Page 172 of Sworn to the Shadow Throne

“When?”

A pause then he winced. With a hesitant breath, he finally said, “We…we figured it out the day I sent for you.”

“We?” I stared at him while pressing my fingers to my temple. “Owain.”

“I know how that sounds. It’s not why I sent for you, but I won’t lie, it affected my decision.” He tilted his head back in defeat. “Camrick read that book of yours and pointed to matehood as the likely reason I was losing control of my magic and temper… I didn’t have you.”

“So Camrick knew before I did,” I grumbled, dropping back down onto his chest, wanting to hear his heart beating.

There was something both irritating and oddly touching about that. Camrick had known my heart before I did, and he’d patiently safeguarded those feelings for me until I was ready for them. I said, “The same happened to my magic. It got better when I first stepped foot in the castle. But, Owain…you could’ve told me sooner!”

He had the grace to look genuinely pained. “Would you have believed me if I told you when you were still seething with anger and felt like you were being used?” He shook his head slowly. “That would’ve come across as manipulative. There was no version of that conversation that ended well. Hello, I’ve upended your life, also you’re magically bound to me forever felt like rather a lot to lead with.”

I thought about the way he’d never once tried to use what had been between us to get me to soften toward him. He’d simply let me be angry until I wasn’t anymore. “Ugh, why do you have to sound so reasonable?”

He sighed. “It wasn’t lost on me what it cost you to come. I’m sorry, Lunette.”

“It cost me more to stay in Selmont,” I admitted. “I should’ve gone with you.”

He brought my hand to his mouth. “You were trying to protect them. And you’ve already saved my brother twice… Thank you.”

A thought hit me with the force of a collapsing castle wall. “Owain…we’re mated.”

“…Yes.” He looked confused.

“That means we can’t separate.”

A pause then he agreed softly. “Yes.”

“You’re the prince. I can’t… We can’t—”

He flipped both of us over so fast it almost took my breath away. I wound up on my back with him braced above me, eyes bleeding shadows again. His voice was gravely serious. “We can. We will. I’m yours, Lunette.”

For once, I didn’t mind his domineering side.

I raised one eyebrow, smirking up at him. “You left part of what you wanted to say out didn’t you?”

He grinned. “Didn’t want to push it.”

“I’ll say it for you then.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m yours, Owain.”

That was apparently his breaking point. He growled, pulling me against his chest and kissing me breathless.

When he pulled back, I watched the shadows drift across his skin. “Well, since you’re stuck with me for life, tell me what’s happened since I’ve been asleep, mate.”

Instead of the smile I’d hoped for, Owain’s lips turned down into a frown.

Chapter 45

Owain

By the time silence settled between us, the candles had burned lower. I hadn’t enjoyed telling Lunette everything the assassin said. The fear that flickered across her face was enough to have me forcing back the weapon that wanted to form in my hands. I liked even less that I still didn’t know what the mages’ next plans were. Eventually, she fell back asleep, still tired from the healing.

I hadn’t told her yet that I’d already had Reina’s spies intercept a marriage contract signed by Berian. The strokes of his name were uneven from illness, but still unmistakably his. The spot next to it had been waiting for the moment someone got her alone and forced her hand to parchment.

My hand had closed around the contract. It had crumpled. Then burned to ashes.

Camrick had said, “This is definitely treason-adjacent.”