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I had to suppress a smile. Liliana had no idea what Ruslan would do for me – had done for me. A wicked thrill swept through me as the memory of us slaughtering my former captors together and then fucking while covered in their blood drifted to the forefront of my mind. I snorted and then helped Immonen stand. She swayed slightly before finally steadying herself. She smoothed her skirt, then said to me, “I don’t know what will happen in the coming days, weeks, or even months, but if my visions are any indication, it is nothing good.”
The Goddess had said as much when she appeared in my dreams alongside my parents. Choosing was supposed to be the fucking solution to everything, and to hear from Immonen that if Kazimir uncovered mine and Ruslan’s solidified bond everything would still go dark did nothing but return my apprehension with roaring ferocity.
I chewed my lip as the two queens leaned on each other for support and made their way to a low sofa across the room. Domi squeezed my shoulder, then joined them, leaving Liliana and me alone.
“That definitely put a somber air on the day,” I finally said, attempting to laugh to dispel the unease settling in my belly. But my core was cold and chilling more with every passing moment at the thought of what it meant for everything to go dark.
“Let’s forget about it all and enjoy the day. Right now, it’s just us about to design you the sexiest damn dress we can so that Ruslan falls to his knees when he sees you in the temple.” Liliana succeeded in making me smile at the imagery of my strong, powerful male softening like melting butter for me.
“Why are you the best?” I joked, linking my arm in hers and closing the rest of the distance to the pedestal where Natasha,Aliana, and the Iron Fae female spoke with the queens and Domi in hushed tones.
When we reached them, all three lifted their gazes to me. “We swear not to speak a word of what we see today to anyone,” Natasha said. “We swore an unbreakable vow to Queen Viktoria.” The three lifted their wrists, and a faint line of gold lined each of them.
“Unbreakable vow?” I asked, my body shaking slightly.
What else did I not know about the magic of this world? Had Kazimir locked me in an unbreakable vow without my knowledge, and was that why I still felt him?
“Only crowned monarchs can make them, as part of the Goddess’s balance,” Queen Viktoria informed me. “This particular one will remain in place until you tell Kazimir that you accepted your mating bond with Ruslan. If any of them speak on the subject, they will die immediately.”
“Thank you,” I said, my shoulders loosening with the knowledge that Kazimir would not discover that Ruslan and I had accepted the mating bond until I was ready for him to know, and that there was no unbreakable vow I had been trapped in without my consent.
Liliana released me, and I stepped onto the pedestal, banishing the lingering worry and focusing on the spectacular array around me.
The dressmakers began scrutinizing me, circling and assessing and drawing imaginary lines with their fingers. Aliana spoke first after a thorough pass. “What style and color would you like?”
In a panicked glance in the mirror, I sought out Liliana, hoping for some assistance, but Immonen cut in with her suggestion first. “My dear, with your Angel heritage, you must wear white.”
“White with lots of gems!” Liliana exclaimed. “This is the Iron Realm, and you’re marrying the king of it.”
I laughed, “I like both of those suggestions. Can you make something that is form-fitting? I want to really wow Ruslan.”
“We can,” Natasha confirmed. “If I may make a suggestion?”
“Please.” I indicated she should continue.
“With your figure, you’d look incredible in something like this.” She pulled a dress from a nearby rack, the bodice tight and nearly transparent with bones holding its shape. The skirt was cinched tight from the waist to mid-thigh, where it flowed in waves of light fabric in every direction, the train so long it was wrapped over another hanger.
My eyes widened as I beheld the elegant dress, and I nodded immediately. “Can we add some sleeves to it? It’s quite cold at the moment.” That earned a chuckle from the group, none of us accustomed to the bitter winter weather in the Iron Realm.
“Slip behind the curtain with me, and I’ll help you into it. From there, we can make alterations,” Aliana said, and I followed her a few steps away, shedding my pants and tunic while she unlaced the back of the gown. With great care, I managed to slip into the middle of it without stepping on the fine fabric, and the Félvér wriggled it over my body until the top of the bodice brushed against my breasts. I held it in place while she tightened the silk on the back, giving my cleavage a nice lift. She glanced up from her work and caught my eye in the mirror. “King Ruslan will not be able to resist you in this. The Iron Realm is sexy, and you, Your Highness, look sexy in this dress.”
I had to agree with her. The dress was flattering in all the right ways and showed enough skin to be alluring while leaving some to the imagination. Aliana carefully bundled the train in her arms, helping me pivot so we could exit the room.
Stepping back into the parlor, we found my companions perching on the edges of their seats. Liliana squealed andbounced, while Immonen clasped her hands in front of her mouth, over a watery, close-lipped smile.
“You look stunning,” Queen Viktoria enthused, her eyes alight as they roamed the dress.
Once I was settled atop the pedestal, the dressmakers worked together to fan out the train, careful not to step on it.
“Lift your hair so I can see your mate mark!” Liliana exclaimed.
Grinning, I twisted my long locks, then lifted them off my back, revealing the perfect circle between my shoulder blades. In the mirror, I watched my best friend swoon. But then the reality of Immonen’s vision settled over me and I released my hair, hands shaking as I smoothed it. “No, my back needs to be covered. This mark has to be covered.”
Liliana jumped to her feet and leaped over the train to my side, grabbing my hand and grounding me as panic sunk its claws into my chest. “Shh, take a breath, we will fix it.”
My vision swam, but I nodded and sucked in a ragged breath.
“I have a perfect solution,” the Iron Fae female said, crossing to the opposite end of the store and returning with an intricate, jeweled piece that had a thick collar and cascaded row after row of diamonds. “This will fit over your dress and make you sparkle.”
