Page 73 of Bonded to the Fallen Shadow King

She bit her lower lip and cut her eyes up at me. "How about a compromise? You walk me to the guards at the start of the guest hall."

"Very well." I kissed her fingertips again.

Silus looked incredibly annoyed, but I ignored him and walked Briar down the hall like the queen she would be, with my hand over hers even as it rested in the crook of my elbow. The way she glanced up at me and smiled set my blood ablaze. There were so many things for us to share. And when we reached the start of the guest hall and the guards, my heart ached at the thought of releasing her, but I had to. I could have one more kiss though.

Leaning down, I pressed my lips to hers briefly. “The next two hours are going to be torture, but seeing you again will make it all worthwhile.”

The smile she gave me could have made a statue melt. Unless that statue was Silus. He cleared his throat. I shot him a glare. When I returned my focus to Briar, she arched a brow at me. “No dancing with anyone else, got it? Well, Elara has a pass.”

I chuckled and found myself smiling too. “Not even she will distract me from completing the duties required to get back to you.” Under other circumstances, I might have teased Silus about ensuring Elara got to dance, but at the moment, I wasn't in the mood.

Briar placed her hands on my shoulders and gave me a small kiss on the cheek that practically made me dissolve. Then off she went, past the guards and down the hall. Soon, very soon, we would be together, and she would be back in my arms.

Silus’s expression became crestfallen as if he’d let his own mask slip a little more. “Your family is as dear to me as my own, and I cannot in good conscience remain silent, Vad. I pray I am wrong. Just please…consider my warning.”

I shoved past him, not acknowledging his words. There wasn’t time to deal with this.

“Your father chose someone whom neither council approved of. Don’t you think that perhaps your mother’s death—”

I halted, every nerve in my body sharpening. A growl rose within me. “You need to stop before you say something we’ll both regret.”

“But if I’m right, and I don’t speak my concerns, then I’m doing a disservice to all of us.” He stomped his foot. “She’s not made for this realm, Vad. And if you go through with this, you’ll be putting your kingdom at risk. You need to tell her you were wrong–”

I pivoted toward him and gripped both of his shoulders. “Iwillmarry Briar. She will be my queen. If the kingdom struggles with the decision, Briar and I will determine how best to address ittogether. I am notwrong, and if you speak against her again, the value I place in your words may be at risk. Doyouunderstand?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he set his jaw and glared.

Well, at least I’d warned him of the repercussions.

I kept going and soon spotted my father on the landing of the ballroom. Mercifully, no one was near him, and Silus disappeared into the crowd. My father had a contemplative smile on his face that I wasn't sure how to read. I approached him, the warmth of the ballroom and its myriad scents enveloping me. “Silus said you were ready to retire?”

He nodded, the shadows heavy over him. “Yes. I was going to retire for the night, but I think I’d like to walk in your mother’s garden for a while. It feels right.”

Tears pricked at the backs of my eyes, and a knot formed in my throat. Emotion pulled me into a gentler place, and my voice softened. “It is beautiful there.” It was an hour till midnight, so the moon lilies would still be open. Those had been her favorites.

“Yes, it always was.” His eyes became glassy. “Briar reminds me so much of her. So similar and yet distinct. I can see how she might fit within this family." He paused, his voice thickening. "It hurts so deeply to remember your mother that sometimes I still can't bear it. I never healed from the loss. I still can’t say I even fully know how to exist without her. Over the years, I've tried so hard not to think about her because of the pain, but...there is still a measure of joy in the bittersweetness of remembering her. Briar is a rare gem and one you should treasure and protect at all costs.”

He rubbed the spot over his heart. “Vad, I've tried so many times to tell you this, but I've never found the words until now. You shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened that night. It wasn’t your fault, and your mother wouldn't blame you either. It was her choice, and had I been in her shoes, I would have done the same. It’s hard for me to see you sometimes, but not because you are a disappointment. It’s because you remind me so much of her and that I wasn't there for her. Your eyes—they are so like hers." He turned his face away as tears rolled down his cheeks. He reached up and wiped them away. "I wish your mother could have been here tonight. Perhaps she was in spirit."

Silus's words rang in my ears as my father started toward the garden. "Father, did you...I don't know how to ask this." My hands balled into fists once more as I tried to swallow the thickness in my throat. "Did you ever regret not following the wishes of the councils? Do you think that...that..." I couldn't finish the question. That was enough. His answer wouldn't change what I did, but I needed to know.

Part of me expected my father to react with anger. I would have understood if he had.

But he simply looked back at me and shook his head. "The only people I blame are the ones who killed her, and my only regret is that I could not stop them or make them suffer more. I'd have defied the will of the councils and of Fate herself if it meant being with your mother. I can never regret choosing her. Loving Valora was the best choice I ever made in my life, and I would endure all the pain again just for another night with her." He dipped his head forward then and left.

As my father walked away, a strange sensation twinged within me like a warning.

Briar

The memory of Vad’s smile stayed locked in my mind. My heart fluttered as I remembered how he’d made sure Silus saw that I was his and how Vad hadn’t let our bodies separate until we’d had to part ways. I’d wanted to tease him about his hair being a little messy, but I hadn’t wanted to risk him fixing it. It was a reminder of what we’d just promised each other, and I couldn’t wait to mess it up more.

The buzzing that ran through me everywhere we touched had intensified and vibrated straight into my heart. I didn’t understand how it was possible, but Vad being my fated mate made even more sense to me with every second.

Guards lined the hallways every ten feet, standing still as statues.

My heart pumped hard as I scurried toward my room. I couldn’t believe that Vad felt the same way about me that I did for him, and for the first time since my parents’ death, I feared I might combust with happiness. I couldn’t wait for Vad and me to visit my sister and tell her everything.

Just as I reached my bedroom door, a soft thump strangled cry drifted out of Rhielle’s room. My stomach dropped, and I spun around to view her door. She’d been feeling so ill; something worse must have happened. Maybe she had fallen.

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