her. “Of course, Xander. Isn’t this what we’ve been preparing for our whole lives?”
They reached the door to the courtyard, but Xander stopped within the shadows of the castle. A few yards away, in the bright, gleaming light of the sun, their golden carriage waited, ready to be carted through the spirit gates in a parade that would lead them to the outskirts of the city and the sacred nest beyond.
“Can you promise me, Lyana?” Xander said, taking her hand in his. “Can you promise me that when you say those vows, you’ll mean them? For the rest of our lives? That you won’t break them?”
There was a deeper meaning to his words—one that made her stomach drop and her heart skip a beat.
“I promise,” she said, meeting his gaze and holding it for a few seconds, so he could see the truth in her eyes. The past was in the past, no matter how broken the idea made her feel. There was no Ana. No Rafe. No dreams of different lives and different destinies. Once her vows were spoken, there would only be Lyana Taetanus. Somehow, some way, she’d make sure of it.
Xander dropped his gaze.
His wings and shoulders eased, no longer rigid and hard, as if they bore less of a burden. He let go of her hand to dip his fingers into his pocket. Even in the shade, the emerald in his palm shone brilliantly. Lyana closed her eyes to fight the sting of guilt.
He slipped the ring over her knuckle.
There was nothing to say.
She knew where he’d found it.
He knew she understood.
Today, they’d be joined before the gods, mated for all eternity, so there was no choice but to move on, painful as it was for them both.
Xander strode into the light, his obsidian wings glistening in the sun, and Lyana followed. They climbed into the carriage together. After a few minutes, they were led into the street and greeted by the cheers of their people as their mating parade began. Petals and feathers fell onto their laps as they rode on a leisurely, circular route through every spirit gate in the city. Lyana smiled and waved. Xander did the same. But they didn’t smile at each other. And when she slid her hand across the seat to touch his arm, he jerked away as if burned. The apology churned in the back of her throat, but with so many eyes watching and ears listening, it wasn’t the time. Later, after the vows had been spoken, after promises had been made, maybe she would find the strength to explain, to tell him everything, the whole truth, about who and what she was, who Rafe had allowed her to be. Maybe he’d understand. Maybe he wouldn’t. But he deserved to know.
When they reached the outskirts of Pylaeon, they abandoned the carriage and took to the air, surrounded by guards and following the queen, as they traveled to the sacred nest. Lyana hadn’t been there before, but she knew the way by instinct, something pulling her there, luring her. The feeling she’d had all day strengthened—the buzzing in her veins, the energy in her pulse, the roar in the back of her mind only growing stronger.
They landed by the base of a large tree. Queen Mariam pulled a hidden lever and a doorway appeared in the bark, an opening like the dark, hidden depths of a gaping mouth aching to swallow her whole. Lyana’s body protested, but she followed Xander, mind so consumed by the growing thunder within she could hardly pay attention to the outside world. He led her into the tunnel, leaving the others in the woods to wait for their return.
Now was her time to speak, if she wanted to, but her tongue was heavy and her lips fat. Her mind was in such a whirlwind that no cohesive sentences, let alone thoughts, could be strung together. It was hard enough to focus on Xander and the steps as her legs shook and they walked in shadows for the gods knew how long. Suddenly, light appeared in the distance. A priest stood, holding open a golden gate. Lyana heard the chirping of birds, but her eyes immediately went to the god stone floating in the center of the room, barely visible through the trees, its power releasing a silent shriek that rattled her bones. A vibration shuddered through her, visible enough for Xander to notice as he turned toward her, curious, maybe even concerned.
Lyana blinked,