Page 100 of Kiss of Ice

They met each other’s gaze and Ren could practically feel the hatred crackling through the air between them. Then the priest directed Salaq to a seat and at long last, he let go of her arm.

She exhaled shakily and glanced at Kam. His face was impassive once more.

He didn’t look at her again until the priest performed the binding ritual. They held each other’s hands and repeated the words they were given as a silken tie was draped symbolically over their wrists.

It should have been romantic, reciting words of promise as they looked into each other’s eyes, but Ren was miserably aware none of it meant anything to Kam.

They then stood motionless for a long time as the priest chanted ancient ceremonial words to bless their union. Ren’s side began to ache as the insensa wore off. She longed to sit down but there were songs to be sung and poems to be read, and she knew the pomp was an inescapable part of the wedding.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot as the words droned on. More than ever, she wished she’d eaten breakfast. Her head began to thump as her blood sugar fell.

Suddenly, the priest was telling Kam he could seal the marriage with a kiss.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips briefly to hers. It was so perfunctory, so impersonal, she could have cried.

But the congregation roared its approval with a thunderous clapping of hands and stamping of feet, and the band burst into music again. The viewing crystals bobbed and weaved around them, and she remembered to plaster a smile onto her face.

Then they walked down the aisle, still bound at the wrist, and into the waiting carriage outside the temple.

And just like that, they were married.

Forty Two

Ren sank into the seat with a sigh of relief. The silken bond fell to the floor of the carriage. Neither of them picked it up.

“You let your father walk you down the aisle?” Kam’s voice was low and vicious, a complete contrast to the smile on his face as he waved at the crowds.

“I didn’t ‘let’ him. He insisted. And anyway, people would have expected it.”

Ren pressed a hand to her side, trying not to wince.

“You could have said no. You know how I feel about him.”

“Then you should have thought of that before you begged me to marry you,” she snapped. Her head was aching and the lack of food was making her nauseous. “What do we still have to do?”

“An appearance on the balcony to wave at the public. Then the wedding reception in the Grand Ballroom. Don’t worry, my queen. The torture will soon be over.”

She’d never heard him so bitter before and lapsed into silence.

Kam turned away from her and waved at the crowds as they were driven back to the palace, struggling to contain his feelings.

When he’d first laid eyes on her in the temple, he’d thought his heart would stop. He’d never seen anything so beautiful in his life. And the knowledge that she would be his wife, his Empress, had left him weak.

Shade had been right. He hadn’t known love before. Not really. What he’dthoughtwas love was a pale facsimile of the real thing.

And then he’d seen Salaq, and was powerless to stop the rage and hatred boiling through his core. The Marid was like a toxin, tarnishing everything Kam wanted. And Ren… Ren was clearly still in her father’s thrall. Even though she knew what he’d done to Kam. All her words last night about not wanting to see him get hurt… they’d just been a shallow ruse.

They drove through the gates onto the palace grounds and the crowd fell behind them. Kam allowed the fake smile to drop from his face.

“We won’t have to spend much longer on this charade,” he said without looking at Ren. “People will assume we want to be alone together. Maybe ten minutes on the balcony, twenty at the reception.”

Ren nodded. The pain in her side had ratcheted to a crescendo. She could manage half an hour, she thought. Then she’d seek out Ruth for more insensa root.

The footmen opened the carriage doors and Kam hopped out. Ren was slower, trying to ease her full skirt through the opening. Kam took her arm and she had to fight the inclination to sag against him in exhaustion.

The palace staff were lined up in front of the main entrance. They greeted the newly-weds with a round of applause led by Zelen.

“Congratulations, your Majesties. The balcony is ready for you.”

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