“Would you stop rushing me?” I felt his laughter against my back as it shook his body. “It is hard enough to keep my hands off you as is.”
“Sorry,” I admitted and reached for another truffle. I knew there was nothing else he’d rather do tonight than get lost in each other. “What else was it we were doing?”
“Dreaming,” Krew answered simply, his voice going soft. “I don’t wish to spend this night lost in the cycle of what ifs about tomorrow. What if we have to try to kill my father? What if we don’t get the sword? What if we do? It is all driving me mad, when all I want is an eternity next to you. Moments exactly like this one.” He paused and I stilled, listening to his words, feeling his anguish and worry down the bond. “Instead, I’d rather dream. Of picnics right here with Warrick. Of having more children. Of a brighter day for Wylan, one which starts tomorrow as you become an heir of Wylan in your own right.”
“Krew.”
“So let’s take an hour and talk about all those things. All the things we want to do together. Because maybe if we dream of it, it will somehow tether me here to you if the darkness calls.”
I spun, throwing my arms around him. “It can’t,” I choked out. “It isn’t time. I will destroy the darkness and whatever stands in my way before I ever let it near you.”
A hand of his moved around my body and another settled in my hair. “So dream with me, love. Dream.”
Tears were spilling over as I took his cheeks in my hands. “We are going to be married in front of the country tomorrow. We are going to get that sword and your mother’s magic away from your father. We will end him, Krew. And then we are going to either take the throne or help guide it. Whichever being absolutely fine, and then we are going to have a long life together.” I paused, closing my eyes for a moment. “Warrick will be here at the castle. As will my mother. I will watch you grow old and get gray hair. And likely still be extremely attractive.” I took a deep breath. “And together we will chase every whisp of darkness out of that damned castle.”
He nodded and rested his forehead on mine as if soaking in my every word.
“You know why I believe all of that? Why I cling to it so?” I whispered.
“Hope?”
I shook my head slightly, our foreheads still touching. “No. Because of you.” I moved a hand to place it on his chest. “I believe in this heart of yours, Krew. You have had to endure more than any one person should ever have to. And yet you still strive to right wrongs. You do all of the things no one else is willing to do because you are motivated for your cause.” I paused, my inhale shaky. “While hope is a feeling and feelings are fleeting, your heart, how much I trust you, is not. It’s as steady and true as the sunrise. It’s you, Krew. You have not endured all of this just to have to give yourself in the end.” I paused as he wiped away my tears. “And you are not alone.”
“No, I am not,” he whispered, voice so thick with emotion I suspected he couldn’t even speak at a normal volume.
“So we will dream.” I somehow managed a smile through my tears. “And then we will fight like hell. Together.”
“Together.”
“I choose to believe that this is why we are soul bound,” I added gently. “That this is why you retained all but a few drops of your magic. Everything has been leading up to the moment we all remove your father from that evil perch of his. So the darkness? It can call all it wants, Krew, but it is no match for this.” I closed my eyes. “It is no matchfor us.”
His lips were on mine before I could even take a breath. In between long, mind-numbing kisses and the trailing of fingers over skin, we would send each other down the bond different things we wished to do someday.
Despite the what ifs. Despite the plan for the sword tomorrow. Despite not knowing if Krew was the true heir to the Wylan throne or not. Despite it all.
On this night, we chose to chip away at the impending darkness as we dared to do more than just keep breathing and worrying. Instead, we braved our dreams.
CHAPTER34
“This hasn’t happened in two generations,” Silvia said with a hand over her heart as Flora adjusted my veil. “A non-Savaryn born royal. A non-Enchanted to become both royal and Enchanted.”
I hadn’t wanted the veil over my face and restricting my view, so it would be only in my hair instead. I was actually a little shocked I got to decide at all.
“Since the last woman to wear your ring,” Silvia added more to herself than to any of the rest of us.
The ring in question was with Krew, waiting for the ceremony to be placed back onto my finger.
Then her eyes went wide, as if realizing what she said. “Sorry. I should just stop talking now.”
I smirked. No matter what Silvia said to me, I was nervous. I was due to make the long walk to the chapel any minute now. It was time.
Though I’d been a princess for the past few months, it was about to be official. Gone were the days of people treating me like a placeholder in Krew’s Assemblage. From this day on, I would be referred to as Your Grace or Your Highness.
Molly and Renna were here somewhere among the guests. I’d sent for them early this morning and we’d had tea. I knew I might not even be able to see them much the entire rest of the day.
Royal weddings were intricate and delicate things, it appeared.
I took one more deep breath, looking at my reflection in the mirror. The chapel and two-hour ceremony were honestly the easy part of this day. The meal, banquet, and everything to follow were going to be the hard part.
