Page 64 of Ruined Kingdom

“I Bind myself to you, body and soul. With me, you will never want, for my love shall be your boundless oasis. I will shelter you from any danger and honor you. Your body is my temple. Your soul is my refuge. I shall hold no other above you. You will feel no rain, no cold, no loneliness. I will be your light in the darkness. I will be your home. In the eyes of the Goddess Helene and the Keepers of the Realms, I claim you as my mate. You cannot be torn from my hands. We are one. Unbreakable. Inseparable. For now until my death.”

I was practically trembling, tears streaming down my cheeks. I could barely contain my joy. It felt as if it was going to burst right out of my chest at any moment.

He appeared like a bewitched man as his unwavering gaze beheld me. Whether it had been standard words specifically scripted for this ceremony and recited by all who went through it or not, he’d meant every word of what he said as if it had come from his heart.

I’d felt his fierce and unfaltering intent behind every sentiment as they settled along my very bones.

He continued wrapping the ribbon around our joined hands, and it began to glow. It then became hot, melding into our skin.

My first instinct was to pull my hand away, but I resisted.

All I could do was watch as it disappeared into me.

The heat from my hand rose up through my arm and seeped into my chest, accumulating there. That was when I looked down to see that a small light was being pulled from both our chests.

It looked like a white candle flame but much more effervescent.

Is this my soul?

I watched as my light entered Kaine’s chest and as his light settled into mine. I wondered if I would be able to feel the new weight of it or something, but instead, I could only describe it as a calming warmth filling a space inside me. A cavity that’d been empty until now.

I looked up at Kaine and smiled right before a sharp pain sliced through me. I doubled over in pain, clutching my chest with my nails.

“Sophia! What’s wrong?” Kaine was quick to grab me before I could collapse to the floor.

I cried out helplessly, my vision blurring from the agony. “Gods, it burns!”

It felt like something was inside of me that didn’t belong there.

“Get out of me!” I commanded on instinct. “Now!”

Black sludge began pouring out of my chest, followed by what appeared to be a black flame eating it away until there was nothing left.

Fear and confusion were only momentary because I immediately recalled the story that my father had told me about when he’d taken me to the Dark Fae King as a baby to elicit his help.

“He put that thing inside of me…” I said it as the realization came to my mind. “That was the curse he held over me for all of my life…”

It felt surreal, even as the words were coming from my own mouth. Had the Binding of Souls ritual broken my curse just now?

“Sophia, are you all right?” Kaine asked, bringing me back to myself. He was still holding onto me, not daring to let go for an inch to keep me from falling.

“I think so… I just feel—strange,” I admitted.

But then my head was pounding so hard that I was sure my skull would crack from the pressure.

“Put me down,” I managed to get out, and Kaine obliged, gently helping me to the floor.

I shut my eyes and rolled over onto all fours in hopes that the uncomfortable sensation swirling inside me would pass.

My body began to ache, and I felt like I was crumbling in on myself. “What’s happen?—”

I suddenly lost my ability to speak, but the pain ceased in the exact same instant.

Woah, that was so strange.

I opened my eyes to see that I was still on all fours. I tried to stand up, but my hands slipped on the floor.

What the?—?

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