Page 50 of Enchanted Crown
“You will tell me whatever she needs? How I can best help her heal and adjust?”
Malachi gave me a nod. “You know I will, but I think you will know even better than me.”
Because he thought she would have my magic or because he thought our bond would tell me?
Malachi continued, “This is the next step, Keir. Don’t overthink it. Yes, the steps after this one are unknown. And that’s intimidating. But this next one, not all the ones in front of it, justthis one, it is the right one. For both of you.”
I moved to give him a hug. “Dammit, I don’t know what I would do without your pep talks.”
A knock sounded on the door. Esta was back. Jorah hadinsistedon having her get ready with her attendants and whisked her away this afternoon. This was not a wedding or start of a marriage, and at the same time, it was also weighted. It was irreversible. The start of something which would alter both Esta and me. For the better.
“I’ll give the two of you five minutes,” Malachi told me before shooting me a glare. “Fiveonly. Not a minute more.”
“Got it,” I laughed.
He opened the door to leave and swapped with Esta, the door closing softly behind him. Esta looked gorgeous in a black dress which somehow mimicked the purple and blue iridescent tint to her scales. I knew she’d had a dress made for this, but I hadn’t seen it. Come to think of it, she’d been tight-lipped about it other than telling me she was bringing a gown. And I was glad. Because this surprise was well worth the damn wait.
“You are stunning.” My voice sounded as if she’d stolen every breath from my lungs. The truth was, with her looking likethat, I would let her steal that from me and so much more.
“We will be late should you keep perusing me like that. Are you ready?”
“Yes, but there is something I need to say first.”
Her bright green eyes bore into my own as she tilted her head.
I took a step forward to grab her hand, any piece of her I couldtouch. “I know we are not about to be married. Traditionally in Wylan, there would be vows before there would be bloodied palms. While I did not write a vow to you, I’d like to offer you this before we head down.”
“Keir.” The way in which she said my name in that moment would stay with me. As if she wasn’t quite sure if she wanted to scold me, stop me, or kiss me.
So I didn’t give her the option of saying a thing more. “You have carved out my heart and reformed it, Esta. With your every smile, your wit, your strength—both in this form and your other. It is no longer fully my own, but yours to wield. So take it. Take whatever you need of me until we get to the space where rather than my end and your beginning, we are instead two strong heart beats of the same rhythm.”
A tear slipped down her cheek as she whispered, “I love you.” She wrapped her hands around my neck, leaning in to brush a gentle kiss to my lips. “I love you so damn much.”
“And I love you, no matter what is about to happen down there, Es.”
She sniffed and gave me a little smile, her one dimple there and gone. “No vows you could ever write me will ever top what you just said to me. Save them.”
“Save them?”
She smiled brilliantly. “For when we can get married.”
“But I haven’t even officially asked you to marry me,” I laughed.
“You haven’t. And at the same time, you have.”
Hand in hand, we headed down to the meadow. To whatever awaited.
The moonlight hitEsta’s dress and made it sparkle. She was the night sky, dazzling and stunning even in the darkest of moments.
“Are you both ready?” John asked me nicely. River was there but standing back, giving us space.
I looked to Esta.
She smiled at me. One of those rare ones that felt reserved for just me. “I am whenever you are.”
“I will let you sleep it off in my room,” I reminded her. “Safely. I won’t leave your side.”
She laughed. “Don’t be silly. You have to eat. See your family.” Then her hand was on my jacket, tugging me closer. She planted a hard kiss to my lips. “I don’t know about Wylan or Dra Skor, the entire realm for that matter, but the two of us? We are going to be just fine, Keir.”
