Page 137 of A Broken Throne of Bronze

I don’t know how long we lay there like that.

But I know that I’ve never felt at home in a man’s arms the way I do now. With the mate bond locked into place, I feel whole. As if my entire life, there was a missing piece. A hole that I never knew needed to be filled.

Viridian’s happiness meshes with mine. Now, I’m not sure where mine ends and his begins.

Then I hear his voice in my mind.

“I love you, Cryssa Thurdred Avanos.”

Smiling at him, I reply.

“And I love you. More than anything.”

“More than anything,” he repeats.

I rest my head on his chest. And at some point, my droopy eyes close.

Chapter Thirty-Six

The world feels right again when I wake in Viridian’s arms. As if this is right where I’m meant to be.

Then I remember Hylmfirth. And I wonder how long my peace will last.

But then I look at Viridian, still sleeping soundly beside me. With both of us still naked, the night’s events replay in my mind. Though, instead of feeling shy in his presence, knowing all the sinful things we did last night, I feel at ease. As if just being near Viridian is enough to relax me. He grounds me. He balances me.

My mate.

I can’t help but smile at the thought. Gently, I pull away and rise to a sitting position. Softly, I rest my palm on his cheek and let my thumb wander in small circular motions against his cheekbone.

He turns his face into my touch, and then opens his eyes slowly, adjusting to the light.

“Good morning,” he says, his voice a low rumble.

“Good morning.” I smile.

Covering my hand with his, he sits up and presses a kiss to my lips. He lingers, and I bring my free hand up to the other side of his face. Viridian’s arm slips around me, palm pressed to the small of my back.

We break from the kiss, and I feel Viridian’s stare on my face.

“What is it?” he asks. Warmth spreads in my chest, knowing that he knows me so well, he can immediately sense that something’s wrong.

“Hylmfirth,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “What I saw… They’re dying, Viridian. It’s not just the mining sickness. It’s starvation, too. I saw it with my own eyes. All the crops turned black, as if they’re diseased.”

“Like the East Tower,” Viridian murmurs.

“Yes.” I hesitate. “And if whatever dark magic poisoning the East Tower can spread that far—and to the other Courts—then it’s not just any dark magic.” I pause, meeting his eyes. “It’s a curse.”

I expect him to go pale, to ask questions. But he doesn’t. Instead, I get the sense that somehow, he already knows.

“Some part of me was still holding onto hope that it wasn’t,” he says softly. “But hearing reports of how much worse the situation has gotten… I knew that hope was misguided.”

His reaction tells me there’s more to this that he hasn’t shared with me yet.

I lean forward. “Tell me what happened while I was away.”

“My father.” He practically spits out the word. “After the wedding, when he’d realized you were gone, he shut himself away in the East Tower. Since then, he’s had the castle on lockdown.”

“Right,” I say. “When I arrived, the guards at the gate told me no one was allowed in or out. Lymseia’s the only reason I’m here.”

---