Page 65 of A Crown of Tears and Treason
“I had to do the same,” he went on, surprising me. “A lonely existence, isn’t it?”
I opened my mouth, but no words stuttered out. Yes, it was. But why was he telling me that? And how had he been lonely, surrounded by an entire courtandloving parents? He’d had at least one friend. He’d grown up together with Kaya.
“I don’t plan on raising my children the same way,” he continued, this time truly shocking me. Here we were, walking alone in the cover of night, talking aboutchildren.
Ourchildren. The thought made my skin prick.
“I don’t want my children to go through what I did, either,” I whispered. I believed every single word, but they were soft, almost getting lost in the night chirps and hums accompanying us from the trees and bushes lining the path.
“This might be the first thing we’ve truly agreed on.”
Hopefully not the last. “A miracle.”
“So youwantchildren.”
“I–I think so. Not for a long time, though.” Was he messing with me? “This feels like something we should have discussed before deciding to get married.”
“If we’d had the choice.” He stopped, turning to me. Even in the specks of light filtering through the thick leaves, his eyes shined.
I’d been in Phoenix Peak for weeks, but the intensity of his gaze still sent tremors through me. Would I ever get used to it?
I tilted my head up to meet his gaze, my hood almost slipping.
“The blood ritual takes place when we exchange our vows,” he said, barely moving his lips, like the words were torn from inside him. “We will each cut our palms with the ceremonial dagger–”
My eyes went as wide as a full moon.
“Each has to sacrifice three drops of blood into the sacred grail, to unite our futures and souls. Then we both drink.”
I blanched. “I have to drink your blood?” And he had to drinkmine?
“Don’t worry, it won’t poison you,” he said with a shadow of his jagged smirk.
I pressed a hand to my belly. “How will it affect me? Will you be able to read my thoughts?”
“No–unless you and the fates wish it to.”
“Definitely not, thanks.”
“I’m flattered.” He gave me a mock bow. “The legends say the wedding blood ritual lets you feel your other half. Sometimes even their thoughts. But only if their love is pure, they’re true fated mates, and their blood sings for the other.”
I thought back to the loving looks his parents gave one another. “They’re not just legends, are they?”
“No. But it’s very rare. And most don’t understand what it truly means.”
Should I? “Whatdoesit mean?”
“You can get so absorbed in your mate that nobody and nothing else matters,” was all he said.
Ah. Hence being lonely. It was hard to imagine little Zandyr as a curious boy looking for affection and getting none, when the feared Blood Brotherhood crown prince stood in front of me, all harsh lines and deadly instincts.
But this traitorous heart of mine still grieved a lost childhood. I knew what that was like.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “No child should feel that way.”
Zandyr’s eyes widened. “Sympathy? For me?”
“Yes, well, the snake bite must have affected me more than I realized.” I pulled the coat closer to my body, as if I could hide in plain sight. “At least we don’t have to worry about thewhole reading-each-other’s-thoughts thing, do we? Since love is required.”
