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And today, I’m finally going to marry him.
I’m sitting in a large, plush chair in my quarters, looking out across the rolling hills of Tyron. Soon, I’ll be surrounded by maids who will take me to the bathing chambers to be washed and perfumed and made-up before being dressed in my pale blue gown.
It’ll be a small, intimate wedding. Only family and close friends. My brothers and Garan will be attending. On Corvan’s side, Kaithar, Ciel, and Gerent will witness the ceremony.
Sylhara will be there too, on behalf of all the Khaturians.
Later, there will be a large and lavish celebration, to which the entire castle staff and the residents of Sanzar have been invited. There will be nobles and military personnel from all over Rahava, too, as well as a dignitaries from neighboring kingdoms.
The anticipation dances through me like sunlight on water. Our union is already iron-clad, but I can’t wait to make it official.
A soft knock on the door makes me turn my head. I rise to my feet, sliding my feet into fur-lined velvet slippers.
“Yes?” I call as I cross the room. “Who is it?”
It can’t be Corvan. He wouldn’t knock.
The door opens. Daron appears, offering me a small bow. He’s dressed in formal attire—a sleek black velvet jacket with long tails, white silk shirt, and sharply tailored trousers. His ginger hair is neatly slicked back. “My lady, I apologize for the intrusion. His Highness requested that I convey a message to you.”
At the merest mention of Corvan, my heartbeat quickens. “What is it, Daron?”
“You have a visitor.”
“Avisitor?”My heart flutters wildly.
We weren’t expecting anybody else.
“She’s waiting for you in the garden by the pond.” There’s a note of awe in his voice.
She? Could it be…?
“I’ll be right there, Daron. Just let me get my coat.”
Hurrying, I put on my boots and grab a coat from the antechamber, throwing it over my simple tunic and trousers.
Daron waits patiently. “Would you like me to escort you there, my lady?”
I wave him away. “No need. I know the way.”
Tyron Castle is my home now, after all. I feel perfectly safe within these walls, especially when Corvan’s around. Although he’s been spending a lot of time in the capital as he prepares to officially take the mantle of emperor, he rarely stays there for long, preferring to return home at the day’s end.
It’s quite easy to traverse the empire when you can move at the speed of the wind. Home is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.
“Thank you, Daron,” I say. He wears a wide-eyed expression as I pass him, rushing out of my chambers and into the corridor. Of course, they’re my chambers in name more than anything else. Most of the time, I’m ensconced in Corvan’s quarters, and it’s blissful.
My coat flaps behind me as I pass startled servants ferrying all manner of items—from decorative garlands to carts laden with food and bottles of wine.
I exit the castle through a pair of arched doors, making my way down a stone staircase that’s been decorated with verdant garlands of blossoming vines.
I cross the square, passing the barracks and the stables. The few soldiers I encounter salute as I pass. In the distance, I catchSolstice’swhinny of greeting.
I walk faster, stopping just short of breaking into a run.
Until at last, I reach the hidden garden.
I stop, taking a moment to appreciate the transformation.
I haven’t set foot in this place for several weeks. The pond has thawed. The water is a stunning turquoise hue, perfectly still and crystal-clear. It looks like glass. Fallen branches decorate the floor of the pond, covered in emerald moss that gives them a surreal, otherworldly appearance.
