Page 29 of Realms of Shadow and Sun

Cyrus brushed off the apology. “I'm thankful for you, Sion. You know the Snow Lands well, and you've been through the portal once before.”

“So, you're leaving? Now?” Renya asked.

Cyrus nodded. “We need to leave before she realizes we've escaped. Hopefully we'll get a good head start.” He wiped his hands on his suit pants. He was dirty and covered in grime, no doubt from spending his days and nights in the dungeon.

“So...will you stay?”

Renya's heart sank. She wanted Grayden, needed him. Her body ached to be next to him. She envisioned their reunion, the happiness that would radiate from his face when they were finally brought back together. She imagined sleeping on his warm and muscular chest, his calloused fingers softly tracing small circles on her arms after making love. The scene she painted in her mind was so vivid, so wonderfully warm, that she almost refused right away. But the longer she thought, she knew the future she pictured for them would never exist as long as Cressida did. With despair in her heart and heaviness in her chest, she agreed. “I'll stay as long as it takes for her to trust me.”

“You are truly my daughter. So brave and beautiful. I only hope this mate of yours is good enough for you.”

It felt odd, so strange to be in Cressida's palace, talking with her father about her future husband.

“He's the best man I've ever known,” Renya said, red creeping up her cheeks.

“He really is,” Sion added.

Cyrus looked satisfied with their answer, and moved back towards the window. “Sion, we better get going. The magic I used to free us will linger and leave a trace. I'm afraid she'll find us sooner rather than later, and I'm weak from breaking the blood promises.”

Sion moved towards the window, then paused before heading back over to the center of the room. He gave Renya a firm embrace, and knelt before her. “You might not be crowned yet, but you're my queen all the same.”

Cyrus looked on proudly, as if watching his daughter earn the respect of her subjects delighted him.

“Goodbye, Renya,” Cyrus said, preparing to climb out the window.

“Wait,” Renya said, as she came closer. Cyrus stood upright in front of her, and surprise crossed his face as she moved into his arms.

This man was a stranger, someone she had known less than a day, but she couldn't send him away without acknowledging the sacrifices he made for her. It was clear they were done out of love. But as he put his arms around her, Renya was shocked to feel a sense of completeness as her father embraced her back.

She pulled away, noting the tears that threatened to fall from her father's eyes.

“Take care, my Renya. My Light Bringer. I named you that because the second you came into this world and I held you in my arms, you became the light that ruled my life.”

Chapter Sixteen

Grayden moved over to the broken crib, looking at the miniature valkyries carved into the back. There were little suns too, and the bedding and blankets were a creamy butter-yellow. He ran his hand along the side of it, and could almost feel traces of his mate.

Phillippe entered behind him, looking confused over Grayden's fascination with the room.

“Grayden, shouldn't we go look for the archives?” Phillippe asked. He moved closer to where Grayden stood, as if trying to figure out what was going through his brother's head.

“I think...I think this was Renya's nursery,” he said quietly, turning around to take in the rest of the room. Part of the circular wall was destroyed, and rubble littered the plush rugs covering the stone floor. A layer of dust was thick on all the surfaces, but he could tell that from the care that had been put into decorating the room, Renya was loved. A small painting of an elkten was on the wall, which both excited and mystified him. Why was his animal guardian depicted in her room? Was it a coincidence? Or perhaps fate?

“How do you know?” Selenia asked, disbelief etched on her face.

“I just do,” he said, looking at the mural above the cradle once again. Suns and stars flickered against the light, almost as if they were moving.

He moved away from the cradle and heard a slight crack when he brought his foot down. He bent over and picked up a heart-shaped necklace. He rubbed his fingers over the smooth gold surface and turned it over. There was an engraving, and in fancy script, he could just make out the inscription:

To Cressida, Love Cyrus and Renya

Both horror and bewilderment flooded all of Grayden's senses. Everything around him seemed to stand still as he stared at the back of the necklace. His throat felt dry and his insides turned. It couldn't be.

Selenia came up behind Grayden and looked over his shoulder.

“What in the Gods' names?” she exclaimed, glancing at the necklace and then Grayden's face. “That can't be...”

Grayden turned over the necklace again and realized it had a small hinge on the side. He opened it, and found a miniature portrait. A woman, holding a newborn, stared back at him. He recognized the violet eyes and dark hair at once. It was Cressida. And there was no doubt that the blue-eyed babe sitting on her lap was his mate.

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