“Then what do you want from me? I will heal your brother right now if it will prove whatever it is you want proven. You
want my loyalty? Here, have it!”
He pulled his black ring from his middle finger and placed it in my hand. Studying it, I saw that it bore the crest of the
Obsidian royal line—a raven in flight and crescent moons.
“You want me to beg you to stay? Fine!”
Getting down on his knees, he knelt in front of me. My breath caught in my throat. No king should bow to anyone. I would
have pulled him up if it wasn’t for the fact deep down, I liked how quickly he got on his knees for me.
“Ornella. I realise my mistakes in getting you here. It wasn’t my best decision. I should have told you the truth right from the
start. When I heard you screaming when those creatures were after you, I wasn’t even in your lands.”
“Where were you?” I asked, shocked. I’d always assumed he was wandering the woods.
“I was here, talking with my mother. Well, her spirit, when it was here.”
“Please get up. I wouldn’t want you to be seen begging in front of me.”
Pulling him up as best as I could, I tried to hand him his ring. He shook his head, closing my fingers around it before kissing
my knuckles and sending shivers down my spine.
“Keep it. If you still wish to marry me, that crest will soon become yours.”
“I…”
Did I still want to marry him? That was the burning question. I knew if I begged him, he would still heal Norok. If I didn’t
marry him, I would likely have to leave and return home. Plus, his sisters would be after me for upsetting their brother, even if
he did say it was fine.
“If I said no, would you still heal Norok?”
He took a step back from me and dropped my hand, his eyes darkening. I immediately realised my mistake. He wasn’t
expecting that and if I could take back my words, I would have.
He turned away from me and I watched him crack and roll his neck. His fists tightened at his sides, only to loosen them
seconds later. As if he were telling himself to calm down. In response, I took a step back, waiting for his anger to boil out and
destroy everything in its path.
“Ornella, the truth is…I healed him the day after we left.”
“What? But you just said?—”
He abruptly cut in, “I wanted to test a theory and I was right. Our wedding shall go ahead as per our deal. I will stay as
your loyal, devoted husband on the outside and in front of the court but that is all we shall be. Husband and wife in name alone.
You do not think of me the way I think about you. Maybe in time that may change, but this is how things will be from now on.”
