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Chapter Twenty-Four

Aurelia

M aintaining his mysterious silence, Marc takes me on only a short trek through the secret passages in the walls. I haven’t traversed the narrow wooden halls enough beyond my few usual routes to decipher where we’re going until we step out into a vast, shrouded sitting room.

“There you are,” Raul mutters from where he’s standing in the middle of the room with Bastien and Lorenzo, his massive form tensed.

A lantern casts its amber glow over the three princes from where it’s sitting on the floor near the wall.

“Now are you going to explain what we’re doing in this blasted spot? ”

My gaze slides over the chairs and tables draped with protective sheets, the gilded wallpaper and dark wooden paneling, the thick rugs that’ve been rolled and leaned against the walls.

A tang of tartly smoky cologne prickles my nose, thicker than it lingered in the temporary apartment I used while my own was restored.

Even with most of the furnishings packed away or concealed like ghostly silhouettes, even though I’ve only been in this apartment once, an uncomfortable twinge of recognition ripples through my gut.

I cross my arms over my chest instinctively, as if the room’s contents might attack me as its occupants did more than once. “These are your old chambers.”

This is the panel my princes and I stepped through that fateful night several weeks ago. Through the doorway across the room lies the bedroom with its different secret doorway behind the bookcase next to the hearth.

It’s there that I called to Marc in a feigned panic to bring him out of the hidden room the twins shared, to drug him and carry him off to the basement where we interrogated him and meant to murder him.

Does he really want to stir up those memories now?

From Marc’s faint wince when he takes in my expression, I have to guess not. “This isn’t— I just assumed it was the safest setting for us to remain undisturbed, while still fitting my purpose.”

Bastien tilts his head to one side. “Are we finally going to hear what that purpose is? We came as you requested—because you said it’d be for Aurelia.”

Marc opens his mouth and closes it again. His expression stays mild, but when he takes a few steps away from me, more tension shows in his movements than even Raul’s braced stance holds.

He stops between me and the princes and looks as if he makes a conscious effort to relax. His shoulders come down slightly.

He glances back at me. “You shouldn’t think of these chambers as mine anymore.

I don’t. They’ll be Coraya’s when she’s grown.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the people insist that you take them until that time, once you’ve crushed Valerisse’s rebellion and proven yourself the rightful empress yet again. ”

I can’t keep the tart note from my voice. “I’m perfectly happy with the apartment I have. What’s going on, Marc?”

He shifts his attention to the princes. His hands twitch at his sides as if he’s resisted the urge to clench them.

Despite that, his voice comes out even enough. I might even call it… warm.

“I’d be a fool not to see how good you’ve been to my wife,” he says.

“And I’ve already been a fool far longer and more often than I prefer.

You’ve stood by her, comforted her, and protected her when she needed it, since before she even was my wife.

You carried out the duties that should have been mine when I was too lost in my old attitudes to do it myself. ”

A trace of a smile touches Lorenzo’s lips. He catches my gaze. “I don’t think any of us saw it as a ‘duty’ but as an honor.”

Marc lets out a choked sort of laugh. “As well you should. That only proves my point.”

Raul swirls his hand in the air impatiently. “What is your point? We already know everything you just said. You’re the one who’s taken so long to catch up.”

Marc grimaces at him but doesn’t let a matching animosity seep into his tone.

If anything, his voice softens. “You’re about to head off on your own into highly dangerous territory on Aurelia’s behalf.

I know how much you’re risking, and I know you’re doing it for her.

I know you’ll put your allegiance to her over that to your families and do whatever you can to ensure their own loyalty and her safety. ”

His gaze returns to me. “And I know how hard it was for you to ask them to go and how worried you’ll be while they’re gone.”

The sense of loss I’ve been trying to suppress all day creeps up to wind around my throat. “So you wanted to arrange one last meeting? I’d have done that myself.”

“No. I—I wanted to give you something better than that. I don’t know how much of a difference it’ll make, but I hope it’ll mean something to have your devotion to each other validated beyond secret meetings.”

He draws in a breath. “The palace might not fully recognize it, but technically I am still emperor. I was born of the imperial line with all the authority that should come with that fact. And by tradition the emperor has all the powers of a cleric should he choose to exercise them. I can sanctify a marriage under the gods’ eyes. ”

My heart stutters. We all stare at him, speechless.

Raul attempts to recover first. “What— You really?—”

Marc continues before the prince of Lavira needs to grope for words any farther.

“I’m offering to oversee an official marriage ceremony between the three of you and her.

You might not be able to celebrate it openly, but you’d know that your relationship is legitimatized, before imperial authority and the gods. If you’d all want that…”

As he trails off, he looks abruptly, startlingly awkward. I’ve never seen him quite so unsure of his footing.

The knowledge that he’s made this offer despite his uncertainties, despite all the reasons he might have to want to hold on to the one exclusive claim he has on me, brings a swell of affection surging up inside me.

A smile stretches my lips. “Of course I’d want that.”

I glance across at my lovers. Lorenzo is beaming now, the answer shining in his dark eyes before his illusionary voice passes into my mind. “It would be the highest honor.”

Bastien’s voice comes out rough. “I never dared to hope that would even be possible. Are you sure—would Ardone really give her blessing—when Aurelia’s already technically married to you, and three of us?— ”

Marc smiles crookedly back at him. “I looked up historical precedent. It’s unusual, but there have been occasional marriages of more than two people in the past. Even that blasted Signy who kicked us out of the western half of the continent…

All Ardone seems to care about in those cases is whether the marriage is based on genuine love, and I doubt that’ll be a problem here. ”

Raul still appears to be reeling. “Why would you— Are you serious? What’s the catch?”

“No catch.” Marc’s face turns wistful. “I’ve had to do a lot of reflecting in recent weeks.

The conclusion I’ve come to is that there’s nothing I want more than to remain with Aurelia, acting as the partner I should have been to begin with, seeing her at peace and thriving alongside the empire.

And I can see that binding you all together, confirming the support you’ll keep offering each other, will get me closer to that goal. ”

I have the urge to kiss him again, more emphatically than the one time I allowed myself before. That gesture seems rather counter purpose to the one he’s making, though.

He has come an incredibly long way from the imperial heir who once mocked my tea and hurled knives at my head.

Marc opens the pouch at his hip and retrieves a ball of pink silk…

and three gold rings he displays on his palm.

“I didn’t think we could get away with each of you having a full band, and I didn’t have enough gold from mine to make three of those anyway.

But if I can still be her husband with it cut off my wrist, then I don’t see why having a smaller band around your finger shouldn’t be a more-than-sufficient symbol. ”

Raul’s eyes flash. “You did grab the broken band from the servants’ room! All this time…” His momentary consternation dwindles. “You held on to it all this time, and you’re using it for this? ”

“It’s meant to be worn, and I couldn’t wear it as is either.” Marc pauses with a flick of his gaze toward me. “I had four rings made. I’ll give you the other to set aside… until such time as you might decide you’re happy seeing it on my finger as well.”

The hope in his eyes makes my throat squeeze tighter. “I suppose we’ll see about that part,” I say quietly.

Lorenzo steps closer to me. “You can conduct the ceremony here rather than in the temple? Right now?”

“The temple seemed too risky, and I expect we’re best off with me as close to my old imperial self as possible.” Marc motions to the room around us. “It shouldn’t take long, and then you can celebrate in private however you wish. I think I can pare down the typical ceremonial prayers.”

Even Raul’s face has lightened. I walk over, tugging Lorenzo with me, reaching to grasp Raul’s hand and encompassing Bastien as well with my smile.

“I couldn’t have asked for better companions in everything that matters to me.

We’ve been on this path together for so long, through so much.

Let’s make that commitment official in the eyes of the gods. ”

Raul dips his head to plant a kiss on my hair. “You know I’d make the commitment in front of the entire continent if we could.”

We can’t—we may never be able to announce our devotion publicly. Not while Coraya’s path to the throne is still uncertain, at least. But this is still more legitimacy than I ever imagined our relationship might receive.

It won’t eliminate the dangers my lovers will face or how much I’ll miss their presence, but it’ll make the bonds between us feel all the stronger, drawing them back home to me.

With a caress of my cheek, Bastien nods.

I turn to face Marc again. “How do we do this? ”

“Much the same way you married ‘Marclinus.’ You can stay right there. You’re ready?”

“We’ve been ready,” Raul says gruffly.

Lorenzo links his arm with mine.

Marc taps his fingers down his front in the gesture of the divinities and tips his face toward the ceiling. His gravelly voice resonates through the room with the words I remember from that day in the palace temple over a year ago.

“Oh great Ardone, champion of love, beauty, and passion. We call on you today to witness and endorse the love shared by the four people in front of me.”

As he continues through the wedding prayer, albeit with fewer of the extended flourishes the Ardonian cleric included, my princes ease even closer around me. My heart feels as if it’s expanding, absorbing all the adoration they’re radiating toward me and exuding my own back at them.

At them, and at the man who set this ceremony in motion.

Marc finishes the prayer with the final request. “May you watch over their love and honor them as they honor you with it.”

A flutter of warmth passes over my skin, as if Ardone has literally touched me with her blessing. From the intake of breath behind me, I don’t think I’m the only one who felt it.

We hold out our hands. Marc winds the cool strip of pink silk around each of the princes’ palms, looping over mine in turn in between each. The words I’ve only said once before rise up in my throat automatically.

I meet Lorenzo’s eyes first. “I swear before all the gods to love and honor you from now until my last breath leaves me.”

When I said it to Linus, the promise fell heavy from my tongue. Now, it springs forth as giddy as a spring breeze.

I turn to Bastien at my other side. “I swear before all the gods to love and honor you from now until my last breath leaves me.” And then Raul, just next to him. “I swear before all the gods to love and honor you from now until my last breath leaves me.”

I don’t think Raul could grin any wider than he does before he repeats the oath back to me, his tone as tender as I’ve ever heard it. Bastien’s penetrating gaze doesn’t waver as he offers up his own promise. Lorenzo leans his head against mine and speaks the sacred words right into my head.

Marc holds out the rings again. He judges each of the princes’ hands and slides the simple gold band onto the finger it’ll best fit. They gleam against those digits—pale, tawny, and deep brown. Then he touches the band I still wear around my wrist as if to add it to the ceremony.

All those months ago, the fitted circle of gold felt like a manacle. Now it’s an anchor, ensuring the men I love can never be flung too far astray.

Marc clears his throat before he speaks the last benediction. “Let it be seen that these four are married!”