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W atching Reign take the news fractures my icy heart just a bit. She won’t even look at me. Her feet falter slightly as she walks out of the throne room, and all I want to do is to run to her and explain that I will figure something out. This was the plan all along, but I fell for her. Damn it. I hate when James is right. I should have listened.

“Lukene, you are to go and offer her hand in marriage as your distant cousin,” Vanna says. “You need to ensure she seduces him.” She smiles, aware of something going on with Reign and I, and she knows the effects this will have on me.

“We need answers, Lukene. The curse spreads faster than we can manage. You know that more than anyone.” My father stands and descends the dais to stand right before me. “Now more than ever, I need you to prove your loyalties. Is it with your kingdom?” he asks, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“My first priority has always been my duty to my kingdom, Father,” I respond, maintaining a stoic expression, keeping my mask in place so he doesn’t see the storm raging beneath.

“That’s my boy. Make me proud,” he says with a slight smile. That’s my boy . His words sink into my stomach. Do I put my kingdom first or my own desires? Gods and goddesses, I’m so fucked. “Dismissed. Get packed and head there at once.” I have always tried to win my father’s approval. I’ve always sought it. I’ve always prioritized my kingdom, but for once, I don’t think I want to.

Leaving the throne room, I head to Reign. My heart lodges in my throat; each step closer adds weight to my stomach. When I reach her room, I enter without knocking. She and Sasha are packing a bag. “Sasha, please leave us.”

Sasha bows and exits the room. Reign still doesn’t look up at me. I walk over and reach out to grab her hand, hoping to stop her from packing so we can talk.

“Don’t!” Her voice is sullen. She snaps her eyes to mine, glistening in the light. “Don’t you dare touch me right now, Prince Lukene .” Ouch. Her words hit their mark, causing an ache in my heart.

“Let me explain…” I plead.

She throws a piece of clothing into her bag. “You knew… You knew this entire time, yet you still pursued me. Was this all a game to you?” Her eyes are glassy, and I hate myself a little more. She reaches behind her neck, unclasping the necklace. Holding it out to me, she says, “I can’t accept this. I won’t.”

“Reign—” I warn.

“It obviously means nothing. You knew I was to be given away… For the second time in my life, I will be married off.” She wipes a tear trailing down her face while keeping her hand extended to me. I didn’t know she was married off the first time.

I sigh, reaching for the necklace and taking it. “This was my mother’s. It’s the last thing of hers I have. I haven’t taken it off since she died.” I rotate the black stone in my hand, examining it before snapping my eyes back to hers. Taking another step closer until I’m right in front of her, I say, “So don’t tell me it meant nothing to give it to you…” I huff as emotions I’ve never allowed myself to feel rise up. I gulp them down and continue. “Because it means everything to me to see my most prized possession on your neck.”

Her chest rises and falls rapidly, struggling under the weight of my words. “Even if you marry him, you will always be mine, Reign. Always… Now put the necklace back on,” I demand, but it’s almost a plea.

More tears fall from her face, her eyes bloodshot. “I can’t accept it. I won’t. I was never yours to have, Luke.” Her voice breaks. “And you were never mine to possess. I’m a Drifter, a prisoner from the Hollows.” She sniffs. “You’re betrothed, and you’re bringing me to a man you want me to marry. It was never meant to?—”

I cut her off. “I don’t want you to marry him.”

“So, I should attempt to kill him? And what, Luke… die in the process?” She wipes the tears from her cheeks. “I’m the kingdom’s champion… I will do my job to the best of my ability. If I can get him to marry me, then I will. Maybe I’ll even get to keep my last name like I did with my first husband. You need to think about your own marriage now.” She sniffs one final time. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to finish packing, and I’m sure you need to pack as well.” She turns away from me and continues to pack.

“Reign…” I try to say, but it comes out like a strangled huff.

“Please leave. There’s nothing more to say. Please…” Her eyes brim with tears again, threatening to spill.

I nod, turning around and leaving her to her thoughts while shutting the door behind me. I stand outside her room, jittery panic coursing through me. Why does this feel so final, so permanent? She’s so adamant in her words. I feel like my world has been tipped upside down. I’m losing her… The feeling of finality is fracturing.

Shadows pour out of me in the hallway as I try to catch my breath. They envelop me in their dark embrace like they always have. I am suffocating in the shadows I once found solace in—their darkness too great, too blinding. This feels irreparable. Everything has become so messed up since she came into my life. She thawed this icy black heart, and for once, I feel.

Once, there was only black and muted colors; now I crave hues of lavender, bright eyes, and the sweet smells of vanilla and berries. She has changed me.

A strong hand on my shoulder pulls me from my thoughts, and my shadows dissipate as I suck in lungfuls of air.

“It’s going to be okay, Luke… It’s going to be okay,” James says with conviction. “Head to your room and pack.” He nods toward my door. For the first time, words elude me. Without another word, I walk to my room, stepping away from Reign, away from the first and last chance of happiness I’ve had, away from the first and last person I could ever possibly love.

Standing by the carriage, I wait for Reign. With my mother’s necklace returned to my neck, I twirl the stone in my hand, wishing she were here to guide me through this horrible situation I have gotten myself in.

“You need to fix this, and fast, Luke,” Lilyana snaps as she approaches. “I know you don’t want to lose her, but I don’t want to lose her either.”

“It’s done, Lilyana. There’s nothing I can do.”

“That’s cow shit, and you know it! Marry her—” Anger and fear of losing her friend redden Lilyana’s face.

“Do you think Father or Vanna would ever allow that?”

“Just… fix this, Luke. I mean it.”

Reign arrives, and Lilyana wraps her arms around her, nearly strangling her. After releasing her, Lilyana shoots me a deadly glare before returning to the palace.

Elm loads Reign’s bag into the carriage, then pulls her into a brief embrace while glaring at me, emotions swirling in his eyes. I get it, I really do. He’s like the protective big brother.

Reign lets go and walks over to the carriage. I extend my hand to help her up, but she refuses, hopping inside instead. So stubborn. I climb in, shut the door, and sit across from her. As the carriage starts to move, Reign gazes out the window, breaking the silence. “Why are we heading this way? Isn’t Armadon in the opposite direction?”

“We’re going to the base of Serpent’s Reach to take the wyvern over. It’ll take too long by carriage. My father doesn’t like the wyverns coming to the palace, so we usually bring them to Serpent’s Reach,” I say dryly, studying her face, taking in her sparkling lavender eyes and every freckle. She clears her throat, pulls out a book from her satchel, and begins to read silently.

Watching Reign read captivates me. I cock my head to the side, intrigued. Sometimes, a crinkle appears on her face; other times, a faint smile or prominent smirk graces her lips. I bet it’s a dirty romance novel. When another devilish grin spreads across her face, I can’t resist asking, “Is that another dirty book making you smile?” I grin playfully.

Her eyes lift to meet mine, and her cheeks redden slightly. “I don’t believe it’s any of your business what I’m reading, Prince.” She diverts her gaze and resumes her reading.

“Is it anything good? Anything you want to try out? Because I’d happily oblige your curiosity…” I lean back against the bench, my devilish grin widening. She snaps the book shut, the sound echoing in the carriage.

She smiles, but it’s anything but friendly. Leaning forward slightly, she says, “I definitely have curiosities about these filthy things I’m reading. I think once Prince Elliot gets to know me and takes me as his wife, he’ll be more than happy to teach me all about them.”

My smile falters as her grin widens. “He won’t touch you. I’ll never allow that.” My voice turns almost lethal.

“Really? So you want me to marry this man to get the cure, but he isn’t supposed to touch me?”

“Exactly!” My lips curl.

“What if I want him to touch me? What if I want his hands on me? What if I want him to touch my pu?—”

“Then I’ll remove his hands so he can never touch you. Don’t push me, Reign. You know I’ll do it.” My voice becomes deadly, devoid of playfulness, yet the smile never leaves my face.

“You’re insufferable, you know that? Kiss my ass!”

“Oh Reckless, don’t tempt me because I definitely will do exactly that if given the chance.” My grin widens as she scoffs and opens her book again to read.

We sit in silence for the rest of the ride. Her eyes are glued to her book while mine remain glued on her.

We reach the base of Serpent’s Reach. Stepping out of the carriage, I stretch and whistle for Wrath. A moment later, she flies down, shaking the ground as she lands. I secure the luggage to her back.

“Come on, hop up on her,” I say, holding out my hand.

She shakes her head and whistles. In seconds, her big orange wyvern swoops down with a roar, landing heavily and rattling the earth. “I’m riding Ember. Lead the way, Prince. Lead me to the man you plan to give me to.”

My jaw clenches at her words. Ember raises his tail, helping her onto his back. I jump onto Wrath, and we take off, Reign and Ember following closely behind.

We fly for most of the day. I glance back occasionally to check that she’s still following and doing alright. Long flights on a wyvern can be exhausting. Instead of heading straight to Armadon, I direct Wrath toward Maduri, where the mountains loom. We’ve flown there many times. We land, and I jump off Wrath to release the bags.

Reign jumps down from Ember and approaches. “This is Armadon?”

“No, it’s Maduri. We need to rest for the night. We’ll leave at first light.” Her hair blows wildly in the cold gusts as she looks around. In the distance, the monstrous temple stands, its golden tops shining like a beacon of hope in the dying sunlight peeking through the massive trees of the forest.

“Come. There’s a little place I stay at when I come here. If we have time, I’ll show you the view from the cliff beside the cabin. Sometimes I sit there and think… clear my mind.” Hiking the bags higher on my shoulders, we set off.

The sunlight nearly vanishes by the time we reach the little house at the cliff’s edge, overlooking most of Maduri. I enter, drop the bags on the ground, and stretch my tired muscles. Walking to the tiny table, I light a lantern.

Reign surveys the cabin, taking in its smallness. I don’t know who lived here before, but I seem to be the only one who uses it now. There’s a nice-sized fireplace, a small table beside the bare kitchen, a bed in the corner, and a washroom. The cold air makes my breath visible. I forgot how cold it gets up here at night.

Walking to the fireplace, I place logs inside and start a fire. “There’s a washroom in the back if you want to clean up before bed,” I say without looking at her.

“There’s only one bed…” she replies, annoyance in her voice.

“You can take the bed. I’ll sleep in the chair,” I explain.

I hear her pick up her bag and head to the washroom, shutting the door. Once the fire roars, I grab my bag and pull out the apples, cheese, and bread I packed. I slice the food and plate it for when Reign emerges.

The door opens, and Reign steps out, shivering. Her hair is damp, and she wears a long-sleeved bedtime shirt and pants that I had Sasha pack for her. She wraps her arms tightly around herself while walking over to the fireplace. I wish I could hold her to warm her up, but knowing my little Reckless, she would probably stab me for trying. The thought brings a smile to my face

“Come eat, Reign.”

“I’m not hungry,” she replies in a stale voice, while staring into the fire, not even bothering to look my way.

“I wasn’t asking, Reckless,” I reply, sitting down at the small table.

She throws her head back, closes her eyes for a moment, and huffs dramatically before finally taking a seat across from me. I set her plate in front of her. She picks up her food with cold, shaky hands and starts to eat.

We eat in silence and it’s killing me. I don’t know how to fix this, or what to say, or what to do. Her incessant shivering bothers me. I get up, walk over to the bed, and grab two blankets—one I hang near the fireplace and the other I wrap around Reign’s shoulders. If she weren’t so cold, I have a feeling she would be her stubborn little self and refuse it.

After we finish eating, Reign continues to sit at the table, staring blankly. I’d give anything to peer into her mind and see what’s going on in there. “Reign, it’s getting late. We must leave early, so try to get some sleep.”

She pushes the chair back swiftly, making it scrape loudly against the floor. “You don’t need to boss me around like I am a child, Prince.” She seethes between gritted teeth. “Eat this, sleep, do this, do that… I have lived the last twenty-six years of my miserable life without you telling me what to do, and I will continue to live on for however long the mother grants me, without you.” She stands, walking over to the bed and flops down. “And just so you know, I wanted to go to bed. That is why I’m lying down… not because you told me to.”

I say nothing back. I just watch her. I know she is hurting. I know I’m the one that caused it, and I hate myself for it. She lies on her back, eyes closed, cocooning herself in the blanket as her teeth chatter loudly throughout the room.

I stand and walk over to the fireplace, grabbing the blanket that warmed nicely. I walk over to Reign and place it over top of her. I pull a chair near the bed, sit, and stretch my legs. My eyes drift closed as I pray to the mother to fix the mess I made and let sleep come so I no longer have to think or feel.

I wake to Reign crying and yelling in her sleep. She is thrashing in bed. “The children! The children! The blood!” I jump up and rush to her, shaking her.

“Reign!” She flings herself up and opens her eyes, looking at me like she is confused. She looks around the room and releases a long breath. “It was just a nightmare,” I say as I bring my hand up and wipe her tears away. “You are safe. You are okay.” I trail my hand down her arm and back up again.

“I’m fine,” she says, while laying back down on her side. I get up to walk back to my chair, but she grasps my hand. “Can you lay with me, just until I fall asleep? Can we just pretend for one second it was all real and not a game? We can go back to hating each other tomorrow,” she says sleepily.

I can never refuse her, especially for something so simple, but my heart fractures at her words. I lay down on my side, and we stare at each other. “Want to talk about it?” I ask.

“It felt so real. There were children everywhere—some lying dead on the ground, while others were bound and crying as a man in a cloak killed them and drained them. Glasses full of their blood sat on the table. A woman with a cloak covering her face came in and began drinking the glasses of blood.” She lets out a shuttered breath. “It felt so real. I could feel their terror in their last moments.”

“It was just a nightmare. Sometimes, when life is full of chaos and turmoil, it manifests itself in our dreams. I know that all too well,” I say while rubbing her arm. She closes her eyes. “It was never a game to me…”

Her eyes snap open. “What?” Her face scrunches.

“None of this”—I gesture between us—”was a game for me. It was always real. Still is.” She exhales slowly, closing her eyes again.

“I’m okay now. You can sleep in your chair.” She rolls onto her back, not looking at me.

“Let me sleep next to you tonight. Like you said, you can go back to hating me tomorrow. For tonight, let me hold you. Let me pretend you are mine.” She still doesn’t look at me. I reach over, grasp her chin, and turn her to meet my gaze. “Just for tonight…”

She gulps but nods her head. Her eyes are wet, glistening in the fire’s light, and filled with unspoken words. She turns onto her side, her back to me. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I pull her to me, letting my warmth seep into her. Within minutes I hear her tiny little snores.

I wish so badly this could be my norm, sleeping with her in my arms. Instead, I will be dangling her in front of Prince Elliot like bait for the taking. I have only ever heard great things about him. He is supposed to be loved by his people, a great noble man. Maybe her life would be better with someone like him. Even if she and I had a chance, I could never make her happy. I’d damn us both. I’m the monster under the bed, not prince charming.

Laying there, I breathe in her scent deeply, committing it to memory. We were damned before we even started. She stirs and flips onto her other side, facing me, her cheek against my chest. Panic bubbles up, so I lay on my back, but she moves again until she’s fully on my chest. Breathing heavily, I remind myself she isn’t Vanna, that I’m safe. Breathing feels impossible as sweat beads on my brow.

Instead of pushing her away, knowing this is the last night I’ll have with her, I wrap my arms around her, telling my stupid mind to shut up while I will my heart to slow its rapid pace. After a few minutes, they listen. My breathing slows, along with my heart and racing thoughts.

Never in my life did I think a moment like this was possible—laying with the woman I love, her body resting on my chest. Maybe in another life, I could have been different, better for her. In another life, we could have had a normal life together, free from our burdens and haunted pasts that torment us both. I would find and love her in every lifetime, even if this is all the time we get—just a few measly seasons.

I run my fingers through her beautifully rare lavender hair. How could anyone give up such a gift? But was she ever mine to give? Instead of thinking any further, I hold her tightly like it’s my last day on the continent and try to sleep because tomorrow I have to do the hardest thing I’ve ever done… and give her up.