Page 47 of Daughter of Shadows and Ash

I want to hear you say it, Love. I want to hear that pretty little mouth beg for the filthy things I want to do to you.

"Oryn, please," I begged. He positioned himself at my entrance but didn't push in even an inch. "I want you, Ryn."

He drove himself into me. We moved together like waves meeting the shore, inevitable and perfect. The rest of the world fell away until there was nothing but us, our hearts beating in sync, our souls intertwined. Our mate bond pulsed with each thrust, a golden thread of light binding us together as pleasure crested and broke over us both.

Sweat cooled on our skin as we lay tangled in his sheets, my head resting on his chest. His heartbeat thundered beneath my ear, gradually slowing to match mine. The bond between us hummed contentedly, warmth radiating through every fiber of my being, like liquid sunlight flowing through our veins, binding our souls in an eternal dance.

His fingers danced across my bare shoulder, tracing ancient runes only he knew. "Do you remember that night at the tavern?"

"Mmm." I pressed a smile into his warm skin.

"I knew the moment I saw you. My soul recognized my mate when our eyes locked." His chest rose with a deep breath. "When you left the next morning... gods, I thought I'd go mad. I searched every corner of that city for days searched the city like a man possessed. Even royal duties couldn't tear me away until my father threatened to send the entire army."

Guilt burned like acid in my veins. I'd inflicted that wound. Just as I'd planned to do again.

"While I was angry you had left, I prayed to the gods I would find you again. Seeing you in the throne room was nothing less than the answer to every prayer I'd whispered into darkness." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I see our future so clearly, our children running through these halls, their laughter echoing offthese walls their footsteps a melody against marble. You and me, building something real here, something eternal."

My heart stuttered in my chest. The picture he painted was everything I'd never dared to want.

"I love you, Alora. More than the crown, more than my own life." He pressed a kiss to my hair. "You're everything."

His words pierced through every defense I'd built. All my carefully constructed plans crumbled to dust. The mere thought of leaving, of existing without his touch, his smile, his love, felt like trying to live without air. The mate bond surged between us, liquid gold threading through my veins, wrapping around my heart like a promise. My skin hummed where it pressed against his, every point of contact a reminder of what I'd be leaving behind. The thought alone made my chest constrict, made the shadows in my mind rear up in protest.

I lifted my head to look at him, drinking in the sight of him like a woman dying of thirst. His eyes were already closed, breath evening out as sleep claimed him.

"I love you too," I whispered, knowing now that I'd stay. Not for the crown he wore or the kingdom he'd rule, but for the heart that beat in time with mine.

Chapter 34

Iwoke to sunlight streaming through the windows, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and nerves. The bed beside me lay empty. Following the ancient tradition that kept grooms from their brides until the ceremony. The vacant sheets stirred memories of that first night with Oryn, when everything felt possible before it all fell apart. We'd been through this before, the first night fate placed us in each other's path, but I pushed away the foreboding feeling, my stomach twisting into knots that threatened to choke me. That night had been different. We'd grown since then, learned to trust each other. Despite the royal family's devotion to tradition, I longed to wake to his radiant smile one last time, even as guilt gnawed at me for wanting what I couldn't keep forever.

The crisp sheets beneath my fingers still held the faintest trace of his scent - citrus and sandalwood - a reminder of what awaited me at the end of this long day. The emptiness of the massive royal chamber seemed to mock me, every shadow harboring memories of nights spent wrapped in his arms, his fingers trailing fire across my skin, his breath hot against my neck as we moved as one beneath these very sheets.

The heavy door creaked open, and swift footsteps approached the bed. Fresh linens and morning dew perfumed the air, intertwining with the remnants of his lingering fragrance. My breath hitched, heart stumbling over itself as the scents mingled, past and present colliding in a dizzying whirl.

I traced the embroidered edge of the sheet, remembering how differently I'd imagined my future would unfold. The weight of tradition pressed down on me like a velvet cage, beautiful but confining. Part of me yearned to slip into the shadows, to chase after the vengeance that still burned in my heart. But another part, the part that had grown and changed since meeting Oryn, whispered that perhaps this was its own kind of strength – choosing love over revenge, choosing to build something new instead of destroying what was broken.

My fingers curled into the sheets, mind warring between the comfort of Oryn's love and the familiar call of darkness. This was the path I'd chosen, yet my soul still trembled with the weight of it all, analyzing every possibility, every consequence, until my thoughts spiraled like autumn leaves in a storm.

Luella's face was bright with joy. "My lady! Today's the day!" she exclaimed, peeling off the covers. She ushered me into the bathroom. A warm bath awaited, citrus-scented oils perfuming the steamy air, their invigorating aroma chasing away the last vestiges of sleep while promising to make my skin glow like moonlit pearls.

"Luella," I reminded her gently, "when it's just us, call me Lor or Alora." It hurt my heart to see how many of the staff were treated by the nobles, and Luella had become my ally here in this sun blessed prison. In the months since my arrival, she'd become more than just a handmaiden, she was my confidante, my anchor in this gilded cage of courtly life.

"Oh, the palace!" Luella gushed. "I've never seen such decorations in all my life. Even the old servants say the king hasn't celebrated this grandly since his wedding to her majesty."

I let Luella's excited chatter wash over me as she helped me bathe, her words blending together in my anxious mind. The warm water should have been soothing, but it did little to calm the storm of thoughts swirling inside me. Each gentle splash against my skin echoed the beating of my uncertain heart, torn between duty and desire, between what was right and what felt inevitable.

"The flowers, my lady," Luella continued, her voice dreamy. "Roses from every corner of the kingdom, and lilies that gleam like they've been blessed by the moon herself."

My head bobbed without thought, my stomach coiling tight.

Wasn't this meant to be the happiest day of my life?

It will be, Maël's voice washed over me like cool water against the brewing storm in my mind.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing Maël's voice away. During my entire stay in this castle, Johan remained beyond my reach.

A princess who killed would rot in a cold, dark cell.

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