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Those last moments before she blacked out replayed like a planted seed. Once the Soldazt had finished beating her, her father had descended the dais in long strides. She remembered watching through blurry eyes as her his boots had stopped inches from her face. The Soldazt, positioned behind her, took a fistful of her hair and yanked her head up so that her battered face was visible. She could barely make out his features, but she’d heard his disappointment as he spat one word at her: ‘Pathetic.’

King Aerileas had stormed past, and the Soldazt let her fall forward. That’s when she’d lost consciousness.

‘My father thinks I am weak. What if he is right? What if I am too broken?’ Her voice cracked as tears pooled, blurring her vision once more.

‘You are not broken, little demon. You are a survivor. A fighter.’ He grabbed her chin, tilting her head until she was looking into his eyes. Rymedur spoke like he meant every word. Believed them with his heart and soul. ‘And if you want to work through the shit and the pain he puts you through, then we will. If you want to cry? Cry. It does not make you weak to feel. You are scared and angry, and I will be there when you need me. You want to burn the world down? Then rage, my little demon. Show them your wrath and what you are truly capable of. Remind them of who you are.

‘And please… use me. Remember, I am yours. You say the word, and I will be your weapon to wield. Do your bidding without question. My shadows are yours to command. I will always stand by you. I will hold you when you want or need me to, and I will help you through it all. I am yours till we fade to the next world together’.

Silent tears trickled from her eyes, and Rymedur used his thumb to wipe them away, making them come faster. Areanel did not know what to say; she was still trying to process everything. She rested her head back on his shoulder, one thought clear: she would not be able to do any of this without him.

Rymedur threaded his fingers through her hair, smoothing it before absentmindedly drawing circles on her skin as he hummed a soft lullaby. Areanel clung to her husband in silence.

And when she finally thought about that pain—both the physical and mental she’d suffered—Areanel cried.

With her head buried in the crook of Rymedur’s neck, she let herself feel, her cries muffled by Rymedur’s warm skin. She felt safe in his arms, and he held her silently.

They stayed there for hours, until Areanel’s breathing steadied and her cries slowed.

Rymedur wiped away the tear tracks and the snot with a wet cloth—she apologising profusely, but he had just chuckled and brushed it aside.

After another bath and a change of her bandages, they lay naked in blissful silence.

Rymedur settled into the cushions beside her and stared up at the ceiling. He had positioned them so that Areanel could lie on top of him, wanting to get the pressure off the deep gash on her side, which she couldn’t remember getting. It seemed to be the last wound that needed healing.

The laceration was deep, and needed to be seen by a professional healer, which the king still refused to send.

Areanel, with her head resting on Rymedur’s chest, lightly traced the inky shadows that decorated his skin and found herself breaking the comfortable silence. ‘What is on your mind?’

Rymedur let out a long exhale. His chest rose against her head with the motion. ‘Nothing.’

‘Liar.’

Removing his left arm from beneath his head, he curled it around her waist. His skin felt hot against her own. ‘I was thinking how it would be nice to just stay in this room, in this bed. Just the two of us. Nobody else in the world. I love being wrapped in your arms. It is my version of paradise. You are the light to my darkness.’

As if to emphasise his point, a shadow peeled away from his skin, intertwining itself through Areanel’s fingers and enwrapping her hand.

The way Rymedur smiled down at her had her heart hammering against her ribcage, turning into a full gallop when his lips moved closer to her own. The kiss was slow, loving. His lips warm against her own, as if he were tasting, savouring the very feel of her.

‘I love you, little demon.’ His words were a soft whispered confession.

‘Did you mean that earlier, when you said we would fade together?’ she asked, a smile tugging at her lips. She didn’t want to leave his loving embrace.

Rymedur pulled back and looked into her eyes. Areanel found herself leaning further into him, her lips chasing his.

‘You honestly think I would be able to breathe without you, little demon?’

This time, his lips pressed to her forehead like he was sealing his promise onto her skin. ‘When we go, we go together.’

Chapter 29

Areanel

It took another two weeks for the king to allow the palace healers to check Areanel’s wounds.

After that night—after sharing her raw emotions with Rymedur—Areanel had picked herself up. She spent time with her children as she healed, training as best she could to maintain her skills and regain more of her mobility.

Those two weeks had been precious. Areanel was finally able to spend time with her family when she and they needed it most.