03 - Sworn (76 page)

Authors: Kate Sparkes

On the morning before I left for Belleisle, Aren and I rode again to Kel’s garden. We’d have to say goodbye to each other soon, but I wasn’t ready to let go. We’d come to a strange place in our relationship. Elated to be together, deliriously grateful for the thought that we might have decades before his responsibilities truly descended on him, but shadowed by the knowledge that he couldn’t escape those expectations for his future.

He’d have to choose a queen some day. The thought carved deep claw-marks into my heart even as it made me cling tighter to what we were allowed to have.

The morning sun filtered through thick green foliage, leaving bright patches on the path we were slowly wearing through the forest with our regular visits. We left our horses in the usual place and made our way to the pool.

I sat beside the water and trailed my fingers over the surface. “Think it’ll ever dry up?”

“No.” He watched the little stream flowing down the hill. “You found a fine spring there.”

I let my hand sink into the cool, clear water. “I feel closer to him here.”

“Me, too. It’s a good place for remembering. Peaceful.”

I tried to remember Kel as he’d been when I first met him, and before the end. Kind, wise, funny, and full of love he’d so wanted to share with someone. He’d found that, and had been happy even though their future had been uncertain. I would try to do the same.

“Goodbye, Kel,” I whispered, and drew my hand from the pond.

Aren sat behind me, legs stretched out on either side of mine. “Did I tell you I saw a unicorn?”

“No.” I wanted to ask him a hundred questions—what it had looked like, what he’d felt in its presence, whether it was truly the most beautiful thing in the world. But when I turned to him, something in his eyes stopped me. Instead, I looked back at the sun sparkling on the pond and said, “That’s wonderful.”

He laughed softly and moved my hair aside so he could brush his lips over the back of my neck. I shivered.

“Hey,” I said. “Kel might be watching.”

“I hope so. He’d be pleased.” He rested his chin on my shoulder, and I felt his heartbeat pounding against my back as he pulled me closer. Racing.

“You all right?” I asked.

“No. I’m terrified. I’m about to do something terribly foolish.” He leaned back, and a moment later he’d reached around so his hand was cupped in front of me. A silver ring with a pale blue gem set into the band glittered in his open palm. The stone captured the sunlight and multiplied it.

My heart skipped. “Aren?”

“This is the custom where you come from, isn’t it?”

“It is.” I touched the ring, but didn’t take it. My hands trembled. I twisted around to face him again, and my heart swelled at the sight of his smile, warm and unreserved—the one that reached his eyes, the one I’d fallen in love with. “But we can’t. It’s not allowed, unless you’re leaving your family again.”

“No. I know that I can’t run from that future anymore.” His expression became more serious, but the smile didn’t leave his eyes. “I meant it when I said that Tyrea would do well to have you as its queen. It won’t happen soon. It might not look the way you once thought a marriage should, or the way either of us expect now. But if you’ll have me, I promise that I will do everything in my power to be with you. No sneaking around. No hiding. No more pretending I don’t adore you. Whatever comes, I want you by my side. This is worth fighting for.”

“But what about the laws?”

His smile widened again. “I’ve already angered the king, offended the gods, and broken the law with you by my side. Why stop now? We’ll find a way. I promise.”

I couldn’t speak around the lump in my throat as he got to his feet and helped me to mine. He held my hands in his.“So,” he said, and a faint flush came into his cheeks. “Rowan, will you marry me?”

“Of course!” I threw myself at him and pulled him into a kiss that left us both breathless, and he slipped the ring onto my finger. “Your father’s not going to be happy.”

“I don’t think your mother will be turning cartwheels in the streets, either.” He put his arms around me and held me close.

“Think we’ll be able to make it a few hundred years without driving each other completely crazy?”

He chuckled. “I think that’s unavoidable. But I’m learning to enjoy your kind of crazy.”

I breathed in the flower-scented air. Somewhere in the distance, a bird chirped. Another answered, and another, and then the woods were alive with a chorus of sweet music.

We sat next to the pond again, and Aren set a rose adrift on the water, as we did each time we came. “I do hope Kel can see this,” he said. “He’s probably laughing at me right now.”

“And feeling quite smug, I imagine,” I added. We sat without speaking for a few minutes, enjoying the warmth of the forest and the fact that for once we had no immediate need to fight for our lives or our future.

I leaned my head against his shoulder. “Aren, is this it?”

“Is this what?”

“Is this happily ever after?”

He kissed me again, softly and slowly. “Not yet. Something tells me this is only the beginning.”

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AUTHOR’S NOTE

T
hank you for joining me again on this journey, for seeing it through to the end, and especially for all of your support along the way. Whether it was through your purchases, your reviews, or your recommendations to other readers, you have expanded this story’s world in ways I never thought possible. Writing can be a lonely profession, but the reading community makes it all so worthwhile.

I hope you’ll join me for future books. I’m not done with this world yet, and I have many others in the works for you to explore.

In the meantime, remember this: You have the ability to take words and turn them into reality in your mind. Your love and attention makes stories blossom. You are full of magic, and you are amazing.

-Kate

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a metropolis to bring a book into the world. I wish I could thank everyone who supported me through the writing of this book, but I should try not to add too much to the page count.

Krista Walsh, KL Schwengel, and Shannon Andrews receive the first thanks, for being the first readers. Early drafts can be rough going, but you all helped so much.

Joshua Essoe is next. Ripping stories apart so that they can heal and grow into something far better than they once were can’t be an easy career, but I’m glad you chose it. I couldn’t have asked for a better editor for these books…And I apologize for the horrible faces I made at you while I read through your notes. On every book. Really sorry.

I had a crack team of beta readers on this one, and they all deserve thanks: Annette Flick, Scott Holley, Kathy Dunlavey, and Katelyn Lowden. Every one of you added a unique perspective. I’m so fortunate to have you.

I’m not sure how exactly to thank my cover designer, Ravven. Your professionalism is exceeded only by your mind-blowing talent, and perhaps your patience. Thank you for creating the beautiful covers that persuaded so many people to give this story a chance.

Thanks to everyone else who has supported me as I sweated and cried over this book: My husband and my kids for getting me through not only the writing, but all of the obstacles that stood in the way. Whether it was moving, mental or physical health issues, or just me being a zoned-out weirdo, you took it all in stride. My parents and parents-in-law for your love and encouragement. All of the friends who live in my computer and who talked me down when things got crazy. I wouldn’t have made it without you.

And to my readers… I’m supposed to be good with words, but they’re failing me now. Your support has meant so much to me, and it’s been a delight to get to know some of you over the past few years. I’ll try to thank you the only way I know how—by creating more worlds, more characters, and more stories for you to love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate Sparkes lives in Newfoundland, which is an island so magical it has its own (tiny) time zone. She’s responsible for several humans, a few dogs and cats, and several worlds full of fictional people. It’s enough to drive a person a little crazy… fortunately, that’s an advantage in her line of work.

You can find Kate on many social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and anywhere else that catches her passing fancy. The best places to find her, though, are her website (linked below) and her blog, Disregard the Prologue (
www.disregardtheprologue.com
).