Page 65 of Final Installment
To her credit, she didn’t fight with him or make a snarky remark.She shifted to her knees and then grasped his hands.He steadied her as she stood, taking his chance to get a good look at her.
“Your hair,” he said apologetically.Carefully, he swept a few strands behind her ear.The fancy updo had survived mostly intact as had her makeup, but her dress was a disaster.He’d ripped the skirt when he fell on top of her, and there were grass and mud stains all over the fabric.
She glanced down at the ruined dress and then shrugged.“Well, I was never going to be the prettiest bride anyway.”
“Stop.”The command startled her.“I won’t hear that from you again.”
She arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow.“Already trying to control the way I think and speak?”
“If it means you won’t tear yourself down?Yes.”
Her gaze skipped to something behind him, and she gulped.“They’re all waiting for us.”
He glanced back to see Kristo and a priest at the kitchen door, watching and scrutinizing the scene.Realizing the priest could refuse to marry them, he beseeched, “Elona, please, for the love of God, don’t make this any harder than it has to be tonight.”
Her mouth quirked in a lopsided smile.“Tonight is the least of your worries, Luka.”
“I’ve been living my life twelve hours at a time for a long while now, Elona.Tonight is as far in the future as I can go.”
Her irritated expression softened.She almost looked as if she pitied him.“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”
He appreciated her Shakespeare quote, but he didn’t have enough command of the material to give one back.Instead, he held out his hand to her again.“Let’s get this over with before some other catastrophe arises.”
As if on cue, an explosion tore through the night, sending them both flying through the air.
Chapter Fifteen
Ittookamomentfor my rattled brain to understand what was happening.One second, I was staring up into Luka’s dark eyes, trying not to lose myself in the smoldering heat of them, and the next, I couldn’t focus.The concussive blast left me confused and disoriented as I blinked rapidly, staring up at the twilight sky, flat on my back again in the grass.
“Get up,” Luka commanded, roughly pulling at my arms.“Come on.”
My fight with him was forgotten.Now, we were in this together.I clung to him as I clambered to my feet and then used his arms for balance as I tugged off my heels.
“Good call,” he muttered before grabbing my hand and dragging me along behind him.Still trying to get my bearings after that blast, I followed his lead, trusting him to get us out of here alive.
All around us, people were screaming and running.Mostly staff, judging by the uniforms.The smoke billowing out of the building and rolling toward the dark sky helped fill in the gaps.A bomb had detonated inside the palace.With my family.And his.
“My sister!My brother!”I tugged at his hand.“We have to check on them!”
“My sister was in there, too.”He touched my face.“The building is on fire.We’re not going back inside to get burned alive.”
“But—.”
“I said no!”His grip tightened.“This way.”
I wanted to fight him, but he was right.It would have been suicide to run back into the building.The dense smoke filling the air made my lungs burn and eyes water.The heat from the towering flames flared across my skin, causing me to recoil in fear.
Keeping close to Luka’s side, I ran with him across the grounds of the mansion.Eventually, we reached the front and found dozens of people crying and screaming and shouting for help.I searched the crowd for my family and spotted my sister and brother.
Tearing away from Luka, I ran to them.“Dafina!Skender!”
“Oh, my god!You’re okay!”Dafina crushed me in her embrace.Her arms trembled as she clung to me.
“I’m okay.”I pushed her away to arm’s length and looked her over.“Are you okay?”My gaze settled on her belly.“The baby?”
“Fine?I think.”She curved both hands around her middle in a protective gesture.“We were almost out the door when it happened.I got thrown onto the steps.But otherwise, I think I’m fine.”She looked over at the hulking father of her baby.“Dus blocked most of the blast.”
Considering he was the size of a truck, I didn’t doubt it.He curled his beefy arm around her shoulders and hugged her close.Certain she was safe, I turned my attention to my brother.“Skender?”
