Page 64 of Skyshade
Eta tied the necklace between their fingers, joining them, the chain wrapping around and around. She supposed if it wasn’t already around her neck, her own would be part of the ceremony too.
“And now, they are bound, until their last breath,” Eta said. She nodded at her, and Isla undid the necklace’s clasp.
Grim bowed before her. There were a few whispers, murmurs, indignation that the great ruler would bow to her, but she ignored them.
He lowered his head. For a moment, she hesitated.
Once the necklace was clasped, it wouldn’t ever be released, not until his death. She remembered the prophecy.
Would it be at her hand?
Part of her wanted to drop the necklace. Run out of the room.
But she was Grim’s bride. It was a decision she had made, in the past, and now, again, in the present. As much as she hated it, as much as she wished things were different...she cared about him. She really did.
Isla clasped the necklace.
It was done.
Grim stood, towering over her. His eyes were glistening. He took her hand. Music began to play. People began to form around them, circling them. “Now, we dance. It marks the start of the festivities.”
She nodded. She could do this. She could stand here and pretend like emotions weren’t thrashing within her, battling. Like she wasn’t both radiantly happy and horribly disappointed in herself. Like her heart wasn’t currently breaking and mending at the same time. Like it wasn’t split to begin with.
His other hand went to her waist.
“I didn’t know you were capable of dancing,” she told him, as he moved through the steps with surprising precision. It was easy, he was leading her in a circle, but he did it perfectly.
Grim tilted his head at her. “I’m capable of anything, with the right motivation.”
“And the motivation right now?”
“Not stepping on my wife’s toes.”
She swallowed. Looking at him was too painful. No, not painful. Too familiar. Too pleasurable. She wanted to hate this. Her gaze returned to the glass, to all the flowers around them.
“Did I make the right choice?”
She nodded. That, she could admit. “It’s my favorite part of the castle.” She smiled. “I was so touched that I cried when I saw it,” she said, the memory fresh in her mind. She turned to face him again. “You thought I didn’t like it and were prepared to fire all of your gardeners.”
The ghost of a grin played on his lips. “I was prepared to kill all of the gardeners, heart,” he gently corrected, and she wasn’t even sure if he was joking.
Afterward, she had demonstrated to him just how much she had liked it, right here, against the greenhouse glass. She blushed. That time right after their marriage had been a frenzy, a race to who could know each other most intimately.
Grim’s hand flexed against her lower back, as he felt her shift in emotions.
Isla was quick to change the subject. She didn’t remember ever giving him a marriage gift. She hadn’t known it was custom. She frowned. “Did—did I ever give you anything?”
Grim looked at her, and this time he did smile. “Heart,” he said, eyes glistening again. “You gave me everything.”
She looked at him. Really looked at him. For a moment, she allowed the iciness to thaw. She allowed herself to feel the emotions guilt had buried away.
She loved him.
It wasn’t something she could change.
Grim’s leg pressed slightly against hers as he twirled her, and she watched him frown. Slowly, one of his hands dipped, knuckles trailing down her thigh—and the dagger she had strapped to it.
“Is this for me?” he asked, voice faintly amused.
