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The clouds began to clear from my head, but I still didn’t understand. “What prophecy?”

Regan sighed impatiently. “The child of the sun, born under the darkened moon, shall light up this Realm. She is the Sun, and her beloved is the Moon, and the stars.”

My heart skipped a beat. “You mean - you mean you all knew? That she and I are meant to be together?”

“Yes, we knew. But Theron knows too, and that is why we must be exceedingly careful and wait for the right time.”

“Theron knew?” My head was still foggy, and my tongue was muddled as I tried to find the words I was looking for. “But, if he knew-”

“The war, on Peyrus.” Regan shook his head. “Did you never ask yourself why he declared it? It wasn’t for lands, what would he do with those? It was forher.”

I stared at him, mouth agape. “To claim her for himself?”

“I’m sorry you suffered for this,” Regan told me, putting a hand on my shoulder. “I am so, so sorry, Rook. But we need to protect her, and when I give you the signal, you will need to run. You will need to take her, and get as far away from Veles as possible.”

The door opened, and one of the healers walked in, a small, frail woman with wiry white hair. Regan straightened up, his demeanor changed, all urgency gone.

“He is healing well, but some help is in order,” he said almost indifferently, before giving me a nod and leaving the room.

I lay back on the bed as the healer worked, trying to absorb what Regan had said. I tried desperately to recall a conversation with my father - had it even been a conversation? Perhaps no more than a snide comment. Something about Peyrus, rejecting the gods.So close to their faith, but they’ll refuse this now. I hadn’t understood. I’d had no idea what he meant. But now I knew. I’d been destined to be with Elara, and her father had refused. He’d rejected the prophecy, the gods and his faith.

If I ever saw Vayr again, I’d beat the shit out of him. He’d put Elara in so much danger.

An agonising wave of grief washed over me as it sank in - that I could have been her husband by now. We could have been together, all this time. She would have been safe, and protected. She might have borne a child by now - our child. Gods fuck it all if tears didn’t bite at the backs of my eyes.

The healer tutted as she lifted my arm, breaking me from my mournful reverie. “Tried to cut it away again, hmm?” She asked, without a hint of judgment in her voice.

I gave a cynical scoffing laugh. “It was worth a try.”

“Don’t forget that magic only holds true while he is on the throne,” she said slowly.

I looked at her face, as she hummed and kept working, her blue eyes fixed on the wound.

I suddenly felt as though the entire castle was full of double agents and imposters, all merely waiting for the chance to take Theron out and destroy him.

I said nothing as she kept working, the smell of lavender and marigolds filling the air. I closed my eyes and reached out to Elara. Her sadness shivered against me, as though she was trembling in my arms, my blood pulsing right along with hers.

My love. I’m alright. I’m here.

Meet me in the temple when you’re recovered, if you can.

I couldn’t help but smile at the sound of her voice, washing over me like a breeze through the trees.

I will.

I’d wait for Regan’s signal. I’d protect her. I’d get her safe, and we’d leave this wretched palace far behind us. I just had to wait for the signal.

Chapter38

Rook

As soon as I was on my feet, I was hauled in front of Theron.

The throne room was full of its usual crowd of simpering courtiers, all giving me the obligatory stares of distaste and disappointment.

I shook the guards off and strode the rest of the way to the throne - the thrones, now. My step faltered for only a moment as my eyes settled on Elara, sitting beside Theron on her own ebony throne. Her blue eyes fixed on me, a tiny smile ghosting across her lips.

She was so beautiful she took my breath away. Her hair cascaded loose over her shoulder, a small glittering diadem perched on her head. She was wearing a sapphire blue dress, which made her eyes even more startling. There was an ache in the center of my ribcage as the Bond pulled me towards her, arching and stretching as the need to just touch her overwhelmed me.