Chapter 3

Béke Day One

Izidora's reassurance was a balm, but it did not heal the fear seared into my soul. The way she stumbled forward, the way their eyes locked, the way he looked at her, had my heart reforming its cage of ice, preparing for the worst. Even still, the side of me that held that cocky confidence screamed within me for doubting myself. But on this matter, this choice of light and dark, I wasn't sure who Izidora would choose. I'd changed so much since I'd snatched her from Este Castle, and that was because of her. I wanted to be a better male for her, but the fear of her leaving me was making it hard.

As we trekked through the bejeweled halls of Ryza Citadel toward the spire that held our apartment, I tried and failed to clear my head, and it wasn't until Izidora placed her hand in mine that my chest finally eased. She siphoned my fear, and not for the first time, I welcomed it. "Clear your emotions when we get back to our room, sprite," I murmured, not wanting her to suffer with the depths of my acute pain.

"Let's do it together." She bumped her shoulder into me, but with her petite size, she only managed to bump my elbow.

"Sure," I replied, opening the heavy metal door to the spire. I scooped Izidora into my arms without warning, needing to feel her closer. She did not protest; instead, she sighed and burrowed into my chest, melting the ice I'd already built up. Her unrestrained affection was everything.

"You seemed excited to see Liliana," I commented as I climbed stair after stair.

If we were to stay here long term, I really needed to install a lift.

Her laugh vibrated against my chest. "Sorry about the lack of decorum."

I nuzzled my nose into her hair. "Nothing to apologize for. I like seeing you happy."

"I'd like for you to get to know her, and for her to get to know you," she replied, tipping her head up to look at me. Her dark lashes brushed against her high cheekbones as she blinked. "We were instant friends, and I've never had a female friend besides her." She paused, and I sensed a darkening shift in her emotions as she slumped against me, hiding her face. "I hope she still wants to be my friend."

My heart panged with her whispered words, and I squeezed her tighter as if I could fend off her fears. "With the way she greeted you, I have no doubt."

We'd reached the door to our apartment, and a sentry – one of the Félvér, the half-bloods who resulted from Rares's experiments – opened it for us, allowing me to keep Izidora in my arms until we were safely inside our bubble of peace.

Rares.

I ground my teeth at the thought of the old Mage, who'd barely managed to appear in the courtyard alongside us to greet our guests. I needed to speak with him and ensure he nevermade a piece of jewelry like the enchanted one I'd almost given Izidora that afternoon. The thought that I had requested he craft something that ensured my mate would not choose another made me sick, and I'd never been so disappointed in myself.

I meant what I had said to Izidora, and that I would spend the rest of my life redeeming my mistakes, that being the second biggest one. The first had been not checking on her like I had so desperately wanted to do before she came of age.

The fire roared in its hearth, and with the thin, black fabric Izidora wore, I knew she was cold. I placed her on the sofa in front of the fire before fetching a fur blanket from the basket beside it and tucking it around her.

"You take such good care of me, Ruslan." She beamed up at me, her expression reaching into my chest and forcing my heart wide open. Then, she stretched her tiny hand to stroke the soft hairs coating my jaw.

I caught her wrist, turning my face and kissing her palm. "You deserve to be taken care of. Would you like to read to pass the time before the feast? I am so proud of you for finishing a book all by yourself."

"Only if you lay behind me so I can point out the words I am struggling with."

"Deal. Let me see what we have here." I left her on the sofa while I browsed the stack of books Drazen sent over, landing on a fantasy that was more challenging than the romance she'd finished before we greeted our guests.

I kicked off my boots and tossed my suit jacket across the back of a nearby chair, then returned to the couch. Izidora scooted forward, leaning away so I had room to settle behind her. I wrapped her up in me so her head lay against my thumping heart. "Give this one a try," I said, handing her the leather-bound book.

"Age of Dragons." She read the title perfectly, and I gave her a tight squeeze of affirmation. The smell of old parchment wafted up to my sensitive nostrils as she opened to the first page, her bright voice slowly enunciating every word. She was over five pages in before she stumbled across a word she did not know.

"Anonymous," I breathed in her ear, eliciting a shiver that had my cock standing to attention.

"Anonymous," she continued, her voice hoarser than before. I grinned behind her back, pleased with the impact that small act had on her.

Our bond heated, that thirst to be closer to her driving me to snake my arm around her waist and flex my hardened muscles against her ribs. "I can never be close enough to you," I murmured, burying myself in her rosy scent and hoping to die right then and there with my mate in my arms. Fuck the rest of the world. If I could have my mate whisper those sweet words of acceptance, I'd give it all up just to spend my days like this.

Her breath hitched, but she continued to read. I wasn't a male who leaned heavily on the support of the Goddess or the Fates, but in that moment, I prayed to anyone who would listen to let her choose me.