Page 99 of The Rebel's Prize

"Sorry to keep you all waiting," Valentin said from behind.

Chloe whirled to face him. His expression was almost relieved. "Sorry to interrupt your evening, Your Grace."

He flashed a grin at her. "Irina will cope with her compatriots alone for a time. But she'll be displeased if I'm gone too long." He gestured at Sophie and Cameron. "Care to introduce me, Lady Castaigne?"

Of course. Protocol first. Sophie was, after all, a queen. "Your Grace, this is Queen Sophia of Anglion and her King Consort, Cameron. Your Majesties, this is Valentin du Leon, the Duq of Arbronet. Also one of our best healers."

Valentin bowed elegantly. Still wearing his red satin jacket and black trousers, he looked as though he stood in a ballroom, not a sick room. "Your Majesties, I have heard much about you both. I hope we can perhaps get to know one another during your stay. Though, I gather from your note, Chloe, that there are more pressing matters to deal with first." He offered Sophie one of his dazzling smiles. Her mouth quirked in appreciation.

"Elarus, Her Majesty's sanctii"—Chloe nodded in her direction—"thinks she might be able to help Lucien."

"Then it is sanctii magic?" Valentin asked, grin replaced by a far more intent expression.

"We didn't get as far as the specifics," Chloe confessed. "Elarus looked at the gap in my memories, and she says there is something strange about our bond. She wanted to see Lucien."

Valentin glanced at Elarus and then Sophie. "Well, far be it from me to stand in her way. It's not as though we've made much progress on our own. As long as you are happy for her to try, Chloe." He tugged at the golden hoop in his left ear, expression neutral, as though he was giving her a chance to change her mind.

"I trust Elarus," Chloe said firmly. "She might be his best chance."

"Then let's not waste time," Valentin said, crossing to Lucien's door and waving the guard aside.

It took a minute for them to arrange themselves inside Lucien's room and for another round of introductions to be made. Lucien's expression turned from puzzled to wary to eager as Valentin explained that Elarus wanted to examine him.

To Chloe's relief, he didn't object, though his apprehension and a jumble of other emotions that were difficult to untangle drifted through the bond. His eyes sought hers. "Is this what you want?" he asked slowly.

"Of course. I want you whole, Lucien. I need you." She moved up beside the bed. She hadn't touched him since Deandra had attacked him. It didn't feel right to take his hand as she would have if he remembered. But it felt wrong not to show him she supported him. And standing with him while a sanctii rummaged through his mind was the least she could do.

He stared up at her for a moment, as though still not quite sure she was real. "Goddess," he muttered softly enough that she was the only one close enough to hear. "I want to rememberyou."

"You will." She held out a hand, and he took it. She twined her fingers with his. "I will do whatever it takes, I promise you."

He smiled then, the expression lighting his face, making him handsome enough to steal her breath as a whisper of heated longing stole over her senses. Not hers.His. She had known that he'd been in love with her for a long time. Even through the years she'd been in exile, despite having no hope of ever seeing her again. Now she could feel it, knowing it to be true. She didn't want to give that up.

She tightened her grip, willing herself not to cry. "Whatever it takes," she vowed.

"I believe you," Lucien said. He turned back to Elarus, not letting go of Chloe's hand. "Very well, Elarus. What do you need?"

Elarus moved to stand on the opposite side of the bed. Octarus joined Chloe.

[Mate. Soon,] he said cryptically, his black eyes watching Elarus. Something about his posture suggested he was nervous, but Chloe didn't have time to worry about that.

[Good.]

"Touch?" Elarus asked Lucien, and he nodded. She looked across to Sophie.

The queen joined her at the bedside, offering a smile of reassurance before she spoke. "She'll need to put her hands on your temples, Lord Castaigne. Just relax. Try to think of the last thing you remember before there's a gap in your memory." Her gaze shifted to Chloe. "You focus on the bond. You might feel Elarus, too. I'm not sure exactly how this works. Just stay calm."

"Can Cameron feel her through you?"

"Our bond doesn't look like that," Sophie said, gesturing at the space between Lucien and Chloe.

Hopefully her and Lucien's bond wouldn't look strange after Elarus did whatever she did. "Let's just see what happens."

* * *

Lucien tried to relax as Elarus put her fingers against his temples. His heart was beating too fast, and he hoped the sanctii wouldn't think he was scared of her. Though he was, a little. Not of her, precisely, but of what she was about to do. Chloe's face—subtly different to the last memory he had of her but no less beautiful, if not more, despite the changes—was tense, her fingers tangled in his.

Which was difficult to believe in itself. They were married? How was that possible? What had happened to bring that about? Valentina and Irina had told him something of the tale after he'd woken, that he and Chloe had worked on an assignment in Andalyssia together. Irina—clearly Andalyssian—seemed proof enough that it was possible if he ignored the fact that the notorious Duq of Arbronet had apparently married her. That seemed fantastical in itself. But knowing Chloe was home and was apparentlyhis?It still seemed as though he might be dreaming. As though he'd finally conjured her from his dreams after ten long years.

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