Bride of the Traitor (The Prophecy of Sisters #1) - Hayley Faiman Page 0,127
my hands, I wrap my fingers around his wrists. “Merek, please,” I exhale.
He grins, sinking his teeth in his bottom lip before he shakes his head a couple of times. “You have stayed pure for so long, I will not take from you, not until you are my wife. Until then, we shall only kiss.”
“What if I want you now?” I ask, feeling daring.
He shakes his head. “Then you better marry me sooner rather than later, my joy.”
MEREK
There is a raucous at the door. Turning away from my very tempting new fiancée, I wrench the heavy door open to see the witches standing there, both of their eyes meeting mine and something unreadable in their features.
“He wakes,” Aleida announces. Shifting my gaze from one of them to the other, I wait for them to elaborate, but they do not. “He wishes to see you, immediately.”
Turning to look at Katrina over my shoulder, I open my mouth to tell her to stay where she is, but she beats me to it. “Go, Merek. I will be right here waiting for you.”
Her words send a warming sensation throughout my entire body and I can’t help but imagine her doing just that, waiting for me in our chambers, in our home, for the rest of our days. I find that I very much like that idea.
Lifting my chin toward her, I walk out of the room and go in search of my cousin. He’s sitting up in the bed when I walk into the room.
“By the gods,” I whisper.
Immediately my gaze travels the length of Elia’s body and my lips lift in a small smile, glad to see that he is alive, breathing, and well.
“What do you last remember, cousin?” I ask, wondering if he’s lost any memory from the way that witch sucked whatever she sucked from inside of his body.
“I remember coming here, storming this castle and taking out the king. I remember a beautiful woman in a copper-lined room. I remember that you are engaged to a maid.”
I should straighten him out on the truth. I was almost engaged, though it’s official now, so I don’t bother. He has bigger issues to worry about in the moment.
Sybilla speaks before anyone else can, her voice barely above a whisper. “You just don’t remember me.”
My heart immediately aches for the pain in her voice. Elias shifts his gaze from me to her, his expression likely matching mine, obviously sad that he does not remember his wife. It seems as though that witch has taken the memory of his bride from him, but thankfully has left everything else.
“I apologize, I do not remember you.” Elias lifts his head and looks to me. “She’s my wife? Carrying the heir?”
“Aye, Elias. Sybilla is your Queen,” I rasp.
I watch as Sybilla stands from her seated position at Elias’ bedside. She nervously brushes her palms down her skirts before she inhales a deep breath. “Well, you must want to meet with your men.”
“Sybilla,” I murmur. To see this side of her, vulnerable and almost weak, it hurts me. Even when Elias left right after their vows, she did not seem so despondent as she does in this moment.
She shakes her head, almost as if the motion will give her strength. “Go be with your men,” she whispers.
I stand silently, watching as he throws his legs over the side of the bed and stands. He turns to his bride, cupping her cheeks before he lowers his head. I watch as he kisses each of her cheeks before he rests his forehead against her own.
“You will join me, my bride.” His words leave no room for argument and not for the first time, I am proud of my cousin.
Turning from them, I begin to walk toward the chancery where the men will soon be gathered.
Chapter Three
MEREK
I stand with the rest of the men, next to my fiancée, and two witches as they ride off. They did not say a proper farewell, though I am not sure that I blame them at all. Elias is confused, Sybilla is hurt and in this moment, they only have one thing on their minds, healing, connecting, loving.
“What happens now?” Katrina whispers from beside me.
Clearing my throat, I glance down at her. “We wed, I spend the next few weeks getting this castle up and running, then we return to Aerilon,” I explain.
Her breath comes out shakily, her eyes rounding as she lifts her gaze up to me. “We wed,” she whispers.