Page 91 of The Sundered Blade

She was utterly committed to her choice, and even as Vaniell felt his heart shatter, he knew he had no right to try to convince her otherwise. But he would do it anyway, because she deserved to know the truth.

“I persuaded myself that we could make it work,” he said softly. “I planned to come here today and tell you that I love you. That I want nothing more in this world than to marry you. That my people will eventually accept you as the one who single-handedly defeated the enemy general and saved them from the imperial invaders. And that our marriage would serve as an alliance, binding our people together in hope of someday achieving peace. And after I said that, you were going to say that you love me too, and that of course you would marry me and spend the rest of our lives threatening to stab me whenever I annoy you.”

He tried to smile, but it was a crooked, broken thing, and Karreya’s hand rose in answer to cup his face.

“I do love you, Abreian,” she said gently. “And I am honored by your proposal. But because I love you, I know that this is what I must do. My life will be dedicated to preventing the Empire from destroying anything or anyone else. I will fight my grandmother for control, and thereby ensure that Abreia—and you—are safe, for so long as I draw breath.”

Vaniell could hear shocked gasps from the crowd, but paid them no heed. All of them lived because of Karreya’s skill and courage, so it did not matter what they thought of her true identity.

“I understand,” he choked out, holding back the tears that tried to fall. “Before you go…”

“She is not going anywhere.”

Vaniell looked up to see who had spoken, and found Senaya standing only a few paces away, regarding them with a strangely soft gaze.

“What do you mean?” Karreya turned to confront her aunt, lifting her chin in defiance. “I have chosen to go, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.”

“Nothing except tell you that I have decided to go in your place,” Senaya said coolly.

The two women stared at one another—Karreya with shock and dismay—until Senaya continued.

“Inci was right. Icansave the Empire from what my mother has made of it. And Yvane was right as well. You deserve to live in peace, and to know what it is to love and be loved. Your mother sacrificed herself to that end, and I choose to honor that sacrifice.”

“But…” Karreya seemed to have lost the ability to speak.

It was Leisa who stepped up beside her, eyes wide with anguish, to ask what Karreya could not.

“Mother, if you go, when will we see you again?”

“I do not know,” Senaya said, and no one could fail to hear how greatly that truth pained her. “But I hope you can believe that I do this out of love. That no force in existence could prevent me from protecting you with every breath in my body. That wherever I am, you are never far from my thoughts or my heart, and that if it is in my power, I will see you again once peace has been won.”

Tears streaming down her face, Leisa embraced her mother, heedless of the eyes locked on their exchange. “I am sorry where I misunderstood. Sorry where I was cruel and unfeeling. I hope you know that I love you too, and will look forward to the day we are able to meet again.”

They broke apart and turned back to Vaniell.

“If it suits Your Majesty,” Senaya announced, “I will assume command of the imperial prisoners and take them as my escort back to Zulle.”

Vaniell could only blink and try to keep up with how quickly the future had changed. “Er, of course,” he said, then glanced at Yvane. “And what of the dragon?”

Only the red dragon had survived the battle, and though she was badly injured, Yvane had been caring for her and felt that she would eventually recover.

“When she can fly, I will return north with her, and encourage her to join the wild dragons in the mountains,” Yvane said with a slight nod. “But it is her choice, just as it was her sister’s choice to join the fight against the Empire. She will never again be under anyone’s control, or forced to kill at another’s command.”

Vaniell nodded his agreement. “Then we are in accord,” he said. “That is, most of us…”

He looked at Karreya, trying to contain the sudden surge of hope that filled his chest and made his heart pound so loudly he was sure everyone could hear. “I don’t suppose there is any possibility your answer has changed?”

She glared at him, her eyes shimmering brightly, as if filled with unshed tears.

“What question have I been asked, Abreian?”

He reached out to cup her face in his palms, almost laughing, almost crying, almost unable to form words. “Marry me?” he said. “Be my queen? Keep surprising me and threatening to stab me every day for the rest of my life?”

A smile spread swiftly across her face, unfettered and brilliant with joy. “Yes, Niell. I will do all of those things.”

And Vaniell forgot that he was king, that he was surrounded by important people, or that there was any need for dignity. He took Karreya in his arms and kissed her, as all the broken pieces of his heart came together and finally made him whole.

Shocked murmurs rose around them once more, but Vaniell decided he could not possibly care less. He’d already warned that he would not be the king anyone expected. He would not sit back meekly and do as he was told. He was going to take risks. He was probably going to infuriate his nobles on a regular basis. He might even make them wonder whether they had made a mistake handing him the crown.

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