Page 134 of Between Wrath and Mercy

I stopped, watching him.

Rain had his hands locked behind his back, the right one twitching in the nervous way I hadn’t seen since he was a boy. From behind, the outfit he wore seemed to be the same as Dewalt’s. The sword on his hip wasn’t one I recognized, the hilt encrusted in more jewels—rubies, emeralds, and sapphires—than could ever be necessary. My eyes trailed up, only barely distracted by his broad back, the jacket tight over the stretch of muscles, and saw the crown which sat atop his head. It was the same one he wore the first time I met him. He had been a snotty prince, too good to pay any attention to the twin girls who were more nuisance than friends at that age. I remembered him continuously adjusting it throughout the day, and I’d found silent satisfaction in it causing him trouble. It was a simple gold, unadorned with jewels, more a circlet than a true crown. It suited him. I saw him peak his head into the room a bit, likely seeing the others taking their seats, before he turned around slowly, knowing I’d be waiting behind him. Where Dewalt’s vest had been a dark-grey pattern, Rain’s was gold. Shimmering threads sewn into the fabric that caught the light just so. He also wore gold on his face, dusted carefully down the bridge of his nose, across his cheekbones, and on his lips which slowly arched as his eyes rested on me. He looked like a god. His eyes were smoldering, a need and a hunger shining through. I watched him swallow as his gaze slid from my toes upward, the heat of his attention making me feel the ghost of his touch as he lingered over my hips, then my waist, before moving up to my breasts and collarbones until finally resting on my face. I didn’t need to reach out with my divinity to know his heart was racing, matching my own.

“The sun itself could not shine as brightly as you.” He crossed the distance in one stride before cupping the back of my neck and softly brushing his lips against mine. He pulled away much too quickly and offered his arm. “Come, you must make me whole.”

Slipping into his hold, I smiled up at him. I felt a sense of calm and peace I hadn’t felt in a very long time, even before Elora had been taken from me. It felt like the world was in balance, and the stars had aligned, with the sole purpose of bringing me to his side. I wondered if the gods looked down, the twin flame bond between us shining brightly for their attention, and I knew, whatever unknown future lay beyond for the two of us, I'd never been surer of it than with him by my side.

Chapter 43

Ikeptmyheaddown, staring at my hand resting on the inside of his forearm, and tried to calm myself, resisting the urge to firmly grasp his bicep. I felt my fingers dig a bit harder than I meant to, and I heard a chuckle before Rain’s other hand found my own, fingers intertwining with mine. The balcony we stepped onto was enormous; over fifty people sat outside to watch the ceremony, with plenty of room to spare. I only recognized a few, glad to see Nana sitting next to Mairin. Queen Shivani waited for us, the mountains visible behind her while she stood in the last ray of light before the palace blocked the setting sun. Normally, a Myriad master would perform the ceremony, but the Supreme had given Shivani permission to perform it for her son, an honor he didn't bestow on many. She was resplendent in a gown of deep emerald, her hair loose and unbound, and I was taken back by how youthful she looked.

Myriad novices lined the aisle we walked, and I felt my stomach twist, severely unnerved by their presence after what happened with my task. They all held branches of greenery above the aisle, sprigs of baby's breath interspersed among the branches, and the novices shook them as we passed beneath. I was surprised when both Rain and I got wet, and I gasped a little, stuttering a step and grabbing his arm tighter. His fingers squeezed mine, holding me upright and sturdy, rubbing a reassuring thumb across the back of my hand as I glanced up at him.

“From the font,” he murmured, assuaging my confusion. The water didn’t burn or feel strange, but I knew the life-giving powers of the font were real. I’d seen the effects of drinking it, but I wondered the meaning behind sprinkling it over us. Was this a waste, or did it have any real meaning? Maybe my skin would benefit from it. The idea almost made me laugh, pushing the novices out of my head for the moment. When we finally reached Shivani, there was a small bench for us to kneel on, and Rain held my hand tightly while I lowered myself, helping to situate my gown before joining me. He kept my hand tightly in his grasp as we both looked up to his mother, and I attempted to remain serene. It was beyond my comprehension that this could be real. This man who had remained steadfast in his search and love for me over the years was publicly claiming me as his own, his equal, and it wasn't a dream. He was mine as I was his, and this proved it to the world. He was the other half of me, and never had I held such hope in my heart as I did kneeling next to him.

Queen Shivani started speaking, but I did not hear a single word she said. I felt the heat of Rain’s leg next to mine and his calloused hand holding my own. I saw the shadows on the mountains we faced, growing longer in the fading sun. I heard the crisp cool breeze and felt the heat of fifty pairs of eyes. And then there was the heat of one specific set of eyes. They met mine, and I saw every single fleck of gold, the brilliant green full of promise and passion. I gripped his hand tighter, and he slowly closed his eyes, his unspoken signal for me to join him in the calm surety between us. I reached out, listening to his heart and his alone. It was sure, and it was steady, counting on the future we would have and the kingdom we could build.

Eventually, Shivani watched Rain expectantly, and I realized he was just as distracted as I was. Looking up at her for a moment, uncertainty on his face, until she glanced down pointedly at my hand, and he realized what came next in the ceremony. I couldn’t help but grin up at her, the motherly gesture not lost on me. I was surprised to see her eyes crinkle at the corners when she smiled back. He took my hand in his, sliding my ring off and replacing it with a tiny band shaped to fit around the engagement ring he slid back in place a moment later. Glancing up for approval, I took the ring that waited on my thumb and pushed it onto his ring finger, letting my fingertips gently touch his palm as his eyes met mine. It seemed like such a small thing before, but it felt like so much more now. To have him wear this ring signifying he was mine and mine alone. He met my smile, and I saw nothing but affection reflected back at me from the mossy depths.

When Queen Shivani pulled out a dagger—small, black, and plain—I was struck by how uneasy I felt. There was power radiating off it, the pull of it similar to that of my divinity, a soft thrum that held me in its grasp. Rain let go of my hand, offering his own to his mother. She flipped it over, using the blade to slice his palm, murmuring a prayer to the gods under her breath. I swore I saw some sort of white light in the air, a faint shimmer hovering between the blade and his hand. She reached for mine next, and, though nervous, I offered my palm to her. When the sharp edge broke through my skin, she murmured the same words as before, and I winced, the sting a bit harsher than I expected. There was a slight burning sensation to it, and I knew, this time, that I was right, my eyes widening as I watched the faint shimmer in the air above the wound. The sting of pain lessened when Rain grasped my hand in his and held it out, catching my eye and nodding down at the blood dripping from our hands, proud he'd saved my dress from staining. Warmth rose in me, and I felt it wrap itself around my heart. We both looked up at his mother, ready for what was next. The handfasting. The definitive end to the Mind ceremony. The intermixing of our blood with the words and promises that swore us to one another. Using the ceremonial red ribbon, Shivani bound our hands together before leading us through the divine vows, both of us repeating each line in unison.

While we both wish it, I will give to you freely, sharing myself and my divinity.

I will share my hopes and fears, sorrows and joys.

I will be your home and your hearth, your steadfast and stalwart.

I will shoulder your burdens and swallow your secrets.

I will be your shield and your sword, your contrition and courage.

Yours will be the name on my lips and the hands on my heart.

I inhaled after we finished and felt tears prickling my eyes. Rain’s gaze met mine, and I saw every ounce of surety and love I felt for him, reflected in his own. I would be everything to him, as he had and would be everything to me. He had already upheld all of the vows we’d just said, and I felt an intense heat flooding through me, the warmth of calm and confidence that came with the acknowledgment of all we shared and would come to share. My divinity was thrumming at a pace I'd never felt, the vibrations of my soul resounding on the edges of my physical self.

After we finished saying the words, Shivani took the diadem from a small pillow I hadn’t noticed and lowered it onto my head. It was gold to match Rain’s, but where his was smooth and simple, mine was delicate and intricate. Designed to look like vines, the gold weaved in and out of itself with a sprinkle of diamonds and pearls nestled down in the twists and turns. I glanced at Rain, a small smile on my face as I took in his expression. His eyes flickered with delight and triumph as if this moment was what signified his victory. This moment of crowning me as the woman he would put first the rest of his life, as the woman he would love and cherish and share his divinity with—this moment made all the rest worth it.

I didn’t need to be reminded of what came next, the words having echoed throughout my mind the last day. We shifted on the bench to face one another, the quiet sounds of the guests around us falling to the wayside. Those in the first rows might have heard us if they strained, but no one else mattered. Rain lowered his forehead, gently resting it against mine. His voice was a whisper, meant for only me.

“You have held my heart in your hands since the moment I met you, Emmeline. Every beat and every skip you have possessed. Every thought and every dream, every secret and every fear has belonged to you. You ignited a flame in me which has burned and sputtered and raged. Ours is a fire that will never go out. Ours is a fire that will swallow us whole, and I’d rather burn with you than live in the dark.”

Eyes closed, I swallowed a sob. The earnest emotion rang true in his voice, each word a line in a song. Though he spoke of his heart belonging to me, I felt a clear fist around my own, knowing it was his hold on me. Knowing that if I reached out, our hearts would beat as one. I felt a single tether spread between us, a string of gold neither of us could see, but we could feel, and we could sense. The string that led us to this day together—the string that weaved a story of us. I felt it as surely as I felt the chaotic thrum of my divinity, and I knew he did too. I took a deep breath before speaking, voice low and quiet to match his.

“Before I knew you, I searched for you, and I’ve never stopped. I found your eyes in the leaves. I found your smile in my child’s laughter. I found your patience in my heart and your courage in my own. Just a spark, a tiny flame all those years ago, which I protected and fed. A tiny spark I could never snuff, and now you’ve stoked it into a roaring fire. A warmth that protects and endures and sustains. A spark of hope and an ember on the wind of promises made and kept.”

I felt a tear slide down my cheek as the golden string snapped into place, the connection I could see on the edge of consciousness if I only looked harder. The thread, that if plucked, would make the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard. I closed my eyes and reached out, feeling his heart beat in time with mine. Rain squeezed my hands in his before tilting his head a small distance, breaking the space between us with the brush of his lips. If Shivani said anything, which based on a distinct whoop from Lavenia, she did, none of it registered. The only thing I knew was the tug between us and his lips on mine. I had to remind myself again—this was real. That so many years later, I’d chosen the life Lucia sacrificed hers for. I’d chosen the life I’d never let myself dream of for long. The life that terrified and elated me, and the love that had almost consumed me. The love that spanned lifetimes, and the love that chose me every time. I’d chosen the man in front of me, whose soft lips caressed mine, and I was never more certain of any choice I’d ever made. His hand cupped my face, and he pulled back from me to gaze into my eyes.

“My bride, my wife, my Emmeline.” And then his lips were on mine again, and everything else drifted away.

“Doyouseethedoor right there?” Rain pointed across the chamber, and I spotted it, hidden behind a few council members who lingered on that side of the room. It was recessed into a small alcove, likely a servant door leading to some other area of the palace.

“Yes?” I wasn’t sure why he was giving me a tour considering the size of the room. There wasn't much to it, the small chamber stuffy and crowded. A large, round table sat in the center, taking up quite a bit of space, with a dozen or so chairs surrounding it. Three tall windows opened up to the Alsors, with thick, red, velvet curtains that hung heavy on their fixtures, blocking the view. The air in the room smelled old and stale, and I wondered how often the council even met. This, in turn, sent me into a spiral about how little I knew about any of this. I didn’t even know how often council meetings were held. I didn’t know which decisions required council approval, which ones could bypass a majority ruling, nor the limit of Rain's power as Crown Prince. Soren had ultimate command, of course, but even he had to answer to the council on some decisions. And I knew nothing about any of it. Lucia had additional tutoring sessions when we were younger; a royal aid instructed both her and Rain on everything they could ever need to know about their future responsibilities. I felt woefully underprepared. This chamber would become an ever-present staple in our lives, and it all began with this meeting. Ten council members gathered within the room, and they all stood to deliberate if I should be declared as Crown Princess. I worried, not for the first time, that they would find me sorely lacking and not want to cooperate. I couldn't bring anything in terms of knowledge or leadership. All I had was a heart willing to serve Vesta and an understanding of the people who needed our help. But a council that had served Soren, especially in the last few decades, wasn't one I sought to impress if I truly thought hard about it. Rain bent, lips hinting against the curve of my ear.

“It's an alcove for private meetings, dear heart.” His tone held sexual implication.

“Surely, you cannot be serious?” I’d only met two members of the council before Rain bustled me away with the excuse of explaining how the council members would decide if I was fit for my title. I had glared at him when he said it, frustrated by the fact it was information I needed to know. It was another reminder for the council members that I shouldn’t be here. That I didn’t know what I was doing. I had insisted upon a true explanation even though he'd tugged me possessively to his side, desperate to be touching me as much as he could.

“I need to taste you on my lips right now.” His words sent a shiver down my spine, and a blooming heat settled low in my stomach. I pulled his hand into mine, gently pressing our wounds together. My divinity itched to heal us both, the sliced flesh making that low thrumming almost unbearable, but there was no sense in healing it. The Body ceremony required the same connection as the Mind did when performed, an intermingling of our blood caused by the divine blade Shivani used. I pulled his hand up to my mouth and kissed the back of it.

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