Page 119 of A Shattered Kingdom of Steel

“Much better,” I tell her, taking several deep breaths.

Viridian approaches, his shoulders sagging with relief. “Gods, Lymseia. You have no idea how good it is to see you awake.”

“So everyone keeps telling me,” I remark. “How long have I not been awake?”

“Two days,” Viridian says, with the tone of voice one has when they’ve been up all night.

“Gods above,” I murmur. “Two days?” Worry clouds my mind, seizing my heart. “Asheros.” Looking directly at Viridian, I ask, “Where is he? I must see him.”

“I…” Viridian sighs, pressing his mouth into a fine line. “Your mate is currently locked in the dungeons.”

“The dungeons?” I repeat, my outrage echoing off the walls. “Why on the god’s green earth do you have my mate locked in the dungeons?”

Viridian holds up his palms, as though in an attempt to settle me back down. “Ambushing a royal diplomat on her journey and killing her guards is an act against the crown. Your mate has committed treason, and as High King, I must act accordingly.”

“In his own, convoluted manner of thinking,” I say, shaking from my anger, “he was trying to do what he thought would save you, you idiot!”

“Really,” Viridian says, like he doesn’t believe me. “He was trying to save me?”

“Yes,” I exclaim. “And then, for the past however many months, he’s been helping me investigate your father’s murderer, and oh—”

My stomach falls, twisting with the knowledge I’d uncovered moments before whatever Tanyl did to me took hold. “Viridian, I know who killed your father.”

His face darkens, and he runs a hand along his mouth. “Later. Tell me that later.” Letting out a long sigh, he hangs his head forward in reluctance with a curse on his lips. “Right now, I’m going to release your mate.”

Ipractically fly down to the dungeons. So much so, that Cryssa and Viridian have to break into a jog to keep up with me. Servants toss me sidelong glances as I do, likely because I’m wearing nothing but a nightgown— at midday—but I pay them no mind.

“Gods, Lymseia,” Viridian calls after me, “slow down, will you? At this rate, you’re going to rupture something.”

I don’t heed Viridian’s warning. Instead, I run faster.

The moment the door to the dungeons is unlocked, I glide down the stairs, running between the cells, frantically searching for the right one.

Then I see him.

My heart overflows with joy.

His gaze immediately locks with mine, those crystalline eyes shining with unshed tears. All at once, his love, his happiness, and most of all, his relief, overwhelm my senses through the bond, meshing with mine.

Viridian makes quick work of the magical locking spell and swings the door open.

Asheros rises to his feet, and I tumble into his arms. We swirl around each other like the clashing of warm and cool winds, a typhoon of longing and agony and elation like no other.

“Thank the gods, you’re all right,” he murmurs, stroking my hair. He holds me tightly to his body, as if he’s afraid I’ll disappear. “Gods, Bladesinger, I was so, so afraid I’d lost you.”

“Please,” I say, mustering my bravado, “it’ll take more than whatever that was to get rid of me.” Beaming up at him, I poke his chest. “Unfortunately for you, there’s no escape.”

Asheros laughs—gods above, when was the last time he laughed—and it fills me with so much warmth, that I decide to spend an eternity making his face light up like that. Again and again and again, just to see him smile at me this way.

“Then luckily for you,” he says, leaning his face down to mine, “I have absolutely no desire to ever be anywhere but where you are. I am yours, Bladesinger. All yours. Body and soul.”

“Body and soul,” I echo, loving how the words taste on my tongue.

Grabbing fistfuls of the collar of his shirt, I drag his mouth down to mine and kiss him. It’s a hard, unyielding kiss. It’s not soft, or gentle, or even tender. But it’s raw and it’s passionate and it’s desperate. We kiss each other like two souls merging into one, like twin flames burning even brighter together. His lips move over mine, and I throw my arms around his neck, needing the physical proof he’s here. That I’m alive.

That we’re together.

When we part, still entangled in each other’s arms, he looks at me in awe as though I’m his universe. His goddess.

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