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“Zuriel is happy for us too. Do you think there will still be a war?”
Her question halted my exhilaration because my gut reaction was yes, and I knew she wanted to avoid bloodshed. If Kazimir hadn’t been so aggressive with her since his arrival in the Iron Realm, I might have said no. But he was unstable and unsupported, and that was a deadly combination.
“Unfortunately, yes. I don’t see Kazimir letting this go. You need to tell him that you accepted our bond and want to break off his.”
I could almost see Izidora’s annoyed expression – scrunched nose, a little huff of breath, eye roll – from my office.
“I will.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow, I promise. Then we can have our wedding in peace.”
Our bond hummed contentedly as we both basked in the knowledge that we’d be married in only a few days.
“I can’t wait to tear that dress off you and call you my wife and my queen.”
“Zuriel is rolling his eyes like he knows you’re saying dirty things to me.”
“When am I not saying dirty things to you?”
“Good point. We’re almost finished with our lesson for the day, and then I’ll see you in our apartment?”
“You will.”
She disappeared from my mind, but the echo of her never really left me – not anymore.
A stage had been erectedin the ballroom, spanning an entire wall, with heavy gray velvet curtains lining either side and firelights controlled by a host of Iron Fae casting color on various parts of the stage. In front of it, rows and rows of chairs were arranged in a semi-circle, but at the back, a heavy table on a riser hosted more luxurious seating for the nobles of the realms in attendance. Outside the ballroom, the halls bustled with vendors selling treats to enjoy during the show, and I purchased a bagful of sweets for Izidora before carving a path for us into the ballroom. King Airre and Queen Immonen were already seated,and Izidora rushed to her side, Liliana and Domi joining them moments later, their heads bent in giggled conversation.
What they always had to chat about, I had no idea. I selected two seats for us, ensuring there was at least one on either side so Liliana had a place to sit as well, and poured three glasses of wine from the bottle waiting for us.
The ballroom buzzed with conversation as people navigated the rows and rows of chairs facing the stage, and I dipped my head to Zuriel and the other Telivér as they walked in. They ambled toward the back of the room, slipping into a nearly empty row close to us, for which I was grateful. Moments later, the Night Fae joined us, Kazimir’s dark attention falling over Izidora immediately. As if she felt it, she glanced away from her conversation, eyes narrowing before she pointedly returned to it.
That’s my fucking sprite.
She and Liliana bid goodbye to the other females, then joined me. Izidora chose to sit on my right, where there was less space between the Crystal Fae and us, preventing a large group from squeezing between. Liliana settled on her other side, and I passed the metal goblets in their direction, wine nearly sloshing over the rims.
“You know what I like most about you, Ruslan?” Liliana said.
“No idea,” I deadpanned.
“You know how to pour a drink,” she laughed, tipping back the glass and chugging. She sighed when the wine had vanished, then held out the goblet. “Can I have more?”
Rolling my eyes, I grasped the bottle and made a show of watching it fill to the brim before stopping. “Is that enough for you?”
“Yep,” she said, popping the P. Izidora laughed at her friend’s antics, and I squeezed her leg beneath the table.
“Do you need me to top you off too, sprite?”
Shamelessly, she pushed her glass to me. “Sure do.”
I had to lean down the table for another bottle to fill her glass, and she eyed me hungrily while I did so. “Like the view?”
“It’s definitely the nicest in the ballroom,” she said, chewing her lip.
I caught her face in my hand, using my thumb to peel her lip away from her teeth. “Don’t make me fuck you while the whole realm watches.”
Her eyes heated, and she took the wine from me, pouring it into my glass instead of her own. “Better get drunk first.”
