AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Then he grabbed my hand, cutting a straight line in the same spot to match his. The blade stung as it dragged from pinky to thumb. I jerked slightly at the touch and bit my lower lip to prevent any sound from coming out. I would not appear feeble while everyone was watching me. If Sie could cut his own palm without flinching, I could certainly have mine cut without wincing too. A rank zero could be just as strong as a rank five.
My jaw dropped as Sie brought my bloody hand up to his lips. Hislips. He took a long sip of my blood before bringing his hand to my mouth. Following his lead, I cupped my free hand over his and drank. I expected to gag, to have a curdling feeling hit my stomach as soon as his blood sank into my mouth, but I didn’t. It tasted sweet, like wine.
I tried not to focus on the lingering drop of my own blood that settled on Sie’s lower lip as his tongue swiped out of his mouth and licked it up.
The priest ushered us to join hands so our blood could flow into one another. I didn’t feel anything different as our hands came together, but being this close to Sie, I felt the urge to kiss him. It left me feeling dizzy and energized and breathless all at the same time.
I tried to mask what his closeness was doing to me. I tried to focus on my breathing, bringing it back down to a normal pace. In through my nose, out through my mouth. Could Sie feel this too? Did he want to kiss me?
King Lunder grabbed a delicate cream cloth with gold etches sewn into it replicating the twin moons and wrapped it around our hands, tying us together.
“The blood oath has been done. The blood bond is set,” the priest declared.
Panic rose in me at his words. What the heck did we just do?
“You may now kiss your bride,” the priest continued.
Sie turned his body to face me completely as he bent down slowly. His lips pressed into mine with such softness, unlike our kiss in the bathroom. This felt different, more gentle, aware of all the eyes on us. Whereas the bathroom kiss had been urgent and aggressive like we couldn’t get enough of each other.
His bloody hand tightened around mine as his other reached for my neck. My lips parted for his tongue as it made its way into my mouth. Slowly grazing over my teeth at first, before exploring and meeting my own tongue.
I leaned forward on the tips of my toes to reach him better, to feel his lips harder against mine, to give him better access. For a moment, he matched my needs. I forgot where I was as his lips moved faster before he pulled away.
It wasn’t enough. I wanted more. I still felt breathless and dizzy from whatever blood bond thing we were forced to carry out. My body felt like it was electrified and awake, but I knew it was because of him. I wanted him. Ineededhim.
I fell back down hard on my feet, wincing slightly as the pain in my thigh throbbed from the impact. Everyone in the crowd watched. Sie removed his hand from my neck. Our bloody hands were still wrapped together as he turned to face the crowd.
“I now pronounce you bound to one another. Please join me in welcoming for the first time, Prince and Princess Noren.” Everyone rose and clapped, breaking the unnerving silence that followed our kiss. We made our way down the aisle with our hands still bound—a trail of blood left in the wake of where we stood. I had no idea what we’d just done, but I got the feeling it wasn’t normal for a wedding ceremony, even a royal one.
THIRTY
SCOTLIND
Within minutes,the throne room was rearranged to accommodate dining and dancing for the reception that would follow.
We were told our hands had to remain bound for an hour for the blood bond to set, so two thrones were placed on the dais for us to sit on. It was uncomfortable holding Sie’s hand for so long, and no one had told me the purpose of the bond. I kept replaying the exchange Peter gave Sie as he moved to stand behind us. He didn’t say anything to either of us as everyone formed a line to congratulate us, but I swore the pair shared a silent conversation.
It wasn’t until the silver-haired male from earlier approached the dais that I noticed Sie sitting up straighter. Stiffer. Broader. A younger looking male and female flanked the Lux King’s side. The female was petite. She appeared even smaller than me, and my height was unheard of for an Advenian. They all had the same hair coloring that matched their eyes, but where the King had only flecks of silver in his eyes, the two younger Advenians’ eyes were completely silver. It was like looking at glowing molten metal.
“Prince Noren, let me introduce you to King Arcane Xandrin the Seventh of Lux,” someone from below the dais spoke, breaking the tension.
“The pleasure is all mine, King Arcane. This is my wife, Scotlind Noren,” Sie said, his voice low and smooth.
It was weird hearing him say Noren instead of Rumor, but I didn’t have much time to process it as the King of Lux turned his gaze to me. He looked me over slowly, pausing slightly at Sie’s and my bound hands. My fingers flexed unwillingly against Sie’s grasp. I could still feel his blood against mine, warm and sticky. I shifted in my seat.
“A true beauty. You are one lucky male,” the King purred after a long moment before meeting my eyes again. “And those eyes. How striking. A true rarity amongst your Tennebris Kingdom, I presume. Keep her on a close chain.”
I started shaking. Could he tell that my eyes were Luxian? He offered a smile before continuing, “May I introduce to you my eldest son and heir to the throne, Prince Arcane the Eighth and my lovely daughter Princess Dovelyn.”
The King gestured to the male and female by his side. Both bowed slightly at the acknowledgement. Their silver eyes penetrated through me, so hot that I thought I was melting.
The King continued, either unaware of my panic or he just didn’t care, “Unfortunately, my youngest could not attend the ceremony as he has diplomatic affairs to attend to. But he sends his regards and is looking forward to meeting with you both at your upcoming coronation.”
Prince Arcane spoke next. His voice was soft and light compared to his father’s. “You look beautiful, Princess Noren. Congratulations to you both.”
Princess Dovelyn didn’t say anything as she stared between us, and I couldn’t muster any words to say back. Something about her assessing gaze was unsettling. It was somewhere between awe and disgust and I didn’t know what to make of it.
I thought I would feel something. I thought I would feel at home looking upon them, knowing I was the same and that I belonged to their Kingdom, not Sie’s.
