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.

out across the endless

take pity on

1/3

sigh, she let her eyes fall closed. Just for a moment.

into sleep under the quiet

workers.

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

looked down

deeper breath, she pushed open the doors

in the air. Fresh garments were neatly arranged across her bed, pins and

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

heart did a somersault.

her to him? What could be the

cheeks lit up at

the scented bathwater, where they bathed her with efficiency. Emerging from the water, she was dried with soft cloths and

you, my lady,” one of the women whispered confidentially

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