Page 234 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“Nubil too,” I spoke, and he swallowed thickly making me chuckle deeply. “Make it quick, I grow horns at strike of midday and might ebb them right on your eyes.”

He staggered a step back, his stare aghast glancing at his king who let out a deep sigh and said, “Continue Atlas, she is only poking fun.”

“Oh, you would know, wouldn’t you, darling?” I said snidely, almost chewing my teeth, holding all venom I’d savoured for him back. I smirked at young Atlas. “No one else wanted to do it, did they? Wed a monster to their most beloved killer. You look but a boy, did they force you?”

“N-No,” he stuttered. “Uhm, Kil, I mean His Majesty, asked me too. He thought you’d be more comfortable. And I am not a boy, I am sixteen.”

“Ah, he thought I’d be comfortable,” I said, nodding to myself. “If he wanted to accommodate my wishes he should have slit his own throat this morning and made my job easier.”

“Continue, Atlas,” he prompted the boy sternly. “I have a lot to discuss with her, don’t take my time.”

Discuss? How dare he?

The young priest rose a hand to heavens. “W-With Henah’s blessings we have gathered in this day of peace, day of reunion, day that marks the end of hostility, animosity, separation and fear.” he recited, almost stuttering his words. “H-Hope brightens like morning sun, better days gather in our future. To the nature of this union we will not ask the heavens for a blessing, but we ask of them of understanding. T-This…uhm, marriage shall only be of this soil, your souls will not be parting together as one to the heavens.” He threw a bunch of flower petals over us and cleared his throat. “With Henah’s blessings.”

“With her blessing,” I whispered in a smile to Atlas. “Might death of all you befall upon this marriage.”

His Majesty took a deep breath beside me and nodded to the terrified priest to continue. “S-Soil of life blesses, you will water one another’s lives to reap bloom of this hearth’s flowers. T-To live and prosper.”

“I will burn you, and I will burn your lands. I will be fire.” I muttered between my teeth. “All will be dust, all ash of men fed to your younglings.”

The priest halted and he sighed once more. “It is fine, Atlas, continue so I get to hear these words in private. I like her speaking dirty only to me.”

I scoffed and tightened my fists.

“To become one another’s. Two pieces of one, to become a whole,” Atlas said, crossing his hands back and forth.

“And they will become my toys, I will butcher one each day, spread their limbs, organ by organ while their lungs still breathe. I will keep them alive as I etch their guts.”

Atlas swallowed thickly but continued without prompt. “To merge and forge a union of marriage.”

“And then I will carve your very soul out and fest till there is no soul of yours left.”

“You already have my soul,” he spoke calmly, “and carved it out as yours.”

I breathed heavy, but continued, “Only then, when I have made you watch your own doing befall upon your people, I will kill you.”

“You have already killed me.”

“Not enough,” the words came out barely a whisper. “It will never be enough.”

The priest handed the rings, surprisingly not dropping them from his trembling hands that shook the box. Two twin silver halos, a crescent moon carved atop the both of them.

Facing him, I dared meet his gaze. Devastation wore his terribly beautiful face as he stared at me like he stared at his world. He rose a hand looking for mine, gently sliding the cold ring on my finger. The silver metal heavy with the feel of him. Now I was his and he was mine in all the ways we shouldn’t be.

“Your hand,” I said, snatching mine from his. “Let’s see to exactly where I will cut off.”

He extended his strong hand and I slid the ring on quickly, not wanting to submit to the terrible feel of wanting to hold it, lace my finger through his, seek the comfort of them, wanting them to hold me.

“With the sacred steel of Lyra, I seal you bonded to matrimony. You are now one another’s to joy, to sadness, to live.”

The seal of my blood oath on my wrist burned and sunk under my skin. It was done, he was bound to me and I to him, for till death do us part. Till I did us apart.

“Your Majesties.” Atlas kneeled before the two of us. “My king, my queen.”

I snorted and then cackled loud enough it enveloped all the large hall. “Out,” I said quietly, and the priest blinked surprised, so I repeated a second time shouting, “Out!”

“Snow—”