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“I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we should forget about the tradition and sleep together the night before the wedding,” he suggested.
I raised my head and propped it on his chest. “Aren’t we constantly being warned about going against tradition?” I sighed. “You must know that Aradia will have something to say about that if we do.”
He grimaced and kissed my forehead. “Nothing is going to stop me from wedding you tomorrow, regardless of what Aradia or anyone else says,” he insisted.
I snuggled back against him, pleased to hear his confidence, but I hadn’t doubted him.
“One night apart won’t kill us,” I promised.
“Are you sure? We haven’t tried it yet,” he joked.
“I suppose we’ll find out, won’t we?” I hesitated to remind him. “My parents will be here tomorrow.”
His embrace tightened around me, and I held him closer, my heart quickening with excitement despite my tiredness.
“I can’t wait to meet them officially.”
“They will adore you,” I promised.
“I adore you, Zephy.”
Two more days until I am Queen of Ironhelm,I thought happily, my eyes closing as my fingers curled around the curve of his chest. I just wanted to savor the happiness of that moment forever.
Chapter24
Cade
Iwaited for feelings of nervousness or concern to overtake me the next morning when I woke up, knowing that this would be my last day without a queen at my side. It seemed silly, considering that Zephy had been with me so much. She had basically become another extremity, but legally and officially speaking, this was going to be it.
I should have been nervous or had doubts about it, but when I looked at Zephy’s still sleeping face beside me, I was filled with nothing but overwhelming adoration for her, and I knew that I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my days at her side.
“I’m meeting with the cabinet this morning, My Queen,” I whispered softly in her ear. “I won’t see you again until the ceremony tomorrow.”
Blinking, Zephy opened her eyes and stared up at me sleepily, a slow smile forming over her lips. “Is it morning already?”
I nodded, brushing a sweet kiss over her full mouth, which she returned eagerly, her arms reaching out to pull me back toward her. Laughing, I crashed down toward her, feeling her breath escape her as my weight fell onto her, holding her in place, but that didn’t stop her from wrapping her ankles around my waist.
“You’ll make me late for the Council of Ministers,” I warned her, not really caring. I half-hoped she dragged me into a love-making session, and we stayed in bed all day, forgetting about the world entirely.
“They can’t start without you, anyway,” she reminded me, raining kisses over my face and neck.
“That’s very true,” I agreed, returning her affection.
For a moment, we rolled around in the bed until Aradia interrupted us with her unceremonious entry. We groaned in unison.
“Haven’t you heard of announcing yourself?” I snapped at the enchantress. “This won’t suffice when we’re married. Actually, this doesn’t suffice now.”
“Apologies,” Aradia replied without sounding the least bit contrite. “I’ve just received a call that Miss Zephyrine’s parents are close.”
Zephy moaned again, this one even more pained than the last as she untangled herself from me, our earlier foreplay forsaken at the mention of her parents.
“All right,” she sighed. “I’ll get their room ready. Gods forbid if it isn’t perfect when they arrive.”
Displeased, I cast Aradia another dirty look, but the enchantress had already retreated to the walk-in to assist Zephy in packing her overnight bag.
“Don’t forget to pack everything you need for today and tomorrow,” Aradia instructed. “You can’t return here until after the ceremony.”
“I know,” Zephy grumbled as I, too, moved to start the day with some disappointment.
