Page 76

Clarissa

D rums echoed down the corridor as I descended the stairs to the entrance of the banquet hall.

At first I thought it was the sound of my own heart beating in my ears, but then a violin joined the chorus.

The royal symphony played a hauntingly beautiful tune that wound around me and set my nerves even more on edge.

Four members of the King’s Guard stood at attention at the doors, and my brother waited for me at the bottom of the staircase.

I took his outstretched arm as he leaned in to kiss my temple.

To my left, Devora handed me a bouquet overflowing with greenery, white wisteria, larkspur, and violets.

She offered me a small smile and squeezed my wrist for support before trailing behind me to fluff the train of my dress.

It was like every second increased the pressure building on my chest, until the guards opened the doors and I let out a breath.

The scene before me was something out of a fairytale. Even with such limited time to pull this wedding together, the palace had outdone my wildest expectations.

The walls of the hall were lined in gold pedestals, each holding flower arrangements that matched my own bouquet, with greenery cascading over the edges and onto the floor.

Cream- colored tapestries hung from the ceiling all the way down the aisle to the two golden thrones at the end, behind the altar.

Chandeliers lit the space every few feet, along with candelabras mounted on the walls.

A light blue and gold rug covered the aisle from the entrance to the altar, where a royal priest and Galen were stationed.

Countless heads turned as the guests stood. Their eyes burned a hole through me.

My feet locked into place. I blinked, wetting my lips as I fought to draw breath.

Leo tightened his grip on my arm. I felt him looking at me, could picture that familiar crease in his brow, but I couldn’t move.

My eyes took in Galen’s form at the end of the aisle—his dark blue royal robe, the sash across his chest, the black leather gloves, the crown on his head.

My future husband.

A weight slammed into me, keeping me planted to the floor. Until I glanced to his side and met Thorne’s eyes.

I’d never seen him so…put together. He wore the same color of deep blue pants with a matching fitted jacket, and a sword sheathed in a gold scabbard at his waist. His dark brown hair was pulled back with a strap of leather at the nape of his neck.

His gaze seared into me. I felt him everywhere—his fingers running across my skin, his lips on my neck, his chest pressed into my back.

I wanted this to be him. I wanted to be walking to him . My breaths came out in shaking spurts as the flowers in my hand suddenly became too heavy to bear. I couldn’t spend the rest of my life tied to another man, not when all I wanted was to be in his arms. I couldn’t?—

Thorne slowly dipped his chin into a small nod, his eyes never leaving mine. You can do this, Empress , I could hear him whisper.

He was there, giving me strength. Even when I knew this was crushing him. He was always there.

I took a step forward .

I kept my eyes on him as Leo led me down the aisle. Those icy blue pools were the only things anchoring me to the palace, that allowed me to move forward when my entire body screamed to run away.

When Leo set my hand in Galen’s, I finally shifted my focus to the king.

He gave me a thin-lipped smile and turned to face the priest. I quickly scanned the front rows to find Lady Reaux and Marigold on the left, with her nanny at her side.

Isabella Grimaldi was front and center in her wheelchair, an elegant tiara of twisted golden vines resting on her head.

To the right sat my mother, Rose, and Katrine, with Leo joining them.

Devora took my flowers and sat next to Katrine.

The regent families were unable to attend, what with us moving up the date and the sudden arrival of all the island refugees.

But what looked like the entire North Territory filled the seats behind our families.

“This evening, we are gathered together by the will of the Fates to witness His Majesty Galen Theodore Orion Grimaldi, Sovereign King of Mysthelm, unite in matrimony with Her Majesty Clarissa Valienne Aris, Empress-Elect of the Veridian Empire,” the elderly priest began, his voice ringing through the hall.

As he performed the ceremony, speaking words of unity, love, and devotion to a prosperous Mysthelm, my mind spun with the events of the last three weeks. Those stolen moments with Thorne echoed around me, piercing my heart.

“Breathe, Empress.”

“We would be lucky to have you as our queen.”

“Don’t be afraid of me. You’re safe.”

Galen slid a ring onto my finger, repeating meaningless words after the priest.

“You’re strong for everybody else in your life, Clarissa Aris. Who is strong for you ?”

“I feel you .”

I took the ring from a pocket sewn into my dress and pushed it over the leather glove of Galen’s ring finger. I barely heard the words coming from my mouth as I pledged my loyalty and fidelity to him.

“Then we fall together.”

“Lie to me, Empress.”

“If we’re going to feel guilty about something, it should be this.”

The priest cleared his throat. “Your Majesty, you may kiss your bride and Queen to seal this bond of marriage.”

Galen gripped my hand as he faced me and leaned in.

My eyes slid over to Thorne’s.

I love you .

Galen’s rough lips met mine.

Familiar magic sparked at his touch, flowing over me like a breath of fresh air.

But something was off this time.

When I pulled away, the priest spoke over the smattering of polite applause. “I am honored to present to you the King and Queen of Mysthelm, Galen and?—”

His words faltered.

Galen’s lips parted as he stumbled backward. When he looked up at me in confusion, I almost screamed at the sight.

A crack appeared on his cheek.

The brown skin at his neck slowly faded to gray.

“Clarissa—what—” he croaked out, before his lips turned to ash.

Flakes of skin peeled away and drifted to our feet as I surged forward and gripped his cheeks.

He fell to his knees, and I went with him. The entire room burst into screams.

“Galen!” I shouted, urging my magic to siphon the curse from him.

But it wasn’t working. It wasn’t like the last times—I couldn’t feel anything. No magic coursing through me. No sudden jolt of power. The curse wasn’t leaving him.

What was happening ?

“Galen, come on!” I shook his face, cradling him in my lap as he slumped over. “It’s not working!” I yelled when Thorne knelt at my side.

My heart hammered in my chest as I ripped Galen’s gloves off to get access to more of his skin, only to let out a gasp at his decayed hand. It was gray and cracked, bits of his fingers already breaking off and crumbling.

Bile crept up my throat. Thorne grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me away as guards stormed the altar, but my eyes never left Galen’s body.

I watched in horror as the curse overtook him.

His frozen gaze was fixed on mine until his lids finally shut and his body crumpled into dust.