Page 97 of A Thread of Breath and Bone

“And I am a princess,” I tease. I don’t care really, but it’s inappropriate, and I don’t want other men thinking they can dance with me like this.

“And I am your mate,” he retorts, his eyes swirling with more silver light than I’ve ever seen.

“Thank you,” I say, taking two steps back before twirling back into his arms.

“For?” he asks as we step shoulder to shoulder toward the dais before turning back to each other.

“I needed to laugh. I feel like I can’t breathe.”

The song is coming to an end, but I don’t want it to. I want to remain safe in his arms. Instead of the usual end of a twirl, he bends me back, leaning in close as my hair brushes the floor beneath me.

For that minuscule second, his lips brush the pulse point of my neck, and the thrum of our Bond drowns out the music and the clicking cameras. It's a reminder that no matter who else is in this room, I am already claimed.

“It’s all for show, my love.”

Then I’m back upright and time resumes. The crowd claps as Ryker once again bows before me.

The next dance belongs to Sir Mikl. He is a few years older than me from Kadora. He looks as nervous as I feel. At least he’s good at dancing. He barely touches me as we dance and keeps a good arm’s length of distance.

Because the crowns have all demanded an official Ceremony, I’m supposed to be using this time to narrow down who I have a Bond with. Little do they know, the answer is none. I feel absolutely nothing. The Lumos Bond is gone. It disappeared the moment the Veil fell.

I thank him for the dance and move on.

An hour later, I retreat to a private courtyard off the ballroom. Queen Priana is out here and startles me when she stands from the fountain.

“My dear.” She embraces me in a hug. “You look beautiful. This gown, your hair.” She inspects me like I’m hers, and I so badly want to be. I am still a ball of nerves. She searches my eyes and then leads me to the fountain to sit with her.

The air in the courtyard is a relief, cool and misty, smelling of damp soil and ancient pine. Queen Priana stands by the fountain, her own golden crown glittering under the moons. Her eyes—so like Ryker’s—search mine, and I feel a wave of calm wash over me that feels suspiciously like she’s using her own gift to settle my frayed nerves.

“Much better,” Queen Priana says with a smile. “I remember my Bonding Ceremony. I threw up twice before the ball and then right after dinner. I couldn’t even finish the evening. After a few dances, my father excused me to my chambers.”

“Really?” I ask, feeling relieved.

“This is a lot to deal with. Bonding may be a gift from the gods, but it is also a burden. It’s a good thing we know how this ends.”

We stay in the courtyard for a little while longer. I love talking with her and hearing her stories. She’s an inspiration and calming presence. When I feel calm enough to return, I excuse myself.

The rest of the evening dissolves into a dizzying blur of silk, scent, and strangers. Men are shuffled in and out of my personal space like cards in a deck, but I keep my focus sharp enough to manage a mental list. Out of forty-three, I’ve narrowed it down to seven who won’t make a scene during the Ceremony tomorrow—Kellan, Ryker, and Kamden included. At least with Kamden playing along and a repentant, muttering Kellan, I don’t have to worry about a battle for my lips on the dais.

“Need a break?” Ryker’s voice is a low vibration against my ear, cutting through the hollow small talk I'm making with a family from my kingdom.

I nod, the relief nearly making my knees buckle.

Together, we slip away from the heat of the ballroom and out onto the sprawling lawn, where the air carries the sharp tang of the sea. The sun is a sinking orb of liquid fire on the horizon, turning the surface of the pools into shimmering gold—a final, beautiful moment of peace before the world changes forever.

“There you are!” Ciara’s voice rings out as she sprints toward us. She throws her arms around our necks, nearly knocking my moonstone crown askew. “You’re getting married tomorrow!” she squeals, her excitement a bright, loud contrast to the tension in my gut.

We both laugh, the sound so familiar, yet it feels like a loss as the rest of our group catches up. My life is changing tomorrow.

Tate, Trysten, and Kamden join us, though Kellan lingers at the edge of the circle, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. The wine has made everyone’s voices animated and light. Tate is already halfway through a dramatic reenactment of a noblewoman practically humping Trysten on the dance floor when the laughter dies in my throat.

Moving across the grass, her face a pale, ghostly mask in the dying light, is Aolyn. The magic of the evening shatters the moment I see the tears in her eyes.

Chapter 35

Raea

“What are you doing here?” I throw my arms around her stiff body, and she wraps her arms around me like she’s remembering how. For a heartbeat, neither of us moves. My stomach drops.