Page 124 of His Realm

He glanced away and I took hold of his right hand, brushing over Gideon’s ring in the process, the one he was never without. It took a moment, but he looked back at me with swimming eyes. “I wish that for me to be standing here did not take Sibel’s life in exchange.”

“I know,” I choked out.

“She looked at me, before…” His voice went out.

“I knew her well, so did you. She would have given anything to save you.”

“And did,” he husked.

It took me a moment to swallow down the lump in my throat. “Both she and Eris fought bravely. They protected me and the queen and kept their vow.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “And I placed both of their wakizashis in a glass case that now sits against the wall where Varic’s wing begins in the palace.”

Which meant that every time someone passed from the main part of the palace into the prince’s wing, that they would pass the two short swords of my fallen guards. I found that to be a fitting tribute.

“I asked Varic if, when he was crowned, he would be moving quarters and he said no. He wants to stay in the part of the palace he considers home.”

“So everything’s as it should be,” I whispered.

“It is,” he replied, and I was rewarded with his usual smirk. “But why on earth did you have me made cadeyrn?”

“Best thing for you.” I chuckled.

“I was kidding that day, and you took me at my word. Why in the world would you think I wanted a position like that, where I will be worked to death instead of lying around on the couch in the loft and accompanying you to the farmers market?”

“Oh my God, that is not all we did,” I said, laughing. He was such an ass.

“No? Are you certain?”

I gestured him closer to me, and he leaned down. “Has it been hard for you, being here?”

“I have been able to see things as they are and not as I remembered. That has brought me both clarity and closure.”

“I’m glad,” I said with a sigh, making my voice louder. “And you’ll make a wonderful cadeyrn for Varic, now that His Majesty is stepping down, and you get to work with Tiago, so bonus for you.”

He groaned.

Tiago was quick with his retort. “I heard sarcasm from you, my consort, which I did not appreciate, and reticence from you, oh mighty cadeyrn, which you will come to regret.”

“You will,” Hadrian seconded, “regret being flippant.”

“I regret it now,” Zev grumbled, but then moved to hug me. “Thank you for first accepting me as your hendr, and then suggesting I be cadeyrn. Thank you for making me part of your house, forever, and for thinking of me as your friend, which I am now and will always be.”

I hugged him back as tight as I could. I was definitely still weak, but Isabella promised me my strength would grow. I was still healing.

“I will always be your champion.”

“And always be part of my family, like you said. Family, not just house.”

He nodded, still holding me, then gave me a final squeeze before letting go and standing, exhaling deeply.

Isabella stood as well. “And now, my darling, my wolf and I must return to the palace. The helicopter is waiting, as the king needs both his queen and his cadeyrn. I will check on that of which we spoke, and will have an answer for you when you return to the palace next week.”

“And I will speak to Althea and Eyphah when I return and get them started on the scrolls in the hypogeum,” Zev told me. “You will begin to have answers on being a matan as well.”

Isabella kissed me goodbye, Zev took hold of my hand, and then they were both gone. I felt a lump in my throat as Tiago took Isabella’s seat beside my bed.

“You like everyone together. It is overly sentimental of you.”