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“You’re late,” Cyrus says, startling us out of our conversation. He’s leaning against a pillar, looking exactly like the prince he is, arrogant and commanding.
Midas scowls and puffs smoke in his brother’s direction. “The King is not subject to the clock.”
“The horde is. Are you above the horde?”
Midas glares, but doesn’t dignify his brother with an answer. He takes my hand and leads me inside. Memories of the night we spent here come to me in bits and pieces. A fierce blush flames my cheeks. How much did they see of my body, of Midas fucking me? I know everyone was in a sort of dazed frenzy, but I remember bits of what I saw, so they probably do too.
I force my chin to stay lifted as we walk through the crowd to the dais.
The pool of bloody gold is still liquid, and we skirt around it up to the thrones. When Midas sits down, there’s a second when I’m not sure if I’m supposed to sit on the other throne or not, but Midas stops my wondering by pulling me into his lap.
I can see why he does it. This way I’m not upsetting anyone by sitting on the throne before I’m Queen, but it’s still a clear claim that I’m his. It makes me a little uncomfortable, considering what happened last time I was on his lap in front of this group, so I sit stiffly on the edge of his knee. He chuckles quietly into my hair and pulls me against his chest, wrapping his arms firmly around my middle.
“Who is it that wishes to join the horde?” He calls out in a booming voice that echoes between the pillars.
A man and a woman, wearing loose white shifts, step forward holding hands. The man looks to be in his late forties and is clearly attractive. But it’s obvious who the dragon is in this relationship. The woman is stunning. Dark skin, paired with dark hair that spirals down her back in loose waves, and a smile that could melt hearts.
The man lifts their clasped hands and kisses his dragon’s knuckles before looking at Midas and dropping to his knee.
“Gunther Vale, at your service, your majesty.” His eyes drop to the ground in a deep bow.
Midas wears an unyielding look as he examines the man for a long beat. “Do you understand the choice you’re making?”
“I do.”
“Do you vow to abide by the rulings of this throne and the laws of our horde until death and on penalty of death?”
“I do.”
“Do you pledge yourself to protect and defend every member of this horde until death and on penalty of death?”
“I do.”
“Who is it you claim as your mate?”
The man looks up at the woman beside him with such clear love and adoration it makes my heart ache.
“Jillia Ram,” he says.
I wonder how long they had before they had to make this decisions. Have they been dating for years? Living together already? How long was it before she revealed what she is to him? The look they exchange makes me want to know everything about their story.
“Jillia, do you acknowledge this man as your fated mate?”
“I do.”
“Do you each pledge your loyalty and love to each other and to this horde until death and on penalty of death?”
“We do,” they say in unison.
The whole thing reminds me of a type of wedding ceremony, but with vows not only to each other but to the community as well. And unlike most weddings, there’s no backing out of this one. It’s permanent. This man is giving up his life, his humanity, for this woman. After today, the mating bond they share can’t ever be broken. Not unless one of them dies.
It’s beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
I look over my shoulder at Midas and find him already looking at me. His expression is hard, the look of a king, but his eyes are full of soft embers. He doesn’t look away from me as he says to the couple, “Come to the gold with the blessing of the goddess.”
With a quick kiss on Midas’s cheek, I turn back around to watch what happens next. The woman lifts her shift over her head, revealing her naked body. Of course, nakedness would be part of the ceremony—they seem to love taking their clothes off. Personally, I could do without that part.
The man seems a little more timid about undressing in front of roughly 50 people, but he follows the woman’s example. She takes his hand and leads him to the pool.
