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It was the last thing I expected to hear, and my heart skipped a beat.

She held my gaze. “I’m sorry I couldn’t say it earlier. You’re the one person who can see all of me, that Iallowto see all of me. Zayne, you have planted yourself far deeper in my soul than any bond. And thatterrifiesme.”

I smiled at her confession. “I’ve been wanting to hear that for a long time. To know you feel this too. That our bond isn’t something you regret, that despite our strange circumstances, you chose us.Me. I am a shadow prince and necromancer, and still,you want me.” Unable to contain myself another moment, I surged forward and kissed her. “I love you too.”

She grinned against me, kissing me back.

For a few final moments, time held still.

We were together. We were bound.

And that was enough.

It had to be.

Chapter thirty-one

The Trade Agreement

Ayla

“Do you think we’re mates?” I asked, clinging to the time that remained.

We were dressed, for the most part, and just finishing touches remained. My flowing skirt made it easy to hide countless daggers, and I tested each one, ensuring they were easy to grab. Zayne adjusted his cloak, probing where the shards were secured. The pocket now bulged, the contents forcing it to hang heavily.

Through our preparations, we didn’t dare touch.

Our skin burned and the bond ached, everything throbbing for us to touch again. But if our skin so much as brushed, we’d tumble right back into that bed.

“Mates?” Zayne asked, his heated gaze sweeping over me. “Do you want to be?”

Despite Zayne filling me, claiming my mind, the throne remained. It throbbed in my consciousness, ever present, but it wasn’t where I put my attention. I studied Zayne, fixated by theway he stood, breathtaking and tall and absolutely, deliciouslymine.“I want to be yours.”

“Good,” he growled. “Then that’s what we are, mates.”

My heart swelled, and I reached for him before I could stop myself. He lifted me into his arms and pressed his lips to mine. I wrapped my legs around his waist.

For three heartbeats, we kissed, and I counted each one, hanging to them like a promise.

I won’t lose Zayne, not for the throne.

We were mates. Bound. There would be a way.

Zayne deepened the kiss before straightening, setting me down, and standing tall. He offered me his hand, this time to shadow-step. “We should hurry.”

“I know.” I wrapped my fingers in his.

Darkness swirled around me. Determined, I melted into it, and for a final moment, Zayne’s shadows held me, supporting me as we entered the Starlit King’s rooms.

I exhaled, steadying myself on the other side of the jump. Bouncing on my toes, I looked around.

Get in, get out.

The Starlit King’s study was empty, the room as I remembered it, with the large desk taking up most of the space. Except now, golden daylight scattered on the windows. It caught in the glass where sea mist gathered on their panes, causing the light to shatter like gems, illuminating the ornate box that held the shards.

Like before, the starlit box called to me, and my magic swelled up in reply as like called to like. Except now, I understood. It was simply another reminder of how similar the Starlit King’s magic was to my own, both of us bound to the throne. My chest ached with the desire to step closer, but this time, I braced.

“Ready?” Zayne asked.