Chapter 57

57

Three Days Later

T he first day of spring broke with the clearest skies and a kaleidoscope of color falling over the trees in the valley surrounding Radence. Liliana burst into our room at the crack of dawn, shooing a very naked Ruslan out and throwing clothes at him as he protested her early arrival. I fell into giggles as they argued back and forth, Ruslan’s bulk in no way intimidating my best friend. Eventually he stormed out with a growl, leaving me and Liliana with the day to prepare for the wedding and coronation.

“I kept your dress hidden from those dumb males all this time,” Liliana squealed as she dragged in a white bag that I assumed held the dress I’d had made during Béke. “It will probably work out better that it’s warmer today than it would have been in the winter. Pretty sure you might have frozen in it.”

“Beauty is pain, is it not?” I quipped, opening the bag to reveal the beautiful gown and glittering gemstones that accompanied it.

“That’s right,” she laughed, flicking her long chocolate brown hair over her shoulder. “Will you braid my hair before we get started? Mine are never as good as yours.”

“Throw the bag on the bed and we’ll set up in the bathroom,” I said, slipping into a robe that wouldn’t mess up the intricate braids I planned on weaving into my waist-length locks.

The early morning light was perfect, and Liliana perched on a plush stool pulled from beneath the luxurious marble countertop. In the mirror, her eyes gleamed with excitement, nearly matching my own. Using my fingers to shake out her locks, I teased out several sections, securing them away from each other as I began to twist and braid. “Up or down?”

“Down if you’re planning on wearing yours up,” she replied, and I altered my course slightly so that her hair would tumble down her back.

Soon, small braids dotted her hair, mixing with the straight pieces, and others were woven into a single thick braid down the back, giving her a free spirit vibe that perfectly suited her. A knock sounded on the outer door, and I jogged through the suite to answer it. Cedomir, Roc Palace’s chef, stood there with a cart laden with food, and I opened the door wider to allow him entry.

“My Empress, you look stunning already. I am so pleased this day has finally arrived for you and Emperor Ruslan.” He smiled warmly, arranging the feast on the dining table. I snatched a bottle of bubbly wine and some glasses for Liliana and myself, since my friend was never one to turn it down, no matter the hour. Especially if there was a reason to celebrate, and today definitely deserved it. If there was one thing I had learned from her, it was that no victory was too small for cheers. That attitude was one I desperately needed after everything that had happened over the past year.

“Thank you, Cedomir. I hope to see you in the temple later.”

“It would be my honor to gain admittance, though I have a feeling those seats will be hard won.” With a bow, he swept from the room, and I returned to the bathroom to find Liliana spilling colorful creams and fluffy brushes all over the counter.

“Oh! You brought wine,” she said, leaving her mess and snatching the bottle from me. In true Liliana fashion, she popped the cork, making me both jump and laugh because I knew it was coming and still startled. I held out the glasses to her, and she poured enough wine in both to fill them to the brim.

“To finally marrying my mate and becoming empress,” I toasted, a giddy feeling bubbling in my chest. I hadn’t even tasted the wine yet and I was already drunk on pure, unbridled joy.

“Took you two long enough. I thought with the list of requirements stacking up, it would never happen,” Liliana teased, clinking her glass with mine.

I smiled around the chilled liquid that ghosted over my tongue, leaving tingles in its wake. If there was even the slightest wisp of a thought that I didn’t deserve this happiness, it was banished as the wine loosened me.

Ruslan and I would be wed, and I would be crowned empress.

“And then I will fuck you senseless all night, mate.” Ruslan’s voice echoed in my mind, causing my smile to widen and my heart to flutter with excitement. I hadn’t realized I’d sent those thoughts wide enough for him to hear, though I suppose there was really no secrecy when we were constantly in each other’s heads.

“My dress is really so pretty. It would be a shame to destroy it.”

“I don’t give a fuck. It will be in the way of me ravishing you.”

“You guys are talking down the bond again aren’t you?” Liliana sighed wistfully.

Sheepishly, I sipped from my drink and nodded. “Being mated is the best.”

“You two disgust me with how sweet you are. But also he literally kills people for hurting you and doesn’t lose sleep over it. So I’m pretty sure he’s crazy,” she pronounced, cocking her head in a teasing way.

“I wouldn’t want him any other way,” I laughed. I thought he was insane in our first conversations, but then, I discovered that underneath his ruthless, crazed exterior was a male as desperate to be loved as I was, who would shoulder responsibility that was not his own simply because he cared for me. Guilt still clung to him over his lack of awareness of my circumstances, and he hadn’t forgiven himself for being unable to stop the harm befalling me. Fucking him while we were covered in blood, then accepting the mating bond after, was perfectly on track for us. Not to mention all the sex we’d had over the last week and a half while we relived our battles in our joined minds.

We were light and dark, but when we came together, we were the most brilliant shade of gray, like the moment just before breaking dawn where the stars still lived and the first rays of sun flitted through the sky. Ruslan understood me, empowered me, and allowed me to explore all the sides of me I never got to discover while I was chained. And yet he was ruthlessly protective of me in a way that made my toes curl and my core throb. No one laid a harmful hand on me and lived. He was my dark God, my fierce Dragon, the male who lived in the darkness and laughed in its face when it tried to consume him.

Together we were invincible, and in a few hours, we’d be joined in every way possible.

While Liliana painted her face, making her already feminine features even more striking, I plaited my hair, ensuring it was off my neck to accommodate the jewels I would wear, then pulled a few strands loose around my face. Finally I fluffed up the thick braids until I looked ethereal in the mirror. Scanning my face from side to side until I was satisfied, I adjusted pieces here and there until my heart-shaped face was framed perfectly by the loose tendrils.

“How does it look?” I asked Liliana, who was in the process of swiping a thick coating of black across her already dark lashes.

“Absolutely perfect.” Her eyes glittered as they roamed over my hair. “Okay, let me at your face.”

“Can I at least eat first?” I laughed, my stomach rumbling in protest. All I’d had was wine, and dizziness greeted me as I rose from the stool.

“Bring me some fruit,” she called out as I returned to the living space. I rolled my eyes and piled two identical plates with food, both with extra fruit. They clattered against the marble as I placed them amid the haphazard array of makeup.

Settling cross-legged onto the stool, I dug my fork into the eggs and semi-cold cinnamon rolls before consuming the fruit and cheese. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I looked at my empty plate and wanted more. “I’m still hungry, but that dress was tight when I had it made,” I laughed, and Liliana joined me around a mouthful of food.

“Beauty is pain,” she managed to say, covering her mouth with her hand. She chewed and swallowed, then drained the last of her wine. “Now, let’s fix your face. I’m thinking sultry.”

“When are you not?” I bantered, spinning to face her. “But yes, I want Ruslan to think of nothing else when he sees me.”

Liliana scoffed and unscrewed the lid of one of her jars. “Pretty sure he would do the same regardless of when, where, or who was around.”

“True,” I replied. A smile pulled up the corners of my mouth despite my attempts to smooth my face so Liliana could work her magic. The depth of devotion Ruslan offered me with each glance in my direction was nearly indescribable, solidifying the utter safety I felt when I was with him.

Obediently, I followed Liliana’s directions as she painted my face, accentuating the bright blues of my eyes with heavy dark makeup around them, then sharpening my cheekbones and dusting them with a shimmer that caught the light no matter which way I looked. Her final touch was a glossy lip stain that made me afraid to drink or eat anything.

Her brows pinched ever so slightly as she made a few adjustments, and I had to smother the smile as her bottom lip popped open. Why her face frozen in concentration was so amusing, I had no clue. Perhaps it was the wine, or perhaps I was drunk on the excitement of the day. Either way, she snapped at me to hold still more than once.

When she was finally satisfied, she stepped back and then spun me so I faced the mirror again. Crouching, she bent her head toward mine, and we gazed at our reflections together. Our styles were similar, but each of our unique personalities shone.

“We’re definitely going to be the most fuckable females there,” I whispered, that smile finally breaking.

My comment earned a laugh from her, and shook her head. “As if we weren’t already.”

“Have I ever told you how much I love your self confidence?” I said as I rose from the stool and made my way to the bedroom where the intricate dress rested on the bed. We worked together to shimmy it out of the bag, careful not to snag the jewels sewn into the fabric on anything. As I drank in the exquisite gown with a sheer waist with thick boning, I regretted that last cinnamon roll I’d eaten.

“Hopefully I don’t break it,” I said, patting my belly.

“Oh shut up, you’ll be fine,” Liliana snorted, unhooking the buttons on the back and shaking out the wispy skirt. The train was long enough to cover the bedroom end to end if we stretched it out. My robe dropped from my shoulders, and I took great care in avoiding the white fabric as I readied myself to pull it on. Using Liliana for balance, I stepped into the puddle. I exhaled all the air from my lungs, and she shimmied the dress up over my legs. When the cups that supported my breasts reached my chest, I clasped them against my body, allowing Liliana to work to close the dress around my torso. The dress fit perfectly, even after all this time, and I breathed a sigh of relief when Liliana stepped back.

“All done!” she exclaimed, gingerly bunching the white fabric around my feet so she could circle me, searching for anything out of place. I adjusted my breasts in the top, then the sheer sleeves that started just above my elbows and billowed out until they cinched at my wrists.

Glancing down at myself, I admired the fine fabric, its sheerness leaving almost nothing to the imagination, but the softness held an almost romantic quality. And because it was the Iron Realm, there were gemstones galore. None of the tiny diamonds sewn into the skirt compared to the bodice Liliana lifted from the bed.

The glittering metal overlay made it look like I was quite literally dripping in gems, and Liliana managed to fasten the collar of the piece around my neck without catching my hair. From there, she adjusted the layers of chains covered in glittering diamonds and smoky gray stones, fastening the last of them around my waist, just above where the flowing skirts tumbled down my hips in every direction. The metal was cold against the bare parts of my back, and I hobbled to the mirror to get a better look at myself.

The female in the mirror looked like a goddess – sexy, romantic, and powerful. Metal armor had become my preferred attire, but this, this was an outfit of war just as much, if not more, than what I strapped on to spar. The dress commanded attention and respect, and the fierce look on the female wearing it? Well, that was enough to send any male’s knees quaking.

“Insidious bloom,” I said to myself in the mirror, turning this way and that as the white fire in my chest flared with the heady thrum of my thoughts.

Liliana slipped into her dress, a sultry garnet piece with a slit so high in the leg that one forceful breeze would expose her. The bodice had boning that matched mine, keeping with the style of the Iron Realm to show a lot of skin. Glancing at the large clock on the wall, I noticed it was nearly time for the procession to begin, which meant Ruslan would be returning at any moment.

“Ready?” Liliana asked, using silver tendrils of her magic to lift my skirts and arrange them in a neat bundle that would allow me to walk. We waddled over to where a pair of white slippers waited for me, and I stepped into them, not loving the pinch around my toes.

“Now I am,” I grinned, my stomach turning over as I felt Ruslan drawing nearer.

Liliana’s eyes shone as we held each other’s gazes, and a crooked smile twisted her features. All her emotions washed over me, drawing tears to my eyes, too. “You look so beautiful, Izidora. You deserve this so much.”

I clasped her hands in mine, giving them a light squeeze. “You will have this too, with Endre and Drazen. Now reel back your emotions, otherwise I might cry and ruin all your hard work.”

“You’re the empath, can’t you do that?” Her laugh was watery as we embraced. I was so grateful to have my best friend by my side for one of the most important days of my life. Goddess, I was grateful to have everyone in my life when I had gone twenty-one years without a true friend or family.

Ruslan, Drazen, Liliana, Endre, the other Félvér… they were my family. The Iron Realm was my home. And my mate was steps away from seeing me.

The doors to our suite opened, revealing Ruslan in a sharp black suit perfectly molded to his muscular frame, the newly minted Empire Crown resting atop his head. Garnets the color of blood dotted the thick band of black metal covered in intricate filigree that spoke of the unity of északi as it wound its way around. A matching one had been crafted for me, though I would receive it from Ruslan later.

Never had he felt so large and imposing as he did the moment he stepped into the room, looking every bit the emperor of all the Fae realms. The air fled my lungs as our gazes collided, and it was as if the world stopped turning, just for us. We remained frozen, raking our eyes over one another, until finally he broke our trance and crossed the room in three strides, capturing me against his body and running his nose along what little bare skin remained around my neck.

“This fucking dress and those fucking jewels, Izidora… are you trying to kill me with lust?” His raspy voice was thick with it, and I didn’t have to imagine just how aroused he was with his erection digging into my stomach.

I clutched the lapels of his jacket as I tried to ground myself against the overwhelming urges coming down our bond. The tide of Ruslan’s emotion shattered the loose mental shield I maintained to block out the emotions of those around me.

“Don’t you dare ruin this before the world gets to see me in it,” I admonished him, throat thickening from the all-consuming happiness pooling between us.

“Why not? Then they’ll know just how mine you already are.” He flattened a palm against my lower back while another dipped between my breasts.

“Because I am a powerful Félvér and I want everyone to see that. They will fear me, they will respect me, and everyone will speak of how the Angelic empress will destroy all who dare challenge her.” I flattened my hands against his chest and gave him a playful shove.

“Mmm, when you talk like that, it only makes me want you more,” he groaned, but he relented and stepped back. His smoky eyes swirled with desire, and he didn’t remove them from me for a moment as Liliana and I combined our magic to gather my skirts and make our way to the lift that would carry us down the mountain.

“You look even better from behind.”

I shot a heated look over my shoulder at Ruslan, and Liliana rolled her eyes, obviously catching on to our internal conversation. “I wonder if we’ll even get through the ceremonies with the way you two are eye fucking each other.”

Several carriages awaited us when we finally emerged from Roc Palace, and with the utmost care, Liliana helped me into the first one. The journey to the temple on the outskirts of Radence would be a long one, especially as the streets would be lined with Fae and Félvér eager to glimpse their emperor and future empress. The High Priestess would marry us before the Goddess, and afterward, Ruslan would crown me as his empress.

The midday sun cast much needed warmth over us as the black horses trotted forward, leading the procession through the capital of the Iron Realm. In the carriages behind us, Drazen and Endre rode with Liliana, Anton, and Slavian. Beyond them, line after line of Iron Realm nobility brought up the rear of the procession. Ruslan grasped my hand, linking his fingers with mine, and brought it to his lips.

The kiss he planted there was hungry, sensual, and reverent. “You are stunning, mate.”

A chill swept through me at his tone, painting goosebumps on my skin.

Ruslan examined the rings adorning my hand, the large rectangular ruby surrounded by a pointed diamond standing out among the bands of silver and black that circled the rest of my knuckles. “A ruby so dark it reminds me of blood, and you, Izidora, have spilled enough blood for a lifetime. We will know peace for the remainder of our lives.”

The promise in his words poured into my muscles, relaxing them as I took the opportunity to remind myself that I was safe. No one would hurt me ever again.

“Never,” he emphasized, and I lost myself in the severity of his smoky gray eyes.

He released my hand from his purview to rest on the seat between us. The throng of people thickened around us as we entered the busiest part of Radence, and I beamed at my people, waving to them and sharing my joy. Even Ruslan cracked a smile, breaking the ruthless facade he carefully cultivated to hide his hurt from the world. I was lucky enough to be one of the people who saw the true ends he would go to to protect those he loved, and to be privy to the darkest thoughts and desires he had. He was my mate, lost in the darkness until my light shone a way forward, and together, we had proven how unstoppable we were.

The glass temple came into view as we rounded a corner, the clopping of the horses’ hooves against the stone streets indistinguishable over the roar of the onlookers who managed to squeeze themselves along the best street to view the wedding and coronation. Flowers that had to have been cut that morning rained down on us as Fae tossed them along with their well-wishes.

“Are you ready?” Ruslan asked me, giving my hand a squeeze.

“Absolutely,” I grinned back, excitement bubbling in my chest – almost painfully – as I tried to remain still instead of bouncing in my seat.

Our carriage rolled to a stop in front of the stoic temple. The entire building was glass, save for the metal frame holding the wide panes together. Through the windows, rows and rows of seats, mostly filled with attendees already, waited, while white flowers cascaded over every available surface. Mixed in among them were glittering black gemstones, creating balance in the way that Ruslan and I did for each other.

He stepped from the carriage, holding out his hand to assist me in my descent. Calling on my magic to help me, I lifted the long train of my dress, hovering it above the earth so it would not get dirty before entering the temple. Liliana trotted over from her carriage to help me, shooing Drazen and Endre away as she assisted me in entering the building. Through a side door, the nobles who accompanied us on our parade through Radence took their seats, the air buzzing with anticipation. Those who remained after the conclave clustered in row after row together, and joy filled my heart as I counted each and every one of them.

The glass doors closed behind us, and with one last flourish, Liliana settled the long, white, wispy strands of my skirt and flashed me a teary smile before hurrying to her seat at the front. The High Priestess stood at the center of the temple, black robes floating around her as she waited for our arrival. I slipped my hand into the crook of Ruslan’s arm, my own eyes pricking with hot tears as the hour we would be wed was finally upon us. Drums beat a steady, slow rhythm as we approached the dais in the center of the room.

The platform was high above the seating, and with a forceful step, I managed to rise to it gracefully. Liliana darted forward to arrange my skirts, and then Ruslan faced me, shooting me a devastating smirk that had my core heating in the best way.

A hush fell over the room as every important Fae, Félvér, and Telivér in all of északi waited for the rites to begin. The drums softened until they were barely audible, but the beating of my heart in my chest drowned them out regardless.

Taking my hands in his, Ruslan nodded to the High Priestess, and she tipped her head back to look at the brilliant, cloudless blue sky. With a flick of her wrists, fire burst into existence on the edges of the temple. Raising her arms overhead, the ground beneath our feet shook as she called on her power.

“Goddess, we beckon you to join us during this time of celebration.” Her voice was fierce and heavy as she began chanting, joined by her acolytes scattered throughout the temple.

“Goddess, you have offered your children the ultimate gift – a mating bond.” The drums beat louder as the acolytes’ chants quickened. Goosebumps broke out across my flesh as magic seemed to rise from all around us, and I was grateful for the sleeves that covered my arms, preventing me from shivering.

“Join us now as we unite them in marriage and crown,” the High Priestess shouted toward the sky, her fires flaring brighter as she summoned the mother of all nature.

The chants and beats reached a crescendo, then fell silent all at once, like an otherworldly force had sucked the sound from the room. My heart lurched as power settled across my shoulders. Silence reigned, so quiet that the silk cloth the High Priestess pulled from her robes was audible as she began looping it over mine and Ruslan’s joined hands.

“My blood is your blood. My body is your body. My life is your life,” Ruslan began, reciting the lines we’d memorized for this moment.

“My blood is your blood. My body is your body. My life is your life,” I repeated, my voice unwavering as I locked eyes with my mate.

The world fell away as we uttered the last line simultaneously, reserved only for those who had been mated. “My soul is your soul.”

The High Priestess finished her weaving as we spoke, tying an intricate knot around our hands and tightening it to the point that my fingers went numb. With a nod of his head, Ruslan indicated we should begin. Tendrils of white magic slipped through the knot just as black fire arced into the sky, and all around us, our magics undulated together, blending into a brilliant gray that sparkled like the polished glass of the temple. For the first time, the crowd broke its silence, gasps of awe filling the room as they witnessed the force of our combined powers.

We let the magic dissipate on its own, reserving a wisp to settle over our hands and burn away the silk, officially uniting Ruslan and me. The fire that remained in his eyes made me weak at the knees, and I was grateful for his powerful hands grasping mine.

“Seal your union with an unbreakable kiss,” the High Priestess commanded, and my husband wasted no time in yanking me flush against his hard body and capturing my mouth in one of the most fervent kisses he had ever given me. Promises, vows, and emotions flowed between us as our lips and tongues tangled, and all around us, enthusiasm erupted from the crowd.

But their cheers melted away as there was only him – only us – in that infinite moment. Ruslan stole my breath as much as he had stolen my heart, my soul, and I let him, falling deeper into the safety of his arms. He kissed me as if I was his salvation and he would be damned without me, his grip tightening on my lower back, the heat from his hands burning my skin through the thin fabric of my dress.

“Now, forever, always, sprite.”

He broke our kiss, leaving my lips bruised and red and a bit less glossy than they had been. The triumphant smirk he wore as he gazed down at me was worth every bit of it.

“I love you, Ruslan.”

“I love you more, Izidora.”

Stepping away, he strode to the pedestal where a delicate black diadem encrusted with glittering red gemstones rested on a plush velvet pillow. Dropping to one knee before my mate, my husband, I bowed my head, heart hammering in my chest as the weight of my responsibility settled over me.

Was I ready for this? Could I be an empress after everything I’d been through? Would I be good enough to my people?

“Izidora Valynor Drakkar, do you swear to uphold the laws of the északi Empire, to care for its people, and to make every effort to defend its sovereign territories?” Ruslan asked, his raspy voice taking on a serious and solemn air.

Dragging in a serrated breath, I swore my oath. “I do.” My voice managed to come out steady, and I braced myself for the moment Ruslan would place the diadem over my intricately woven braids. The piece was not as heavy as I’d anticipated, but the metaphor of it was.

“Rise,” he commanded, grasping my hand to assist me.

I lifted my gaze, the diadem thankfully remaining in place, and the High Priestess stepped forward once more. “Goddess, witness the union of Emperor Ruslan and Empress Izidora and know they serve you and all of your creation.”

The ground trembled beneath our feet, and the fires she had been fueling speared upward again before vanishing like they had never existed. Ruslan raised our joined hands overhead in celebration and victory, and I worried the glass temple would implode with the force of excitement reverberating within it.

Even outside the temple, our people celebrated, their cheers and cries adding to those bursting from those within. Liliana swiped furiously at the tears spilling from her eyes, and Endre flashed us a triumphant grin. Drazen, Anton, Slavian, and the other Félvér clapped furiously, shouting at us, the two young High Lords tossing out obscene and highly suggestive ideas about what would happen after we left the temple. Ruslan growled in their direction, which only made them laugh harder. Xorrek and Gozzak slapped them on the shoulders and howled.

Queen Viktoria beamed up at me, Princess Gizela wrapped protectively in her arms, while King Consort Geza whooped and joined Anton and Slavian in their remarks. The queen of the Day Realm smacked her husband on the thigh, making me giggle.

The mosaic of sounds rose to a crescendo as the whole of Radence erupted with joy. In that moment, I knew that all the pain, all the trauma, was worth it, because not only was I a symbol for them, but also for all who had suffered.

And I planned on showing everyone else just how strong a survivor could be.