Page 48 of Return of the Darkness
Caellum did not blink back his tears as he watched his queen. She held a bouquet of irises in one hand, perfectly plucked from the surrounding field, while her other was looped with Taryn’s arm as he escorted her down the makeshift aisle. Taryn faded fromview, though, for Caellum only had eyes for Sadira as she glided through the flowers. Her gown appeared white from afar, but as she approached, he saw it was the palest sage. Caellum smiled. It matched the dress he had first seen her in as she had exited the carriage in Garridon for the very first time. The dress cinched at her waist, while the bodice accentuated her chest just so. White lace patterned its structure, fanning out into off-the-shoulder sleeves. The numerous, bunched folds where her skirts met her bodice cascaded into silk, embellished with white lace in the pattern of flowers. Caellum’s gaze trailed Sadira until they locked eyes. She beamed. Her curls hung over her shoulders, pulled back by what he knew would be a single green ribbon that matched the green of her eyes. A few curls were left to frame her face, and the crown of Garridon rested atop her golden hair, as it rightly should. The sun finally began to crest over the clifftops, it bathed Sadira in a warm, golden light. A breeze rustled through the irises, and a flight of white butterflies fluttered around the soon-to-be Queen of Garridon, whose delicate laugh melted into the music.
Taryn bowed to the king and extended his arm for Sadira to move her hand from his to Caellum’s. The pair turned to face one another in the centre of the archway. Behind them, Sir Cain stood with an open book. Caellum did not need to say she looked beautiful. He knew Sadira was aware as he watched her, mesmerised. Biting her lip, she glanced down briefly with a smile before looking up at Caellum again.
“We are gathered here today in intimate company to bless the marriage of Caellum Balfour, King of Garridon, and Sadira Mordane, soon to be Queen of Garridon. I have only wed two people before, two people who meant just as much to me as the two of you do now, not only to myself but the entire realm.” Caellum smiled. “So, I will read the sacred words I once recited at your parents’ wedding.” Caellum tore his gaze from Sadira to look at Sir Cain. Emotion brimmed in his commander's eyes, and a slight crack broke his voice as the eight birds settled atop the archway above. “Do you promise to nurture your marriage with the same intent the god of this realm once did in its creation?” At the same time, Sadira and Caellum said, ‘“I do,” prompting Sir Cain to continue his questioning until all but one remained unanswered.
“When your union faces stormy weather that might threaten to uproot all you have created together, do you promise to brace through that storm, side by side? When sickness invades the mind or body of the other, do you promise to be a healer, comforter, and friend? Do you promise to love one another from this day until your dying breath?”
“I do,” Sadira and Caellum said for the final time, a smile on both of their faces. A sniff sounded from behind, where Taryn stood watching his king and now queen.
“It is my… greatest honour”—Sir Cain no longer hid his emotion as tears clogged his throat—“to pronounce you husband and wife, king and queen, partners in this life and the next. Cal.” Sir Cain grinned. “You may kiss your queen.” Caellum wasted no time in solidifying the display of his marriage and his hands gripped Sadira’s waist as he pulled her into him, prompting her to lock her hands behind his neck, bringing them closer. When their lips interlocked, he wished they could stay in this moment forever.
***
The crashing waves against the cliffs below almost drowned Sadira’s laughter as strawberry juice dripped down her chin. Caellum caught the drip with his finger before it could fall and stain her chest. Sadira watched him lick the red juice from his fingertip.
“I could not eat another thing,” she sighed, shifting to lie on the blanket. Caellum pushed aside the platter of Sadira’s favourite foods: strawberries, honey cakes, peaches, and jam-coated pastries. Downing the remnants of the sparkling celebratory wine, he lay down beside her, and together, they stared up at the sky as it slowlylost its pink hue. It would not be long before they had to abandon their moment of blissful solitude.
“There is a tradition in the Wiccan culture on days like this,” Sadira murmured, tracing circles on Caellum’s hand. He hummed in silent question, watching the clouds float above them. “Each family presents a piece of fabric from their home. The pieces are woven together and tied around the couples’ hand, signifying the creation of a new family.” A sad lilt entered Sadira’s voice at the wordfamilyas the realisation dawned—they only had each other. His family were gone, and Sadira had yet to untangle her many thoughts and feelings about Soren. Not wanting Sadira to feel the absence of her family, Caellum reached for his jacket and tore off the sleeve. After ripping it again to form one longer strip of green velvet, he turned on his side and dangled the fabric between them.
“Will this do?” he asked. Sadira’s eyes watered, but she grinned and reached for the hem of her dress. Caellum did not laugh at her frustration. Instead, he dropped his piece of fabric and reached for her gown, easily tearing off a small strip. “Show me.” Caellum wiped at Sadira’s stray tear, and then lay back on his side, watching the sunrise behind her, depicting his queen as a painting he would hang in every room of their castle. Sadira gently knotted the two pieces of fabric together and pulled Caellum’s hand from his side, balancing it in the air between them. She traced the lines on his palm before sliding her hand into his and wrapping the fabric around them, securing the knot under Caellum’s wrist with a giggle.
“It is not as easy without an extra pair of hands.” Yet she continued wrapping until it was complete. “And so, the Mordane and Balfour families are bound together. My home is your home, my heart is your heart, and my life is yours from this day until we part.” Sadira leant down to Caellum to place a gentle kiss on his lips, one which quickly deepened.
“We may not have our families,” Caellum murmured as Sadira pushed him onto his back and crawled on top of him. “But thiscelebrates us, the family we have become and will be.” Caellum wove his hand into her hair, prompting a groan from Sadira as she lifted the skirts of her dress to press against him with more ease. Caellum tightened his grip on her hair before trailing it down her body to drift under her skirts, clenching the soft skin of her thighs. Sadira pulled back. Her breathing was rushed as hair fell over one shoulder, and a glow returned to her eyes. A shadow fell over them as Sadira grew a row of bushes behind the pair, shielding them from view until it was only them in the field of irises on the cliffs overlooking the ocean.
“I love you,” Sadira murmured, resting a palm against his cheek. Caellum kissed her before pulling back.
“I will love you for eternity. There is no war, no threat of darkness, no death that could ever keep me from holding you in my heart forever. And when we are but seeds returned to the earth, I will find you again. Our love will bring us together in every lifetime.”
Sadira deepened their kiss and brushed her hands against Caellum’s as he stroked her inner thighs. She reached for the waistband of his trousers and gripped him, trailing kisses along his neck. He inhaled sharply and squeezed Sadira’s hand, still bound to his. She moved back and forth over him, a tantalising depiction of what was yet to come. A delicate sigh drifted from Sadira’s lips as she lowered herself onto him, causing Caellum’s eyes to roll back in pleasure. And when he finally opened his eyes again, he saw Sadira’s crown glinting in the rising sun as she rose and fell above him: his wife, his queen—his. When she opened her eyes, they softly glowed, but no sign of her power manifested. He did not question it, even when the glow matched the shimmer to her skin. Caellum simply watched his queen, savouring every moment. Gripping harder onto Sadira’s hip, he let her show just how much she loved him.
Chapter Thirty-One
Larelle
Standing at the ship’s bow, the ocean spray coated Larelle’s hair as she gracefully swayed her hand to hurry the ships through the waters. Larelle had left at first light, along with Alvan, Zarya, Olden, and Lillian. While Zarya had slept peacefully in an armchair amongst the books at the church, Alvan had kept watch of the shadowed soldiers in the pews and insisted Larelle should sleep too. While she had occasionally dosed on and off at the table, leaning her head in her hands, her mind was still distracted as Vivian scribbled away in her book. The soldiers had not attempted the door leading to their hiding place. In fact, they did not stay long in the church at all. Though Larelle soon realised, from the distant screams throughout the night, that the shadows had encountered some of her people. Far fewer citizens graced the streets when they left Mera that morning.
Larelle looked right, noticing a blonde head of hair on the neighbouring ship. Sadira stood with her arm around Caellum, who bowed his head over the side. Clearly, he was not one for boats. The green sails of Garridon’s ship billowed with the wind as Larelle urged the ocean under them. She had spotted their approach not long after leaving The Bay. Larelle hoped her letter had reached Nyzaia and she, too, was headed for the Unsanctioned Isle.
Larelle smiled when Alvan wrapped an arm around her waist and planted a kiss on her cheek. “You seem very at ease up here,” he said, and Larelle sighed, leaning into him as she continued motioning with her hands.
“I rarely use my powers on a daily basis.” Larelle tried to recallthe last time she had done so outside of the battlefield, but her only recollection was the meeting with her lords, where she forced a man to choke on water. He appeared to have forgotten it, though, when Larelle gathered with the lords again before leaving for the church. If he—or anyone—tried to question her crown again, she would have no qualms about reminding them of her power.
“You should practise something every day,” Alvan said. “While you need little practice, given the extent of your power, it might be a good habit to form, especially as you enjoy it so much.” Larelle hummed in agreement as they banked the final corner of Vala’s borders to where the Unsanctioned Isle appeared in the distance, appearing as a blur of red trees this far away. Larelle squinted at what appeared to be the sails of a Keres boat, but they were too far to be certain.
“I’m going to check on Olden,” Larelle said, kissing Alvan gently before walking to the other end of the ship, intending to spend some time with him now they had reunited after the day at the church. His tiredness worried her. She wanted to ensure there was nothing else wrong in case they required a healer, but when Larelle reached the end of the ship, she found Olden asleep on a wooden bench with a blanket draped over his legs. The wind whipped at his grey hair, and a small smile graced his lips as he slept atop the waves. Larelle stooped and kissed his forehead before sitting beside him in silence, savouring the moment of peace before their journey continued.
***
It did not take much longer for the boats to sail closer to the shores of the Unsanctioned Isle and for Larelle to confirm the ship ahead was indeed from Keres and hurry it along. Wielding the waves, Larelle guided the three ships along the sandbank, alongside one that bore Vala’s vigil. Vlad already stood on the shore, waiting forthem to disembark.
“Vlad, it’s good to see you,” greeted Alvan, gripping the commander’s arm. Vlad smiled and bowed as Larelle approached. His blonde hair had grown so much it nearly reached his shoulders; his beard was much fuller compared to their last encounter, and the circles beneath his eyes darker. Etchings of a constant frown appeared on his brow. The new commander was evidently exhausted in his queen’s absence.
“How are things in Vala?” Larelle asked as Alvan gently lowered her from the ship’s ladder onto the sparkling black sands, a reminder of the night sky. Vlad’s smile wavered at the question.
“With Eli gone, the lords are trying to force their hands to rule. I’m trying to hold them off, but I’m outnumbered if she doesn’t return soon or at least contact them.”
“And the shadows?” asked Alvan. “Have you had any of her soldiers arrive on your shores?” Vlad nodded grimly, just as Sadira and Caellum reached them.
