Page 122 of The Sovereign: Part One
He kissed me again, slower this time.Then, without a word, he swept me into his arms as he stood, and I let my head fall against his shoulder.
Maxim carried me through the Sablestone, up the stairs, into the soft light of my somna, and gently set me down on the edge of the bed as if I were something irreplaceable.He crouched in front of me, brushing a hand over my knee.“Four more nights,” he said again, this time at a whisper.“Just four.And then I’ll be with you, never to spend another moment at The Crèche again.”
I offered a strained smile, torn between acceptance and protest.
He leaned in, kissed my forehead, then my cheek, then hovered at my mouth.“One more,” he said, barely above a murmur.When he kissed me this time, it was all heat and heartbreak and longing, pressed into a single breath.
Then he stood, still watching me.“You’re the reason patience doesn’t feel like punishment.”
He backed out of the room and turned for the stairs, his footsteps becoming more distant with each step.I let myself fall against the bed and reached under the sheets, slipping my fingers beneath my waistband, allowing everything I felt for him to bloom throughout my body.
“You fight dirty,” he called from downstairs.
I covered my mouth with my free hand, laughter slipping through my fingers.The transport pulled away from the Sablestone like a breath released, and I exhaled with it.
Four days.I hated them.And yet, waiting felt easier when you’re chosen at the beginning of forever, instead of salvaged from the ruins of almost.
I only wish I’d known how fastalmostwas about to catch up.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The private convocation room Hecta had reserved for the Tethering Vows felt like an exception to everything Hyperion usually celebrated.There were no mirrored walls reflecting back endless versions of ourselves, no holography, no reactive transpane shimmering with overlays or pulsing ambient soundscapes.
Warm light pooled from a suspended halo fixture above a circular platform of muted stone.The walls, a pale taupe edged in ivory molding, curved gently around us like the pause before breath turns to words.Simulated candlelight flickered gently along the recessed wall niches and at the center of each low table, casting a golden shimmer over the ivory-and-stone floral arrangements—orchid, boneleaf, and pale vatra blooms—casting a golden hush over everything it touched.
And the air—cool and clean—carried the unmistakable scent of white myrrh.
Through the sheer wall of transpane, The Citadel loomed, even from nearly two kilometers away.Its light shimmered like a pulse across the skyline—watchful, inescapable.It wasn’t meant to feel close, but it did.
Maxim had escorted me from our Sablestone to a small building within the Dominion complex, his hand either in mine or resting lightly against the small of my back each step of the way.He wore a tailored slate-gray suit with a crisp white shirt beneath, the top button left undone, no tie.Just enough to show he belonged in any room, but not enough to draw attention from me.His hair was freshly cut, and he’d trimmed his beard closer than usual, the sharp line of it setting off his jaw like a sculpture.I could feel every Sovereign, Supplicant, and Hiven glance at him as we’d crossed the atrium—even when they tried to hide it.First at him, then at me, curious to see who’d designed such perfection, and whether I measured up to the Sovereign they imagined he should belong to.
I wore a bone-colored dress with structured shoulders and a fluid wrap at the waist, belted with a single strand of brushed rose gold that caught the light when I turned.My hair was swept into a twist, settling into a low side bun, anchored with a delicate pin Maxim had helped me pick out weeks ago, perfectly matching the necklace he gifted me.
I felt whole.Ready.And terrified something would go wrong.
The room was warm with voices when we’d entered.Lourdes had laughed too loudly at something Leopold spoke low in her ear, and Roan was already leaning into Bellam, clearly trying to get her to smile the way he loved.She gave us a quick wave.Mina caught my eye from across the room, her smile already waiting—wide, radiant, and just shy of tears.The soft peach of her tunic dress glowed against her skin, the fabric catching light like it had been woven from morning itself.A few steps behind her, Papa stood with his hands folded, his joy subdued but no less present.
Avaryn reached me first, arms flung around my shoulders before I could speak.“You look unreal.Like someone carved you out of legacy and light.”
I laughed, clinging to her.“You’re on time, I’m impressed.”
“I had to make sure you didn’t bolt.”
I raised one brow.“You realize I’m the least likely person in this room to do that.”
She grinned, pulling back.“Maybe I just wanted to be here early enough to tease you about bolting.”
Maxim smiled at her.“Hello, Avaryn.”
Avaryn leaned into him for a quick hug, then winked at me.“It’s like squeezing one of the pillars of the Paragon.Aren’t you lucky.”
“Go sit,” I said with a laugh.“Don’t let Mina monologue.”
My eyes wandered to our mina, noticing she was standing alone.Papa was now standing in the corner of the room with Lev, in tense conversation.Papa was gesturing slightly with one hand, half-shielded by a sculptural column.Lev remained calm, composed, hands clasped lightly at his front as he listened.Papa’s expression was furrowed, the muscle in his jaw tight.I couldn’t hear their exchange, but I didn’t need to.Lev finally placed a steady hand on my father’s shoulder, said something short and definitive, and after a long pause, Papa nodded, satisfied with his answer.
Mina gently brushed Avaryn aside, her movement no more than a silken breeze, pausing just long enough to kiss her cheek before making her way to me.“You’re radiant,” she said to me, taking my face gently in both hands, glancing at Papa.“I remember ours like it was hours ago, how his hands trembled, how he couldn’t stop smiling.That day marked the beginning of every joy I’ve ever known.”Her eyes shimmered, her smile tender beneath it.“I’m so deeply happy for you, my darling.”
“Thank you, Mina,” I said.
