Page 71 of Wrath of the Dragons
Power I’ve never felt blooms in my blood, unfurling like the first blossoms of spring. I can tell Cayden feels it too from the faint trace of surprise on his face. The flames around us burn higher, and the rushing water grows louder. The feeling within me grows stronger, zinging through me like lightning, but it doesn’t hurt. It makes me feelalive.
The earth rumbles beneath our feet and the pull I feel to Cayden grows stronger.
The cults’ singing becomes more powerful.
My heart feels as if it’ll burst from my chest.
My palms burn where our cuts press together and the world around us goes dark.
Asena steps forward to pull our hands apart. Our cuts are healed, and no blood remains on our skin, but in its place are markings. Thin, golden swirls trail around my fingers and meet at the center of my palm like a star. The same design is reflected on the back of my hand and stops just above my wrist. Mine are more delicate than Cayden’s thick black markings in an identical design, and his seem to travel around my name inked on his finger.
“You didn’t tell me the ceremony would mark us,” I say, not that I’m complaining. They’re beautiful.
“It wasn’t supposed to,” Asena mutters, looking to Ophir in disbelief before dropping my hand to address the crowd. “A divine union!”
“An eclipse!” someone calls out.
“The gods have spoken,” Ophir shouts. “To be an enemy of House Veles is to be an enemy of the gods.”
I recall what Asena told me about the God of the Sun and Light—his possessiveness of dragons and hatred for the goddess she believes blessed me, and Ophir believes Cayden to be blessed by the God of Death, Water, and the Moon. An uneasy feeling settles within me as sunlight splays around us again. I may not worship the gods, but the markings…and the eclipse…they unsettle me.
I shove the feeling aside, needing to complete the task at hand with the eyes of Ravaryn on me. There is no room for mistakes.
“You may kiss the bride,” Ophir says.
Cayden places his hands on my cheeks to tilt my head up and presses his lips to mine.
Gods, I’ve missed this.
He cradles my face as if I’m the most precious thing in the world and kisses me as if he longs to taste my soul. The crowd cheers wildly, tossing flower petals while Cayden keeps a firm hold on me. When his lips are on mine, I know what it is to be craved by a person. It’s like he’s starved for my touch whenever we’re apart and savors every second he has me like it’ll be his last. He parts my lips slowly, kissing me like we have all the time in the world, but pulls away far too quickly. Our eyes meet, and it becomes apparent to me that though people have looked at me before, they’ve neverseenme. He sees all that I am, and all I can become, and wants it all.
“It is my honor to present King Cayden and Queen Elowen Veles of Vareveth! Long may they reign,” Asena cheers.
“Long may they reign,” the crowd echoes.
Chapter
Thirty-six
Elowen
My dress shimmers and flowsaround me as Cayden leads us through the steps of our first dance. He moves as he always does, practiced and controlled, and he lifts me off the ground so easily that I feel weightless. Our hands lock in front of my face when the final note is struck, and he slowly lowers them to meet my gaze as couples flood the floor. My heart pounds within my chest, not from the dance but from the intensity within his eyes and the dominance that has cloaked him since he slid the ring on my finger.
The power that thrummed inside me during the ceremony has faded, but the markings haven’t. Mine glisten in the lantern light, whereas Cayden’s absorb it. Quite like the blade we used to cut our palms, which is now sheathed on Cayden’s thigh.
“Elowen Veles,” he murmurs in a gravelly tone, one dimple deepening when his lips quirk up on one side. He drags his tongue along his lip as if he loves the taste of it.
“The title of your greatest accomplishment.”
“Damn right.”
“Who should we deal with first?” All lords and ladies of Vareveth are present with the full horde of their houses, as well as several who accompanied the royals from Urasos and Feynadra, but we have no reason to converse with them aside from a polite greeting. After doingmore digging, I’ve learned that for the past two years Prince Hale of Urasos has made most of the decisions for the kingdom. I suppose he must find a balance between ruling in his father’s stead and remaining faithful to his wishes.
“Feynadra,” Cayden answers. “They don’t have any ties to either Imirath or Thirwen.”
I slide my arm through his, turning in the direction of the Feynadra party. They’re gathered at the base of the platform our thrones sit on, created by a team of stonemasons under the guidance of Asena and Ophir. A paneled window stretching behind them overlooks the snowy Seren Mountains. Mine is chiseled from moonstone with stars carved into it, and five dragons cut from the same stone branch off the chair. One takes flight above my head, and the other four are mirrored on either side. Cayden’s is made of obsidian with golden swords crossing at the top and a crescent moon at the center. They’re stunning on their own and made even more so by the two massive stone dragon heads mounted on either side, spilling water from their open mouths, lined with fangs, that collects in a pool beneath them.
A squire steps in front of the royals before we have the chance to introduce ourselves. “May I present King Lycidias Duskbane and Queen Nasha Duskbane of Feynadra.”
