Page 15 of Ties of Starlight

Nyrunn had the letter. As much as he wanted to rip it to shreds since he couldn't rip Olaug to shreds, he'd held himself back. It was the only proof Olaug had left her at the altar. He could tell her the truth and show her a letter that wasn't even addressed to her.

And it would devastate her.

Even if she didn’t love him like she claimed to, how could it not rip her in two?

He couldn't expose her to Olaug's cruel words; Olaug’s actions would surely be enough to demonstrate his true character to Idonea.

“We don't know where he is.”

Idonea blanched, taking a step forward again. “How can you not know where he is?”

“I was alerted to the complication when I was going to see him myself and speak to him before the wedding. The castle had already been searched and I dispatched men to search the city, but the chances of finding him in time were nonexistent and we needed a new plan.”

“Nonexistent?” Idonea sputtered.

He couldn’t help his cold laugh. “You'd be surprised how hard it can be to find people who don't want to be found, especially when there are only hours left before the most important wedding of the century.”

“What are you talking about?” As she spoke, her confusion and concern poured into him across the bond. “Surelyit can't be beyond your guards' abilities to track down kidnappers before they escape the city?”

She was going to make him say it.

“Idonea…” Nyrunn swallowed, voice lowering. “He wasn't kidnapped.”

She scoffed. “Of course he was. It wouldn't be the first time.”

What was she talking about? Olaug had never been kidnapped. Unless she meant a previous chosen had been, that was possible. But it certainly wasn’t the case here.

“There were no signs of struggle,” he said. Her immediate disbelief dug under his skin. If he wasn’t careful, this was going to explode right in his face. “Idonea, he... he chose to leave before the wedding.”

But she just shook her head. “No. That—That's not possible. It was—it was something else.” She then fixed her gaze on him, eyes sharpening. Oh no. “Why didn't you send word to me when you discovered he was missing?”

His heart jerked in his chest and he schooled his expression to give nothing away. Hopefully she was too wrapped up in her emotions to notice his threatening to pour into the bond and betray him. “There wasn't time. We couldn't delay the ceremony, so we had to focus on getting a replacement ready.”

Idonea's brow furrowed and she took a long breath, hands fisting and releasing her skirts. “Even if that explanation—Fine. Say I accept there was no time to find him or tell me. Why you?”

Why him? Surely it had to be the shock confusing her. Did she really want him to say it?

Nyrunn wasn't sure when he'd managed to cross the distance between them without her noticing. He took a deep breath. This was it. “I met the requirements.”

“I'm sure there are other elves who do as well. You're the king.”

He’d start with the arguments he made to Frode, and then he’d prove Frode wrong about her reaction to his more selfish reasons.

“Precisely. As king it's my responsibility to protect Adastra and ensure this ceremony still happened so we can strengthen our magic.”

“No. I mean, you're theking.” She gestured her whole hand at him. “Why would you lower yourself to marry a half-elf you hate when you could order someone else to do it?”

What?

“I—” Nyrunn stared down at her. “What did you say?”

Maybe he’d misheard her.

“You're the king. You can order someone else to step in. Why would you ever condemn yourself to marrying someone you hate?”

The water that had been poured over his hand earlier might as well have been poured over his back, sending a frigid chill down his spine. He shifted back, taking in the unfettered, honest confusion in her eyes.

She had no idea.

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