Page 127 of Of Glass and of Gold

“His legacy will live on through you. Through all the good we’ll do together,” I reassured my love as she broke in our arms. “Let’s go wash up and get some rest.”

She reluctantly agreed and rose to her feet. I scooped her up from the floor, cradling her within the safety of my arms where she could continue to fall apart.

I would forever be the keeper of her broken pieces, but I would never let her shatter.

We saw Melody to her suite that remained guarded by loyal guardsmen. Then we retreated to our chambers, and I lathered Nora’s midnight hair in floral oils to rinse off the remnants of her revenge. I tended to her softly, silently reassuring that my presence would forever remain by her side. I whispered notions of pride, reassurances of her goodness and character as I wiped away her falling tears.

After finally settling for the night, we lay naked in bed, only the softness of our skin and the sheets blanketing us. Nora took her finger and made tiny swirls across my chest, directly over the spot that’d been healed.

“Marco’s a fantastic healer. I bet you can’t even feel a scar,” I said.

She sighed heavily, continuing her perusing traces. “You could have died because you spent your magic on me.”

I didn’t need to hear the words to know the weight of her guilt. It threaded the very air between us. I wrapped my hand around hers, holding it firm over my heart. “And I would have had not one regret.”

She shifted closer, her limbs warming me like a comforting fire. “I know you can’t promise this, but I’m going to make you do it anyway. Promise you’ll never leave me. That you’ll always reserve some healing magic for yourself so you won’t die.”

Even a prince doesn’t have the resources to impede death, but if I could find a way, I’d bind its power so that it would never reach for us. Instead, I offered what I could, “I promise I will do everything I can, Nora.” I squeezed her tighter into my side as I pressed a loving kiss to her still wet hair.

“How long have you known that you had magic?” she asked.

“My father pushed me particularly hard one training session. A boy of fifteen shouldn’t have been wielding blades against an experienced soldier, but he and Druller apparently both lacked the empathetic part of their souls.

“I left the ring with a nasty slice down my arm. No healer was summoned for me. I was expected to take myself to the healer’s quarters. On the way, I nearly collapsed in the hall. It was then that the light awakened, that I somehow knew to reach for that glowing source inside myself.

“When I did, my wound scabbed over. It was all I could manage at the time, which I suppose was good since my father and Seb would have known of my power if that brutal slice was suddenly gone. My mother encouraged me to keep it quiet, to practice on my own. Marco was the only other person I ever confided in since I knew he wielded the same.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked. “After the poisoning?”

I shrugged. “I’d grown so used to keeping that part of me secret it hadn’t crossed my mind, to be honest. After you woke, all I cared about was that I had you back. Nothing else mattered.”

I stroked my thumb along her arm, confirming for myself that she was still here.

“I guess I can’t be mad at you for it. I kept the fact that I was planning your assassination a secret. Now we can call it even.” She lifted her beautiful face to peer up at me, flashing an all too innocent smile.

I laughed from deep within my chest. “Sure, even.”

65

Nora

Isat at the head of the reception table, watching Nick receive congratulations from a procession of advisors as he worked through the room. My cheek still savored the touch of his kiss when he’d claimed he would save me from the boring small talk as I started my second slice of wedding cake.

The ceremony had been a dream. Light filtered in through the tall windows, cascading over my sleek white wedding gown that sat off my shoulders, sleeves running down to my wrists. It garnered a few looks from much more modestly dressed women in attendance, but Nick and I had set a rule: we were to make this life what we wanted it to be. Which, on this day, meant no dresses that would swallow me whole.

Tula deserved a raise, leaving just enough excess fabric around my waist that I could eat to my heart’s content without it bursting at the seams. I placed my hand over my protruding stomach, and marveled at the sight of my wedding ring. A large pearl, surrounded by two smaller ones on each side, along with tiny glistening diamonds, sat on an intricate design of platinum. Custom made, and certainly not trendy like the thick-cut gemstones royalty usually adorned to match their kingdom colors. I fell in love all over again whenever I gazed upon it.

Things couldn't have felt more right.

A castle-wide announcement had been sent the morning after the events at the market: anyone conspiring with Commander Druller would be found and face a similar fate—or leave the bounds of this kingdom. By the next day, dozens of guards hadn’t reported for their next shift.

My clever husband’s idea, to let them weed themselves out. That had been a week ago, and since, the very air in the castle seemed settled. Melody had moved in, having Kenzie over most nights. I’d reminded her she had permission to kick our sister out, but with the loving heart she possessed, she’d let it slide for a while longer. When she’d countered that it was either here, or stuck in a house with their mother, I couldn’t find fault with the logic.

They currently sat at my side, making friends with a few of the ladies in court I hadn’t particularly wanted to mingle with yet.

Turned out Highcrest did have a court, filled with wives of advisors. Melody mingled effortlessly, as if she’d always belonged.

I took another bite, my chin propped on my hand as I stared at that stunning slab of muscle I would ensure to touch every inch of later. Maybe even bring some of this wedding cake to bed and smear it over the parts I wanted to lick.

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