Page 93 of Blood Marked

His voice didn’t rise. But it sharpened.

“I chose something different.”

He reached behind him. Held out his hand. And Selene stepped forward.

“I choseher.” His voice rang now. “Not because of her bloodline. Not because a stone told me to. Because she saw every broken part of me and didn’t flinch. You all heard her speechyesterday. It’s true. She speaks for this kingdom, this court. For me. And if none of you believed her yesterday, then believe her now. Believe us. She fought beside me. Bled with me.Diedfor me.”

Selene didn’t look away. Her eyes were steady—storm gray and full of knowing.

“So today,” Kael continued, “I crown her not as consort. Not as queen.”

The crowd leaned in.

“But asmy mate.My sovereign. And the first ruler of this Dominion not born of blood—but born ofchoice.”

He turned to her. Lifted the crown Nyra had forged from Veilstone and ironwood and set it gently on her brow.

It wasn’t heavy. Because Selene was already carrying more than any crown ever could.

“Long may she rise,” Kael said.

And the court? They knelt. Every last one.

Later, when the hall had emptied and dusk had begun bleeding over the horizon, Kael found her again in the gardens—barefoot, as always, a thin cloak draped over her shoulders, fingers brushing over the night blossoms that only bloomed beneath the moons.

He watched her for a while.

Watched the woman who had rewritten his whole fucking world by daring tobelieveit could be different.

He stepped behind her. Wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Just so you know, this time, Kael Fenrir, you don’t get to push me away.”

“I won’t,” he whispered.

“Not even for duty.”

“Not even for prophecy.”

“Not even if the Veil rises again.”

He kissed her—slow and full of promise. “No more running,” he said.

She smiled against his mouth. “Good. Because I’m tired of chasing you.”

The moon rose high.

The crown glinted faintly in the distance on its stone perch.

And Kael didn’t dream of blood anymore.

Only ofher.

FORTY-TWO

SELENE

Selene stood at the edge of the balcony as the sun broke across the jagged line of the Veil mountains.

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