Page 205 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

She placed her hand over his heart. “You’re a part of me. My soul cannot exist without yours. I love you, Garrik. All of you, every piece, every scar, every bit of darkness. And if this is to all end in ashes, then I will stand in the flames with you. I willburnwith you. Because I cannot exist in any world without you. I can only survive it with you.”

Her lips quivered as she added, “I have only ever survived because of you.”

“No, clever girl,” his voice rough. “It was you. You never required a savior. I may have stolen the bride of Telldaira, but you were already saving yourself. You only needed someone to stand alongside you while you reformed your shattered pieces and showed the realm who you are. You think you are fire inneed of oxygen. But my love,youare oxygen, keeping us alive, helpingusto survive.”

Her High Prince slipped from her, pulling her hand with him as he knelt.

Cold metal touched the tip of her finger.

Alora whipped her eyes to her left hand.

To the ring waiting there.

Garrik’s next breath trembled as the ring stilled, unmoving as if he were waiting for her to say something, but instead, it was his voice that broke. “This ring can mean different things. It is yours regardless of what you decide. A million worlds—their doors are bound to it.”

Tears collected along her lashes as she examined the center stone. In certain light, it appeared to have a mossy hue, but when angled another way, it was crystal-like.

Garrik traced his finger along the silver band. Along the leaves that twisted under flowers made of diamonds. As her eyes followed his thumb’s path, she fell on the stars framing the stone shaped like a dragon’s tooth.

A swirl of shadow coiled inside the stone.

Alora gasped as another appeared. Then another.

“Every last kernel of my power is linked toyouinside this stone.” Like Jade’s ring—like all of his. Crafted for one. Only removed by the creator, the bearer, and whoever else he permitted. Vicious shivers ran down her spine as Garrik continued, “It is all yours, Alora. Everything I have. Everything I am.Everything.”

Alora slipped her attention from the ring to his breathtaking face. Her voice a whisper. “What else does this ring mean?”

Garrik found the night sky beginning to bloom. The stars flickered. “I cannot live in a realm without you, either.” He looked back to her. “And though I deserve nothing, I wish to spend every day of my existence making sure neither of us haveto.” His hand—the ring—shook. “Will you bond with me, Alora? Be my wife?”

Not lady. Not general. Not consort.

Wife.

Garrik’swife.

Starfire gathered around his fingers and the ring. Alora offered him a smile brighter than starflames as she guided the ring up her finger, and said, “I’ll do more than that,” before falling to his lap.

His hands claimed her hips as he dipped his head. In a slow sweep, Garrik kissed her. Again and again. Kissed her like a sweet devouring. Like he didn’t know where to touch, wanting every part of her, unable to breathe unless his lips were on hers.

Garrik’s back flattened on the grass, but he didn’t seem to care. Not when her mouth opened for him, his tongue slipping inside, teasing in waves as she moaned against his mouth.

“What do you say, clever girl? Make me a claimed male?” he panted between kisses.

Alora singsonged a taunt, “I was waiting for Ezander but?—”

He growled, and she chuckled against his lips. Enjoying how her male’s eyes narrowed, lip curled.

Her male.

Never had anything sounded so right.

She kissed him and said firmly, “Yes.” Stars, without a doubtyes.Alora’s eyes darkened. And with sheer certainty, she looked into his perfect silver and unleashed him. “You’re mine, Garrik.”

The stars flared.

Something snapped in him. Ripped a force—a teetering hold inside him—in two. Knowing curved up the side of his mouth. Recognizing the meaning behind her words. Perhaps hearing his own when he made her a promise inside a veil of darkness.

Smokeshadows roared around them until it wasn’t his back flattened but hers. Pressing her against the stone wall on the porch now, Garrik’s dilated eyes bore into her soul.

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