Page 82 of The Cursed

His nostrils flared, sensing the rebellion for what it was. A reminder of who I was and who I would always be, the wife that sat at his side, not as a subservient bride, but as his Queen.

"You said you chose me," he said, his voice dropping low. He reached up, pressing the palm of his hand into the front of my throat. He did not squeeze, merely letting the touch rest there in a possessive claim. "Sochooseme. Trust in me to do what is best for the future of bringing our home together."

I sighed, turning my gaze to look out the window. Gray sat in my periphery, waiting impatiently as I gazed at the gardens just outside. The woods lingered in the distance, the memory of the Cursed and their sacrifice in my vision tickled my mind. I could still see the image of the labyrinth in my mind, of the path meant for my daughter.

I wasn't ready for her yet, and there was work to be done.

However, I wanted the world she came into to be one where she was able to choose love over duty freely.

"Okay, Gray," I said, turning my stare back to my husband. "I'll marry you before the Goddess." His grip tightened on my hands, the vulnerability in that touch confirming what I already knew.

It wasn't only the Coven that needed this.

It was the Devil himself.

Nobody had ever chosen him. No one had ever stood before those who may judge and proclaimed their love for all to see.

Until me.

CHAPTER 48

WILLOW

Iwalked into the Tribunal rooms, refusing to look at the seal for fear I would lose my shit. Only a day had passed since everything happened, and the loss of Margot was never more palpable than when the Coven gathered in the room where I'd lost her.

The newly selected Tribunal members waited in their own thrones as I made my way toward the dais, their families scattered about the room alongside them.

Della and Nova stood on the dais to my right, dressed in pretty dresses that represented their houses. Their somber faces echoed mine, the missing witch felt even more heavily in light of the day that had come so quickly.

Gray stood at the center, dressed all in black. He'd worn a forest green tie for me, and Leviathan stood at his side along with Mammon. We both knew that Beelzebub would have stood with them if he hadn't been lost with Margot.

We'd get them back. We had to get them back.

But first I needed to get stronger. I needed to be able to keep the seal open for long enough for them to escape, without risking my life. Who could I sacrifice in my place otherwise?

Maybe the next witch who dared to defy me would find themselves of much greater use.

I stepped up the dais, placing my hand in Gray's. His eyes were warm as they landed on me, flowing down the soft lace lines of my black gown. The train that flowed out behind me faded into a sparkling emerald shimmer, a nod to my mother on the day that neither of us had been able to see coming.

"I have one last surprise for you, before you become mine again," Gray said, focusing his attention on the doors of the Tribunal room. I turned, facing it as Juliet walked into the room. The boy at her side clung to her for support, his brown eyes wide as they swept over the Coven.

I hiked up my gown, sprinting down the dais, uncaring for how it must have looked. Ash's eyes were wide as I dropped to my knees in front of him, wrapping a hand around the back of his head. I crushed him to me, absorbing the happy tears he cried with the fabric of my dress.

Pulling back, I touched his face and looked him over more thoroughly.

Even in just a few weeks, he'd grown.

Juliet had dressed him in a suit for the occasion, and a sobbing laugh clawed up my throat as I stared at him. "Low," Ash said, the sound of that little voice striking me deep in the heart.

"Hey, Bug," I said, smiling through my tears. I stood, taking his hand in mine, and immediately felt at home when I turned and found Gray's amber eyes staring at me.

He smiled, and Ash shocked me when he stepped up and tucked himself into Gray's side. He answered my silent question, "we had some time while you were getting ready today."

I shifted my gaze down to Ash, wondering how he would handle the knowledge of all that had changed. "Are you--" I broke off, grinning as I realized I couldn't handle the answer if it was a no. I couldn't function if they couldn't stand one another. "Is this okay with you?" I asked, feeling more nervous in this moment than I had the day Gray had come knocking on my door, calling himself an invitation I hadn't wanted.

"I just want you to be happy, Low," Ash said, staring up at me with those kind brown eyes that had been the center of my universe for so long.

Now I had two.

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