Page 66 of Ties of Starlight

“You're my wife.”

Again, saying it like it was some kind of explanation and not a sentencing.

Chapter 23

Nyrunn was proud he'd managed to rein himself in, but even the next morning he was internally fuming.

He'd never been soinsulted, and it had never been harder not to yell out he didn't want anyone else. He loved her and he would have her as long as he could.

But if he wanted to keep her, he couldn't let her know how much he wanted her. The night before had proven that she was still bafflingly in love with her so-called soulmate. He needed to be careful and thoughtful when he finally told her how pathetically in love with her he was or else he'd scare her into running off no matter what.

The next morning, he lifted Idonea onto her own horse, at her insistence. He let her think she won the exchange, with her throwing in his face that the healer confirmed she could ride. As much as he wanted to insist she keep riding with him so he could bear some of the lingering soreness still flickering through their bond, he had to prioritize.

There were only a few weeks left of travel before they’d reach the Constellation Pool.

He took advantage of Lady Asa catching Idonea's attention as soon as they departed so he could fall back, Frode narrowing his eyes and following him—the insufferable, nosy creature he was—to talk with the Constella. If anyone could help him figure out how to break the cycle and free Idonea from this curse, it would be him.

“Constella, I have a few questions for you.”

“Ask away, Your Majesty.”

“What can you tell me about the sixth Cometa Couple?”

If he could figure out how this had happened, maybe he could discover how to break it.

Was it selfish of him to stop her from coming back again? Possibly. He couldn’t deny the thought of her coming back once more to pine after a so-called soulmate who had zero affection for her and no honor had him boiling with jealousy.

He might not be her first life or first husband, but he wanted to be her last.

The history of sudden, tragic deaths also gravely concerned him.

Nearly losing her once already… That terror and pain had been worse than any he’d taken from Idonea. Nyrunn wouldn’t be able to survive it if he actually did lose her.

“Ah, well, let's see. Agnarr's chosen was Ottar and Gytha's chosen was Idunn. The Constella in their lifetime recorded they were a well-suited couple, despite not having known each other beforehand. Idunn was quite taken with him. This was after the First Moon Elf Expansion, during the War of Iron between Chymes and Venefica, Gytha’s original homeland. We were quite close allies with Venefica at the time, so the witch kingdom was part of the entourage, given we were providing support against the alchemists. That was one of the few times we've had foreigners and humans witness the Cometa Couple. Thequeen that attended actually had ancestors who came from one of Gytha's ancestors. We were celebrating pushing the alchemists back, and of course Venefica had a vested interest in our magic being strengthened as well. That is the most notable thing about that life. Everything else went off without a hitch.”

But then, why would Idonea keep coming back if her first life had gone perfectly?

Why would she be cursed?

“How did the rest of the Cometa Couple's life go after that?”

Something was missing. There had to be more to the story.

“I'm afraid I don't know off the top of my head.” The Constella adjusted his grip on his reins, his arm still in a sling as well, not fully recovered from being broken despite the healer’s best efforts there as well. “I'd have to look at the records.”

“Then send word to one of your acolytes and have them send that information.”

“Your Majesty, forgive me if I'm overstepping, but why do you want to know what happened to them afterwards? All that matters is the ceremony.”

“If I wasn’t clear, that wasn’t a request, that was an order. Get me that information.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

Nyrunn began riding ahead and Frode quickly came up beside him. “So... what was that about?”

Nyrunn glared at him. The last thing he needed was Frode poking too closely to any of this. Idonea would never forgive him if anyone else found out the truth. He still wasn’t convinced she’d forgiven him for discovering it. He said, “Remember the part where I'm king and I owe no one any explanations as my word is law?”

Frode at least didn’t take the rejection to heart.

---