Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 105132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105132 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
She stared at him, mostly because she had never seen him laugh, and to see and hear it for the first time shocked her. As did the idea that he would make her his queen. It just was not possible.
“I love you, Adira, and you love me.”
She didn’t deny it. She couldn’t, she truly loved him.
“You will be my wife and my queen—” He released her hands to wrap his arm around her waist as he stepped closer and drew her against him. “I will have no other. You are the only woman I want, and will have, beside me for the rest of my life.”
Tears trailed down her cheek.
Dravic wiped them away. “And if you never heal another person, it matters not to me.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“You heard me. You never have to raise anyone from the dead again. You never have to use whatever power is inside you unless you choose to.”
Adira stared at him. He meant it. She could see the truth of his words in the dark blue of his eyes and feel it in his heart, and that made everything hurt more.
The problem was that she no longer knew the woman he loved.
This morning she had been Adira. Now she was Tharne’s daughter, Faith’s daughter, and the healer who could defy death.
Everyone seemed to know who she was except her.
Dravic kissed her gently. “Whatever else you need to understand, we will understand it together.”
Adira wished it could be that simple. She wished she could return to Caerith with him, sit beside his hearth, become his wife and his queen and let everything else disappear. But it wouldn’t disappear. The woman she had believed herself to be had been created by a spell. She needed to know what remained when the spell was gone.
Dravic stepped back and took her hand. “Come.”
She resisted, tugging at his hand. She did not want to return to the Great Hall and face everyone there. She was too confused, too angry, too uncertain.
His fingers tightened around hers. “I am with you, always.”
Adira stared at him, realizing something she had never given thought to, and it hurt her heart to think about it. She forced a smile and went with him.
Conversation stopped when they entered.
Faith immediately stepped forward, but Tharne caught her arm before she could go any farther.
Dravic led Adira to the center of the room and stopped. He looked first at Tavish, then glanced around at everyone gathered there.
With a commanding voice, he announced, “Adira will be my queen.”
Tavish’s eyebrows rose.
Dravic turned to him. “When we return to Caerith, Tavish, you will see that preparations begin immediately for our wedding and the celebration that follows.”
Tavish stared at him.
Dravic waited for him to argue, to tell him that was not possible. But he was king and it was his decision, whether Tavish agreed or not. So, he was surprised when he heard.
“I will see it done, my king.”
Dravic nodded, satisfied and pleased that Tavish did not object.
Faith took another step toward Adira. “My daughter—”
Adira shook her head and pulled her hand from Dravic’s. She hurried past Faith and Tharne and headed for the stairs.
Dravic did not stop her. He understood she needed time and he would make sure she got it, though not from him.
“Adira, please talk with me,” Faith called out.
Adira didn’t stop, didn’t look back.
Tharne started after her.
“Leave her be,” Dravic ordered.
Tharne turned sharply toward Dravic. “She is my daughter.”
“Aye. And she has learned more about herself today than anyone should be expected to accept without question. Adira will speak with both of you when she chooses to do so.”
Tharne gave a reluctant nod, then stepped toward Dravic, keeping his voice low. “You may be a powerful king, but Adira’s power far surpasses yours. You may want to think about that before making her your wife.”
Later that evening, Dravic found Adira in the bedchamber that had been given to them. She stood at the window, staring out into the darkness.
He closed the door behind him. Adira did not turn, though he knew she heard the click of the latch.
He crossed the room and slipped his arms around her waist from behind. She immediately leaned back against him. That simple response eased some of the concern that had followed him up the stairs.
“I wondered if you intended to hide from me as well.” He leaned his head down, his warm breath brushing the tip of her ear. “But you would know I would never allow that, so it was not a concern.”
She smiled, hearing the king in him and shook her head.
“Good. You agree, but then I knew you would. We know each other well.” He kissed her temple again. “Your father had something interesting to say after you left.”
Adira turned in his arms, anxious to hear what Tharne had said to him.