Page 154 of Boundless

My cheeks probably resembled tomatoes now.

All that mess in my head turned even messier because now I was trying to hold it togetherwhilepicturing actually marryingRune.

This guy—marryingthisguy.

“It’s fine. Just once will do,” I muttered, and his kisses all over my face while he chuckled that sweet sound gave me a much-needed moment to get myself together.

“Once it is,” he said. “Are you ready for the feast? All your guests are here.”

Goose bumps broke over my arms, and he felt them—the dress was sleeveless. It didn’t belong to Queen Veyra, though. It was made for me, and it fit me exactly right. A gorgeous piece made out of silk and lace, the color an icy white, with silver threads and a deep cut in the front, so long it touched the floor but somehow light enough that it moved,flowedup with every step I took that I never had to even pull the fabric up to make sure I didn’t trip and fall. Whatever kind of magic had made it was incredibly beautiful, and it went perfectly with the tie they’d made for my hair—silver with a transparent piece that covered the back of my head and fell all the way down to my back. It wasn’t like a wedding dress veil, though—more like magic threaded together, and it shimmered beautifully under lights, too.

Of course, I hadn’t stayed in front of the mirror long, and I hadn’t let the women who’d come to my room to bring me my dress to also do my makeup or hair. It still felt so strange—theywere so strange to me because of how we looked, how our colorsmatched, and I kept checking that my ears hadn’t grown points on them every time I saw an Ice fae.

Safe to say I was going to need time to adjust.

But I was as ready as I could be. I’d put on the dress, had put on makeup, too, from the small bag of it they’d brought me. Pots full of shimmery colors for my lids, balms and highlighters for my cheeks, the thornlash ink, which was basically mascara, and lip glosses in all colors made of fae nectar, too.

There was a chance Rune had taken it off with his kisses, but I’d rather go with a bare face than to have himnotkiss me, so it wasn’t really an issue.

“Any news from the guards?” I asked, and my stomach did a flip inside me at the thought, just like always.

“Yes. They’re reporting once an hour. Everybody’s safe. Everybody’s on their way. They will be in Nerith the day after tomorrow,” Rune said.

The day after tomorrow.

Shit, that seemed like too much, and too little at the same time. We’d sent soldiers—both Ice fae and Midnights—to the Neutral Lands, to the Aetherway, to my family to deliver them a letter I’d written myself. I had told them about my new position, had explained that I couldn’t go see them just yet, but that they could come visitmeinstead, if they wanted. I thought they’d say yes, and I was anxious as all hell.

“Good, good,” I whispered, trying to push down the panic, but Rune knew me too well.

“They will be escorted by thirty guards, ten of which Raja picked personally. And I will meet them halfway the moment they come through the Aetherway. You don’t need to worry—they will be okay. I give you my word,” he said, and it helped. In him I trusted with all my being. I’d still try to join him when my family crossed over, and hopefully by then Arez would be here, too, but even if it was just Rune, I wasn’t afraid. He could handlehimself, and there wasn’t a soul in Verenthia left who didn’t know who he was by now.

The bastard who became king and gave up his throne for the Ice Queen.

Fairytale stuff, really.

“Fuck, Rune, I don’t think I’m ready for this,” I said a moment later because I really wasn’t. And not just because I was terrified for my family’s safety.

Wasanybodyever ready to be a queen, I wondered? And there were people here that I was supposed to sit with during a feast to celebrate myarrival home,and I had to show up and smile and shake hands and make friends—howwas I going to pull off any of it?

“That’s okay. I’ll carry whatever you can’t,” he said. “Look at me. I’ll be there every second. You don’t have to worry. It will be all right.”

I believed him when he said it, and it did take most of the stress away to be reassured that he would be there by my side for whatever happened.

“Is Hil coming?” I wondered.

“No—the Fire Palace still refuses to let him go, but he will send his assembly to swear his loyalty to you,” Rune said, and I flinched.

“Yeah, I’m never gonna get used to that.”Swearing loyalty to me—didn’t these people know who I was?

Laughter, so warm it made my toes curl in my pretty silver shoes—with just the right amount of heel, I might add. “I’m looking forward to that.”

That did bring a smile to my lips. “So, we’rereallygoing to be living together now. Sleep here. Every single night.”

“Yep.”

“You won’t have to leave or anything.”

“Not unless you order it.”