Chapter Fifteen

IF I THOUGHT I'D BEEN nervous to meet the first of my people, I was practically coming undone with anxiety now. With the slow arrival of Water Fae, it was time to start preparations for the welcome home gathering and the ball and coronation. The pressure on my shoulders to learn all I could and prepare for such major events, all within a month—the timeframe settled upon by the present Council of Doctrina members and me—was making me start to panic. Standing in the stadium sized, opulent ballroom that made me feel like a mere speck of dust on a surface certainly wasn't helping.

"This room is gorgeous," I noted, trying to focus on that instead of the tightening between my shoulder blades.

The marble-like floor was made of a silver material with veins that ran deep blue. It paired beautifully with the iridescent white walls that ran all the way up to the domed glass ceiling. Columns carved to look like coral lined the room, leading to a raised platform at the head of the room that held two thrones made of old sea life—shells, rock, and coral.

"Imagine it all lit up with candles in the sconces and the moonlight coming from the dome above," Dallas gushed, her eyes glittering with excitement. "That's how it will look the night of the coronation."

"Decor can be settled later," Angus said as he came up to me. "Princess, for now, let's focus on how the coronation will work, as well as the details of the Joining Ceremony. I assume you're planning to announce your engagement to Rune at the welcome home gathering next week, yes?"

"Uh—" I glanced at Rune and shifted nervously. "No, I wasn't planning on that since there isn't an engagement to announce."

"You intend to lead with Rune, though," Jesiah stated matter-of-factly.

"I mean, yes, but—"

"Then you are engaged," Angus said. His features tightened with the annoyance he was trying to contain. "For Rune to lead with you, he has to be King, and for him to become King, he has to get crowned with you through the Joining Ceremony."

"So," Rune started, scratching nervously at his chin. "Would the Joining Ceremony be an announcement of Bria's intention to be with me or an actual, you know, marriage?"

"A marriage," Angus and Jesiah answered in unison.

A pit opened up in my stomach, swallowing up every bit of warmth and strength within me until I was left with nothing but a ball of anxiety. The way Rune said the word marriage as if it had tried to bite him was reconfirmation that he didn't want it.

Being lovers was fine, because it wasn't a binding deal per say, not like marriage. Certainly not like this kind of marriage. This marriage would come with a thousand rules and requirements, because it would make him a King—something I hadn't even asked him if he wanted to be.

Sure, marriage hadn't necessarily been on the forefront of my mind, but there were far worse things that could happen than a marriage between us. I wouldn't have minded calling Rune my husband and seeing him as King. In fact, the thought made me giddy, like a schoolgirl who had just found her first crush. But it wasn't fair to him.

Being lovers was something he and I chose together, because we wanted it, but this marriage was something being decided for Rune. Just like what his mom had tried doing to him. His choice in so many matters was slipping through his fingers like grains of sand, and I refused to be a part of that. I refused to take away Rune's ability to choose.

Ducking my head, I balled the skirt of my dress in my shaking hands. "We're not doing it."

"Princess, we've been over this," Angus huffed.

"No, we haven't," I thundered, snapping my head up to glare at Angus and releasing my dress from my tight fists. "You've talked. I've listened. That's it. So now I'm telling you . I'm not doing the Joining Ceremony."

"Bria—" Rune started softly, placing a hand on my arm.

I shook it off, too afraid that if he touched me right now, I'd break down. I swallowed hard and forced the words out. "No Joining Ceremony. No wedding. None of that. I'm not marrying Rune."

Silence descended over the room. Dallas and Rance stared wide-eyed, and I watched my best friend turn her shocked eyes from me to the space on my left where I knew Rune stood. I was too much of a coward to look at him myself, though. I was too afraid to see what expression he most likely wore—relief. The idea of looking at him now and seeing his relief that I cut off any talk of marriage would be like suddenly plunging into a pool of ice.

Clearing my throat, I grabbed my silk dress skirt and spun on my heel. "I'm going to change before we get started. This dress is heavy."

It was a lie, and I was pretty sure at least Dallas and Rune knew that. Still, they let me go, for which I was glad. I needed time to process what I'd just done and to grieve the potential future I'd envisioned.

Not only that, but the fear that I'd have to lead alone was starting to weigh on me. Without Rune, there would just be me, the Water Fae Queen. I'd be the sole face of the Kingdom, delegating and ruling with an empty seat beside me. I didn't know what can of worms that would open or if it would allow others to try to claim that seat beside mine. But even if people thought they could take the spot, it would forever be reserved for Rune. Even if we weren't officially "joined"—or whatever the hell they called it here—he would always be my partner.

My King would always be my Fox.

UP IN MY BEDROOM, THE ocean glittered and danced under the sun. The waves rolled in before bleeding back into the depths below. I wanted to follow those waves plunging into the calm waters where all worries and problems were momentarily forgotten. Because while I stood here with my tiara staring at me from where I'd set it on the bedside table, worries were all I had.

A knock came at the door.

I didn't turn around from where I leaned against the windowpane, staring out at the distant waters. "Come in," I called, and I inwardly cringed at how deflated I sounded. Calling off any talk of a potential marriage was making me feel worse than I had anticipated.

The door clicked as it opened and shut. Muted footsteps came closer across the carpeted floor then stopped a few feet away from me. Thick, almost tangible silence descended. Without turning, I knew who stood behind me. I could sense it within my very being, almost like a magnet being drawn to a certain source. But I fought that pull. I ignored the urge to turn around and be faced with reality and what calling off the Joining Ceremony meant for us and for me.

Finally, Rune's deep voice broke the quiet tension in the room. "Can we talk?"

I took a deep breath and turned to face him. Rune leaned against one of the pillars of our bed, and his golden eyes immediately sought out my own.

As soon as I looked at him, the seal containing everything I was feeling cracked wide open, and there was no stopping the slew of words that flooded out. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that they'd try to pressure you into marrying me. I mean, we're adults. We should get to choose who and when we marry. Or if. Because some people don't want marriage. It's not for everyone. I know that. So don't worry, I won't let them force you. I won't let them tie you down like that, like the way your mom tried. I won't—"

"Woah, woah, woah," Rune interjected, throwing his clawed hands up to stop my word vomit. He cocked a confused brow at me and asked, "Is that why you said that downstairs?"

"Said what?"

His voice softened, and his fox ears pinned back slightly. "That you wouldn't marry me."

My heart clenched tightly as pain edged its way into the crease of his eyes and the subtle pull of his lips. Seeing his reaction was like a whip of lightning in my gut, and I realized what I had said hurt him.

Wanting to clear up what I meant so he wouldn't think I was rejecting him , I quickly explained, "Yes. You don't want to get married, so I was just telling them what I had to so that you wouldn't be forced into anything."

Rune nodded and looked over my shoulder toward the sea beyond the window. "Marriage is something I've never wanted. I've had no interest whatsoever to settle down or commit myself like that to someone. I mean, we live so long, and to spend the rest of my life with one person …" He shook his head and looked down at where he was scuffing his shoe on the ground. "I've just never wanted that for myself."

I swallowed hard and forced a small smile beyond the acidic burn in my throat. "I know. That's why I said what I did down there."

Rune's honey eyes snapped back to mine. "You didn't let me finish."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me, Rune. Really. I get it."

"No, I don't think you do." He shook his head with a heavy sigh before closing the space between us. "I've never wanted a life partner, someone to spend the remaining centuries of my existence with. At least, I didn't." He swallowed hard and reached forward to cup my cheek. "Until you."

The air passing through my lungs got stuck, and my mind stilled on his words.

Until you. He'd just said, "Until you."

Heart beating a mile a minute, I whispered, "Wh-What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that what I want is you. Forever. My life is yours. Not only do I want to spend the rest of my years with you, I can't even picture my life without you in it anymore. I don't care what name people want to put to it. Marriage. Joining Ceremony. Husband and wife. King and Queen. All I want is to be right here with you, forever by your side, and I'll do anything I have to do to be here."

His words felt like a dream. They were words I never imagined would leave Rune's mouth, but then again, I'd never expected to hear him say he loved me, either. The Rune who loathed the idea of settling down and sharing his life with another person was gone, replaced with one who loved me openly and fiercely.

And my God, did I feel the same.

"So," I started slowly, "you want to do it? You want to do the Joining Ceremony?"

"I'd say yes to anything if it means being with you."

I placed my hands on his firm chest and searched his eyes. "Are you okay with being King and taking on all that responsibility with me?"

"Well, I'm certainly not going to let someone else share that bed with you."

" Rune ," I chastised, fighting a smile. It was a huge ask. The burden that would come with such a role was great, so I needed to hear him say he wanted it.

He kissed the tip of my nose and smiled down at me. "I want to be by your side and am willing to do whatever I have to or be whoever I need to be. That includes learning how to be a King and carrying that burden with you."

I stared up at him and held my breath for a moment, waiting for him to change his mind. When he didn't, I let out a breathy laugh and pressed my forehead against his chest. "Thank you. I love you so much, Rune. There's no one else I'd rather lead with. There's no one else I'd rather spend my life with."

One large clawed hand traced a loving trail up and down my back. "You deserve the world, Bria, and if I could, I'd capture it in a heartbeat to give it to you. I don't know what all goes into the Joining Ceremony. I don't know if I'm supposed to present you with flowers or a gift or a ring."

I shook my head against his chest. "I don't need any of that. All I need is right here."

"Well then, at least let me do this." He crooked a finger beneath my chin and tilted my face up so that our eyes met. As soon as our gazes locked, he smiled sweetly at me and asked, "Will you marry me, Bria?"

The rush of emotions that flooded my chest sent my heart into overdrive and short-circuited my brain. A special kind of euphoria, one light like a feather yet as hot and powerful as a thousand suns, washed over me. Tears rushed to the corners of my eyes, and there was nothing I could do to keep the happy droplets from rolling down my cheeks.

Every fantasy I'd had about being proposed to couldn't compare to the real thing. No figment of my imagination could come close to this moment. Rune's proposal wasn't flashy or over-the-top, and he wasn't presenting me some glittering diamond ring. But I didn't need those things, because he was giving me something so much better.

Himself.

His love.

A promise of forever.

Finally finding my voice amid the bliss snaking its way through me, I whispered, "I'd love nothing more."

I didn't think it was possible, but his smile widened. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. His kiss was like pure serotonin, and the surge of warmth and desire that flooded my system each time he kissed me was a drug I didn't mind being addicted to. His tongue parted the seam of my lips and flicked against mine. I whimpered, pressing further into him and deepening the kiss.

"Is that dress still heavy?" Rune asked in between breathless kisses.

"Crushing," I answered.

"Ah, well, we can't have that."

His lips swept over mine in a hungry graze while his hands made quick work of untying the lace bindings on my back. The silk dress slipped down my figure, pooling at my feet and leaving me in only my panties.

"Better?" Rune asked, nibbling on my neck while his hands found my exposed breasts. His thumbs curled over each peaked bud, eliciting a sharp pang of desire that shot through me from head to toe.

"Almost." I tugged the tunic he wore over his head until he was in only his dark slacks and silver button-up. I bit my lip as I worked the buttons on his shirt. "I have to say, one of my favorite things so far about this Kingdom is the clothes. Why don't humans dress this way anymore? I could get used to seeing you like this."

Rune smirked and gave my body a slow, sensual once over. "I could get used to seeing you dressed like this ."

I peeled his shirt off and tossed it aside. "I'd hardly call panties being dressed."

"I disagree. It's the most important part of being dressed."

"How do you figure?"

Rune's eyes glazed over with a smoky, lustful look. He gripped me under the butt and hoisted me into his strong arms. I fingered the ends of the ribbon that still tied back half of his hair as he set me down on the edge of our bed.

"Because," Rune started. He spread my legs apart and ran the tip of his tongue along the fabric of my underwear, right where I ached for him. "They're the most fun to take off."

If that wasn't enough to make me slick with want, the sound of fabric ripping at the seams was. One second my panties were on my skin, and the next, Rune's clawed fingers were grabbing them and shredding them on the sides until he was able to simply pull them away like a lifeless kill.

My entire body trembled with anticipation as I kept my thighs spread for Rune to see and get his fill of me. He licked his lips hungrily, and that was the last thing I saw before his head dipped between my legs.

"Ahh!" I gasped as I immediately felt Rune's tongue tasting me like a starved man finally being given a feast. My hands tangled into his hair, and I fell back against the duvet in a hot explosion of pleasure. I arched my back and spread my legs wider to give him better access to my pulsing clit. He happily took the chance to circle and suck on the bundle of nerves, eliciting another moan from my throat.

"This is what Heaven tastes like," Rune groaned against my flesh. "I'm sure of it."

"I want you," I gasped.

He growled, which only added to the sensation of his tongue rubbing against my sensitive core. An inferno blazed within my gut, and as his tongue quickened its flicking against my clit, the inferno turned into an all-out detonation as I came with Rune's name on my lips.

Rune straightened and stared down at me, his lips glistening with my arousal. He slowly licked the moisture from them, and seeing the sensual motion just made my ache for him even stronger.

"As much as I want to bury my cock in you right now," Rune began as he grabbed my hands and pulled me into a sitting position, "I told everyone downstairs that I'd talk things over with you and bring you right back. We've already been gone longer than I meant to be, so this is all we have time for right now."

I glanced down at the clear outline of his massive shaft trying to burst free from the confines of his pants. I teasingly dragged a finger over the rock-hard erection and batted my lashes at him. "Are you sure about that?"

Rune's entire body stiffened, and his jaw worked. His voice was rough, like he was fighting to get the words out as he choked, "Don't tempt me right now. It's taking every bit of willpower I have to step away. I'm focusing on all the things I can do to you later once we have more time."

"Oh?" I asked, dropping my voice lower. I let him help me to my feet. "What things would that be?"

The seductive smirk returned to his lips as he spun me around and pressed into my back, letting me feel just how much he wanted me right now. His palm circled my throat and tilted my head back while the other cupped my breast. His lips grazed my ear, sending a shiver down my spine, and he whispered, "It involves having you against me like this and bending you over that bed so that all you can feel is me driving deeper and deeper into you."

I swallowed hard, and it took every ounce of strength in me to keep my knees from buckling. "Can't wait."

He planted a soft kiss on my shoulder before stepping away to pick up his shirt and tunic from the floor. "It will give you something to look forward to while we finish dealing with General Anus."

Throwing my head back in a laugh, I went to my wardrobe and grabbed a far simpler dress to wear. "You mean Angus."

"Isn't that what I said?"

Shaking my head at him, I pulled the gray dress on. "I admit, he still isn't my favorite person to deal with, but I think he'll warm up to us soon."

"Seeing as how he doesn't have a choice, I hope he warms up to us sooner rather than later. I honestly think the man smiled a little when you said you wouldn't marry me."

I rolled my eyes. "He did not smile."

Rune shrugged. "Agree to disagree." He grabbed my tiara from the bedside table and walked over to me. His eyes softened with a look of devotion. Placing the tiara on my head, he asked, "Are you ready to get back down there, Princess?"

I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "As long as you're by my side, I'm ready for anything."

He lifted our joined hands and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand. "Then let's get down there and see what this Joining Ceremony and coronation entail."