.”
Another arrow hit dead centre. “Did your father ever ask her to stop? It not being the Thorne way and all?”
“No,” Sebastian said. “Never.”
Warmth spread through Kara at that. “What was she like? Your mother?”
He didn’t answer for a moment. “A better shot than Rowan, if you can believe it.” He smiled fondly. “She loved the gardens. Laughed a lot. Used to chase us everywhere.”
“She sounds wonderful.”
“She was.” He turned back to his forms. “But I don’t remember as much about her as I should.”
Kara followed suit, picking up her training sword once more.
Sebastian kept his promise – he didn’t leave her side.
Not once. When people asked about their scars, they both gave the same response – that the black marks on their arms must have come from destroying the Dracanth.
No one pushed further. Kara had been right – no one else remembered anything but both of them surviving. Them destroying Silas together.
Not even two weeks had passed since Kara had used the time magic when Tobias suggested a new rotation of night patrols on Thorne’s borders. Sebastian’s name was on the list. Kara tightened her grip on his hand but didn’t protest. Sebastian took one look at it and crumpled the paper in his fist.
“I’m not leaving Kara,” he said flatly. “She can’t sleep if I’m not there. She’s not ready yet.”
Her cheeks flushed and she stared down at the floor. She didn’t want to keep Sebastian from his duties. But she definitely wasn’t ready. She wasn’t sure she ever would be. To her surprise his father didn’t argue. Whatever he saw in his son’s face made him relent.
Tobias gave a curt nod and said, “Very well. It can wait. We’ll discuss it more after the wedding.”
Later, in the quiet of their chambers, she murmured against his chest, half-apologetic, “I don’t mean to cling.”
He kissed her forehead. “Cling all you want. It means I get to stay where I belong.”
She sensed it through the bond. He wasn’t ready either.
Sienna arrived a few days later, much to Kara’s joy. She pulled Sienna into a bone-crushing hug, crimson sparking without her meaning to.
“Ow,” Sienna teased, wincing theatrically.
“Sorry,” Kara said, breathless. “I’m just so happy to see you.”
When Kara asked her to stand as witness at the wedding, Sienna was surprised, to say the least.
“Me?” Sienna blanched. “Are you sure? You could have anyone in Vallenna–”
“I don’t want just anyone,” Kara said. “I want you.”
“You were with us at the Arcalon,” Sebastian said. “And one of the only friendly faces at Kara’s trial. We don’t forget that.”
“You don’t owe me this,” she said, shaking her head. “A friendly face wasn’t nearly enough.” The words tumbled out. “I should’ve done more the morning you escaped–”
“What do you mean?” Kara asked.
Sienna paled. She obviously hadn’t meant to say that.
“Sienna?” Kara prompted when she didn’t answer.
“I, uh, I fearcasted on a guard in the City, scared him away. Kept him from reaching the stables when you and Sebastian...” she trailed off, knotting her hands in front of her.