Page 158 of A Broken Throne of Bronze

“No,” I murmur. My mouth opens in shock, the corners of my lips tugged into the hint of a smile. “I’m…perfectly fine.”

All the tension vanishes from his expression. He lowers his shoulders, pulling me to him with one hand to the back of my head. I smile into his shoulder, embracing him. He places a kiss to the top of my head, his nose to my hair as he inhales deeply. As if he were trying to memorize my scent.

“Thank the gods,” he murmurs, over and over again. “Thank the gods.”

I swallow, replaying the last moments I remember in my mind. The humans, the arrow…

I shouldn’t be breathing.

I should be dead.

I was dead.

“How…?” I look at Viridian, meeting his gaze.

“The gods,” he starts. “Theelia and Nemos. With their help, I was able to pull you back to this world.” Viridian cups my cheek, touching his forehead to mine. “Back to me.”

Tears well in my eyes. Pure elation spreads through my chest, making me feel lighter than air.

I pull his face down to mine and kiss him.

There is nothing gentle or sweet about it. No, it’s a kiss that’s been through loss and fear and anguish. It’s a kiss of love, stronger than any force in this realm.

I feel Viridian’s relief and joy through the bond. His emotions mix with mine, overwhelming my senses.

We’ve been given another chance.

“Viridian…” My voice slows. “There must have been a cost.” There always is.

He levels his expression, though his mouth doesn’t tighten. “Our lives are bound. If one of us dies, so will the other.”

My chest constricts.

“What if… What if something happens to one of us?” Human lifespans are much shorter than that of the fae. I can only assume demi-fae fall somewhere in between. “What if it goes off my life expectancy and not yours?”

“Cryssa,” he says, brushing both of his thumbs back and forth across my cheeks. “I don’t care about any of that. All that matters to me is a life with you. Whether that’s fifty years or hundreds. There is no future for me that you’re not part of.”

I find myself nodding, fighting the moisture that gathers in my eyes.

I fall into his embrace again and rest my head against his chest. Closing my eyes, I take several deep breaths that fill my lungs so much, I can’t hold it for long.

I’m breathing.

I’m here.

I’m alive.

As I cling to my husband, my love, my mate, I offer my own silent prayer to the gods.

There is still much to do, but all of it can wait. We’ll rebuild the kingdom later. We’ll restore stability to the realm. We’ll deal with Vorr’s death.

Pulling away, I find Viridian’s eyes and smile. His amber eyes are the lightest I’ve ever seen them. Light with joy. With love.

And right now, he’s all that matters.

Epilogue

Cryssa

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