15. Amber

My body tingles with magic,and then I'm lying on a cold floor, the sounds of birds chirping through an open window bringing me out of my restless sleep.

I push myself up and look around.

I'm inside a small room, the walls a solid gray stone that chills the air, despite the early morning sunlight spilling through the arched windows.

Damien sits on a radiator unit along the wall, next to a small sign that says, Please no sitting.

"Amber," he says simply. "You're awake."

I don't need to ask him what happened. I already know. It's six in the morning, which means the fae realm transformed back into our realm while I was sleeping, dropping us off in Belvedere Castle.

"We need to get back." He stands up, ready to leave. "I have to attend to the preparations for the ceremony tonight."

The ceremony.

Our wedding.

Tonight.

How is this happening?

Oh, right. Because I accepted his marriage proposal. Because I'm going to become his wife.

I nod numbly and follow him out of the castle, walking beside him through the park and back to the Fairmont. He tells me a bit about what to expect tonight, although my mind's only half there, still trying to process the fact that I agreed to go through with this.

I'm so spaced out that I can barely recall a single sentence he said.

Unsurprisingly, he doesn't kiss me goodnight. Or—more accurately—good morning. He just drops me off at the elevators, says he has something to attend to, and leaves me there in a confused, overwhelmed mess.

The moment I'm back in my room, I hurry to my dresser, pull out the jeans from the bottom drawer, and feel around for the token.

It's there. Of course it's there. No one was coming into my room in the dead of night to search through my belongings.

Still, it's good to see that it was safe in its hiding place.

And, as I hold it, it pulses with a life of its own. A darkness—one that calls to me, like Astrophel's soul each night I saw him in my dreams.

I have to see him.

I have to tell him that I'm marrying Damien.

I don't know why. I owe him nothing. But I can't help feeling like it'll be betrayal if I don't.

And it won't be betrayal when I look him in the eyes before killing him with the Solar Scepter? I think, although I stash that into the "to think about later" part of my mind.

I also have no idea how the token works.

But, given that it allows me to see Astrophel in his dreams—assuming he was telling me the truth about that—laying down and closing my eyes seems like an obvious way to start.

So, I do just that, clutching the token and focusing on its pulse, syncing my heartbeat to its rhythm. It's like tuning into a distant radio frequency, searching for the right signal, and finally finding it.

The comfort of my bed fades into an icy chill, and I'm standing in a vast, dark space. The air's tinged with the scent of mist and shadows, the sky swirling with stormy clouds.

I'm still orienting myself when Astrophel appears. He stands amidst a nebula of stars, his eyes reflecting the cosmos, a stark contrast to the void left by Damien's cold indifference.

My heart quickens at the sight of him.

"Amber," he says. "I was hoping I'd see you soon."

"How did you know I was here?" I ask.

"Simple," he says, and as he approaches, there's an undeniable pull between us, a magnetic force that draws me closer. "I felt your touch upon the token—your call across the stars."

His voice is a soft caress, but there's also an edge to it, a darkness that reminds me of the danger I'm dealing with.

The danger he represents.

"Stop," I tell him, and surprisingly, he does.

"Yes?" He watches me, waiting, his eyes dark coals against his pale skin.

I'm marrying Damien, I think, although the words don't come.

"I haven't told them," I say instead. "The truth about what you are, about what you want from me, or even your true name. They don't know any of it."

He sizes me up, as if he's deciding if he believes me.

Then, slowly, he steps closer. "You're considering my offer," he says, and I don't deny it. "You're considering me."

Suddenly, he's here, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that's as intoxicating as it is foreboding. It's a clash of ice and fire, of darkness and light, and I'm lost in the sensation, in the overwhelming roller coaster of it all.

The passion is so insanely refreshing after Damien's coldness.

Then, something shifts.

Because his shadows are caressing my skin, probing it, and soaking into it. They're searching for my magic. Making their way into my soul and trying to absorb my light.

But I won't let anyone take my light.

No, I think. This isn't right.

So, I pull away, catching my breath and feeling for my magic to make sure it's still here.

It warms beneath my skin, calming me, grounding me. But just when I feel steady again, Astrophel's hand grips my arm, his fingers digging into my skin.

I try shaking him off, but his hold is tighter than anticipated.

"It's him," he says, cold and menacing. "You're thinking of him. Your vampire king."

Narrowing my eyes at him, I push my magic up to my skin, burning him and forcing him to yank his hand off my arm.

"That was uncalled for." He shakes his head, disappointed. "Especially after you came here to pledge your loyalty."

"That's not why I'm here." I keep my magical shield up, in case he reaches for me again. "I'm here to tell you that I'm marrying him. Tonight."

"Marrying him," he repeats slowly. "Why in the world would you do something as stupid as that?"

He watches me, waiting, as if there's a right answer and a wrong one.

"Because he trapped me," I finally say. "You saw it, on Little Island, when I couldn't jump into the river. I can't leave the city. Marrying Damien is the only way to free myself from the cage he's keeping me in."

"Do you love him?" he asks, point blank.

"I…" I pause, since despite everything, I can't bring myself to lie. "I don't know."

He laughs, a sound that reverberates through the dark realm, chilling and hollow. "Oh, Amber," he taunts, stepping closer again. "You and I both know that your heart will never be his."

I say nothing. I have no idea what my heart will decide.

Especially since right now, I'm trying to do as Damien said and follow my head instead.

"In the meantime, play your role," he continues. "Escape your cage. As you do, know that the ceremonies of the mortal realm mean nothing to me. I respect no vows. Once you're free, you can finally be mine."

With that, he fades back into the darkness, leaving me alone with the echo of his words and pounding of my heart.

As I awaken from the dream, my room feels more like a prison than ever. Because my impending vows might mean nothing to Astrophel, but they mean everything to the vampires.

What I'm going to do tonight can never be undone.

But won't it be worth it, to free the city from his darkness? To not let Sunneva down after she gifted me with her magic and entrusted me with this task? To go back to the home in Vermont where I grew up, and see my mom again? To know that she—and everyone else—is safe because I did everything I could to defeat the shadow souls?

Yes. It absolutely will be.

And I won't let anyone—especially not the Shadow Lord—change my mind about it.