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“Now we wait.”

I curled beside him among the fallen, on the runes, and in a puddle of blood as time passed, and the temple emptied of the living. The Battle for Loki’s Throne was finally over, but I couldn’t let this be Drak’s last stand. I deemed today’s fight in Loki’s name as a reminder of the gods’ chaotic hand in our lives, a reminder so that I’d never fall prey to their whims again and let them wipe my memories of my husband. Not in this life, and not in the next. After hearing the surviving people of Vylheim murmur about their freedom from Silver, my jaw unclenched.

She no longer claimed the throne; we’d won.

At some point, Stasia excused herself for food and water and left me alone to weep. I soaked his throat with whatever tears I had left within me, and if he died, I prayed Soren would return soon and kill me.

“You have a promise to keep,” I murmured, though whether it was to Drak or to the open air where Soren’s shadows once floated, I didn’t know.

A warm voice rippled with the rumble in his chest. “And a library to build.”

Drak

9 days after the Battle for Loki’s Throne

Ifucking hated Mara’s Keep. It didn’t matter that the Blood Council no longer existed, and that Silver was gone; the blood of the vampires who’d served me still stained the outside, and within, the labyrinth of grey sent me back to the purgatory of nonexistence.

I hated every second inside these walls.

I hated that Lux was trapped here with me.

And I hated the damn throne made of shards of Mjolnir since it was a reminder of the gods who’d damned us from the ancient Battle of Sundered Sky.

Now, wounded warriors and healers filled the castle. Hundreds of people from across Vylheim occupied every room, every bed. Mara’s Keep was open to all, housing those who needed help the most right now, and Stasia oversaw it while I sat slumped on the throne, bandages wrapping my torso and shoulder so heavily that I couldn’t even pull on a shirt.

It was just me in my trousers, sitting in the coveted bronze chair, wishing I could keep the promise I swore to Lux. Though it’d be a long time until I healed enough to resume woodworking, to carve and cut and build the library she deserved.

But wishing was a waste of time. People from Torsholt, Myrr, Einnland, and of course, New Skaldir, traveled to Mara’s Keep visiting their loved ones or taking their dead home to be buried. And while here, they offered goods at my feet, while others appealed to Mara to share land and swap goods.

Finan held off letting the remaining guests into the throne room until Lux gave the okay.

“Drak,” Lux said from my side. She laid a hand on my good shoulder. “You need to eat.”

I frowned. “I don’t want food.”

“I thought your blood cravings were gone after you got stabbed.” She stared down at me with worry creasing her brow.

“They are.”

“Then what do you want?”

I smirked and shook my head. “Only one thing, and you know what that is.”

“Drak…” she whispered. “We can’t do that while you’re healing. If you’d let me suck⁠—”

“I’m talking about marrying you, Skald.” I met her gaze, interrupting her before she sent my mind to the depths of Drukna and all I could think about was her lips wrapped around my cock. She begged to pleasure me while I healed, but coming sapped my energy, and I relished the teasing that came with eating her pussy over and over and refusing to give her a taste of me yet. Her mouth fell open. “Don’t act surprised, baby. You know it’s all I’ve wanted since I first brought you into Mara’s Keep before you even went by your real name. I don’t want to sit on this throne. I want to be on my knees in front of it, next to you, sealing our blood in a real marital bond. It’s time we stopped lying, don’t you think?”

She had no words. Lux only blinked at me as her golden eyes brightened and she curled her lower lip inward to clamp down a faint smile.

“We’re giving the people of Vylheim everything except the truth,” I continued. “We haven’t been husband and wife since we were Rune and Myrah. It’s long overdue.” As I spoke, I shifted to the edge of the throne. Bolts of pain stabbed through my arm and neck and exploded across my chest. Grunting, I swallowed a cry of pain and dropped to my knees with my hip level with the seat of the throne.

“Drak…”

“Marry me, Skald. We both know you’re mine; now the rest of the world needs to know. The sagas should show a real wedding for us in this lifetime.” I took her hands in mine, ignoring the throbbing through my torso. “Marry me tonight.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “The Supplications,” she said. “We won’t address everyone’s concerns by tonight.”

“I’m taking what I want, Lux. You know this about me. Everything else can wait. Today, I’m making you mine.”