Page 85 of Forged By Heart and Claws
“I hate not feeling close to you.” Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper.
“I never thought I’d say this, but even when I can’t feel you through the bond, you're still everywhere inside me. You are my constant, no matter what. My love for you is just as strong, if not stronger.”
Her eyes softened, catching what little light remained in the chamber. “When did you become so sentimental?” she teased, though her voice trembled. “You’re such a sweet talker.”
“You’ve turned me soft.” I stroked a strand of her copper hair between my fingers. “You arrived swinging, ready to set fire to my entire kingdom, and I told myself I wouldn’t fall. But you proved me wrong in every way that matters.”
A smile tugged at her lips.
“I cursed Fate,” I said softly, “but I owe her everything. Because she brought me you. And once this is over, once we’ve secured the kingdom and saved our family, I intend to spend every moment reminding you of just how much I adore you.”
Blushing, she tilted her head back with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. “I still don’t understand Fate, but I’m grateful too. You’re everything to me, Vad. I can’t fathom not having you in my life. I just wish I could’ve found you faster.”
That was all it took to undo me.
I kissed her, pulling her close, pouring every fear, every vow, every raw thread of devotion into her. Her breath hitched as my hands slid into her hair, cradling her like something precious, because she was that to me. She tasted of fortified wine and something that was all her own, wild and sweet and wholly mine. In that kiss, I gave her everything I couldn’t speak aloud—my terror of losing her and my desperate hope for the future we deserved together.
When we finally broke apart, she was breathless. Her lips were parted, her eyes wide and shining with desire. For one fleeting moment, the bond between us sparked bright and hot, pulsing like a second heartbeat in my chest.
I leaned in once more, pressing my forehead to hers. “That is a promise of everything waiting for us on the other side of this.”
Her lips brushed mine. “I love you, Vad.”
The words echoed through me, warming me despite the chill of the chamber. “And I love you, Briar. Always.”
I reluctantly released her and turned to face the others.
Thalen waited nearby, a smug grin tugging at his mouth with one brow arched like he’d caught us doing something scandalous. Veralt, in contrast, checked the edge of his new sword with quiet focus and tested its weight with a slow arc through the air. Elara had already resumed giving instructions, her voice strong despite the lingering edge of weariness in her posture.
“Are we ready?” I scanned them.
Thalen patted the satchel at his hip and folded his bandaged silver-white wings behind his back with more care than usual. “Only if you’re done whispering sweet nothings and don’t need another minute or two.”
Rhielle approached Veralt and tugged him down for a quick kiss. Her grip tightened on his tunic. “You take care of my girl and come back alive, you hear?”
“Of course.” He dipped his head and brushed his lips to her forehead, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “Anything for you, my heart.”
Thalen cast a playful glance over his shoulder toward Myantha, who was currently elbow-deep in a storage crate, hunting for rope. “I’ll see you again soon.”
She flushed, dropped the rope, and surged forward to kiss him fully. “Come back in one piece, please.”
“Returning with all limbs attached is officially a priority.” He winked.
I gave them a beat longer, then turned toward Briar and inclined my head toward the heavy stone door. “Let’s move. Time is not on our side.”
With a shove, I pushed open the slab, its weight grinding over the uneven floor. The sound echoed ominously into the cavernbeyond. I paused, letting the stillness settle. No noise, so I gave the signal to proceed.
The passage was short, barely a dozen steps, before it opened into the massive, jagged cavern. The air was colder here, sharper. Fragments of rock littered the path, courtesy of the most recent quakes that had cracked the foundations of the palace.
“Vad, I can’t see as clearly.” Briar's voice rose in panic. “I can make out a little, but it’s dim.”
I stepped around a particularly large boulder. “Watch your step.” I reached back for her.
She slipped her hand into mine. Her touch was steady, though I could still feel the fatigue and fear humming beneath her skin. Thalen followed, one hand resting lightly on her shoulder to help guide her over a loose patch of stone.
"Do you need me to get the lamp out?" Thalen asked. "We can light it here."
"No," Briar said, her voice tight. "I can see enough with Vad guiding me."
