She was supposed to. She helped her grand king with paperwork, easing his burdens in whatever small way she could, but today… Emeriel shook her head and the girl left. Not today.

She would not be collecting parchments. Not if it risked running into him.

“Sometimes in the dark of night when he is away, I part my thighs, and I touch myself. I pretend it’s him.”

She winced, squeezing her eyes shut. Oh, by the stars…

But in the midst of her mortification came a memory that warmed her heart despite everything. The way he held her, spoke to her, looked at her.

“It doesn’t matter if our bond doesn’t return. We will perform a bonding ritual. I would rather have you as my through the rites and vows, than not to have you at all.”

bondmate, go

Her chest filled with something tender, and she blinked hard against the tears stinging her eyes. She still couldn’t quite believe he’d said that.

Two years ago, their bond had felt like a cage, a trap neither of them could escape. Now, the bond was gone, yet they were desperate to reclaim it, willing to undergo ancient rites to forge a non–natural bond just for a chance to belong to one another.

The irony. Oh, the gods must be laughing. They must be having such fun with us.

Emeriel whispered, staring out across the endless rows of crops.

you not take pity on us?”

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let her eyes

into sleep under the quiet rustle

workers.

evening by the time she returned to the fortress, exhausted, her back aching. Ugh. She

of her back and looked down at her belly. “See the things you

pushed open the doors of her

in one corner, fragrance in the air. Fresh garments

stepped forward with a polite smile. “His Majesty has ordered us to see to you, prepare you, and bring

heart did

could be the reason? Did he need

up at the

the scented bathwater, where they bathed her with efficiency. Emerging from the water, she was dried with soft cloths and dressed in a gown of the finest blue silk. It was light as air against her skin, new and smelling faintly of something sweet and

this today for you, my lady,” one of the women whispered confidentially with

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