Page 146 of The Princess and Her Grand King

Beaming, Aekeira gestured toward the chair.

Emeriel took her seat, swallowing hard as her eyes met their reflection in the mirror.

For the first time, she noticed something different about her sister. A radiant glow seeming to shine from deep inside.

Aekeira had been smiling since she’d walked through the door, looking so contented.

Her sister was… happier. Truly and completely happy.

Emeriel cleared her throat. “Tell me about you and Lord Vladya. How is his… health?”

Aekeira brushed her hair, the bristles gliding in gentle strokes from root to tip. “It’s gotten much better. There are still days when things are hard—when his episodes are really bad. The voices in his head grow stronger, and his beast becomes ruthless. But we have learned to navigate those days together, better than before.”

Her strokes faltered, the brush pausing mid-air as the light in her eyes dimmed. “Even so, those days, though rare, remind me of the inevitable… that he won’t always be here.”

Emeriel balled her hands into fists in her lap.

She wanted to rise, to wrap her sister in the kind of hug that could chase away the pain in her voice. But hesitation rooted her in place.

I haven’t hugged her to comfort her in over two years. How do I start now?

Aekeira took a deep breath, her eyes clearing, the heavy misery leaving her. “But we won’t let days like that rule our lives—or his."

The sadness ebbed from her voice as she resumed brushing. "He asked me to bond with him, and I said yes.”

Emeriel’s head snapped up.

She turned sharply, her wide eyes locking onto her sister. “You mean Lord Vladya asked you to be his mate? To perform the bonding ritual and everything?”

Aekeira gave an enthusiastic nod, smiling widely.

Emeriel stared, the weight of the revelation settling over her like a storm breaking on the horizon. She didn’t know all the details of the bonding ritual, but Lord Vladya’s history with it was infamous.

The idea that he was willing to give this relationship with Aekeiraa true chance,to the point of committing to the ritual—was breathtaking. Incomprehensible.

No wonder my sister is so happy.

Emeriel rose slowly and crossed the room. Standing before Aekeira, she took her sister’s hand in hers, squeezing gently.

“I am so, so happy for you, Aekeira. It brings me immense joy to see you like this. You deserve it, after everything you have been through.”

Reaching out, she tucked a stray strand of Aekeira’s hair behind her ear with a tenderness that felt both foreign and familiar. “This was my only dream for so long. That you would find happiness with a male who truly loves and cherishes you. A male who could put this kind of light in your eyes and smile on your face.” Her lips curved into a tiny smile. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think that male would be Grand Lord Vladya.”

Aekeira nodded too, staring at their intertwined hands.

“Not the day that terrifying lord stood in Navia’s court, holding your cheeks and examining you with such disgust. Certainly not in those first months after we arrived in Urai, when he looked at you with hatred so strong it was frightening. And definitely not the day he punished you in court—or later that night in his private chambers.”

Tears filled Aekeira’s eyes, her voice trembling as she spoke. “We have come a long way, have we not?”

Emeriel nodded, a bittersweet smile on her lips. “Truly, love is found in the most unexpected places. I’m so genuinely happy for you, Keira. If any male can take care of you and protect you, it’s him. This has made my night.”

“Do you know what made mine?” Aekeira looked up, her eyes glistening as a tear slipped down her cheek. “This. Us, together again. Me and you.” Her voice broke in a whisper. “You, Em. Seeing you like this again has made my entire night.”

Emeriel’s heart grew too heavy.

Aekeira, as always was never hesitant or stingy with her hugs and pulled Emeriel back into her arms. “Thank you for coming back to us. For coming back to me.” She leaned closer, her breath soft against Emeriel’s ear. “For so long, I was terrified I’d lost you forever.”

Emeriel’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so sorry I pushed you away. It’s been so hard, staying all these years with that distance between us, but…”I needed to survive.

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