Page 249 of When Sisters Collide
Theo stood just behind him, both of them acting as if Leukos hadn’t snapped earlier that day. No bitterness. No hesitation. They had come to him as though nothing had ever been broken.
Leukos’ heart twisted with quiet guilt. He didn’t deserve such loyal friends.
“They’re soulmates,” Theo said, deadpan, brushing a blade of grass from his leather brace with exaggerated nonchalance.
“What?” Nik reeled back, eyes wide. “You’re soulmates, and I’m only hearing about this now?”
“We didn’t tell anyone,” Leukos replied, rubbing the nape of his neck. “Theo figured it out himself, so you’re the second person to know.”
“Third,” Theo cut in with a smug little smile. “Alcaros knows, too.”
“Alcaros?” Nik’s outrage flared. “Really? You don’t even like the tall bastard.”
Leukos pinched the bridge of his nose. “It wasn’t intentional?—”
“I amdeeplywounded.Deeply,” Nik interrupted, hand pressed to his chest. He clapped Leukos on the shoulder with exaggerated solemnity. “But don’t worry. I’ll recover—right after I tell Kat you married her baby sister without her blessing. That should make for adelightfulreunion.”
Nik shot him a sly grin, settling beneath a birch as if preparing for an afternoon nap. Beside him, Theo leaned against the trunk, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Leukos clenched his fists, mind racing.
Katell.
For a marriage to be recognised under Achaean law, the bride’s legal guardian had to give formal consent. And for Alena… that meant her sister.
Without her approval, it wasn’t just a slight. It wasn’t binding.
“I don’t know about Freefolk customs,” he muttered, uncertainty creeping in, “but Alena isn’t Achaean.”
Theo waved the concern aside. “And Westerners don’t care for that kind of ceremony. In their eyes, she’s free to marry whomever she pleases. Besides, this isn’t some arranged wedding. You two are soulmates.”
Nik stretched his legs out in the grass. “Speaking of which… Is that how you finally got your magic under control?” He rolled his arm, revealing the North Wind’s ice-blue swirls etched across his skin. “The Mark hasn’t reacted in days—not since the fight against the First’s cohort.”
Leukos exhaled, tension slipping from his shoulders. Nik no longer had to pay for his mistakes. “Yes. I have full control again. As soon as we accepted the bond, everything just… quieted. As if my magic had been waiting for her this whole time.” He glanced at Theo. “How did you know?”
Theo’s mouth curved into a knowing smirk. “You looked at her like she was the only thing keeping the world from falling apart. Hard to miss, really.” His tone softened, the tease giving way to something steadier. “She brings you peace, Leukos. And I’m happy for you.”
Leukos wasn’t sure he was meant for peace. Not after everything he’d done. That kind of happiness—soulmates, afuture—belonged to men like Theo. Yet his friend’s words pressed against the doubt in his chest, easing it in ways he hadn’t expected. He gave a slow nod, grateful, even if he didn’t feel deserving.
From his spot beneath the tree, Nik snorted. “Let’s just hope Katell thinks so, too.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
LEUKOS
Kaixo stayed out with Apollo for two days, slipping into the village only to steal food or snatch a few hours of sleep in Leukos’ bed while he trained. He avoided everyone, though he was never entirely alone—Nik, Theo, and even Leywani took turns keeping watch from a distance, making sure he was never too far.
Leukos finally found him crouched beside a narrow creek, humming under his breath, fingers skimming the water’s surface while Apollo lay curled against him, a silent grey shadow. The creek wound lazily through the meadow, its banks lush with new grass and peppered with tiny yellow wildflowers. Overhead, the sun broke through thinning clouds, its warmth carrying the promise of a gentle late-spring day, perfect for the ceremony in the afternoon.
Marriage.
To Alena.
Leukos still couldn’t believe it himself. After everything they’d endured—and all that still loomed ahead—a wedding should’ve been the furthest thought from their minds.
But it wasn’t. Somehow, it felt like the only choice that made sense in a world unravelling around them.
Let the legions come, let Katell and Laran unleash their demons. Leukos would meet them all head-on, sword in hand and no regrets in his heart—for he would go not only as a warrior, but as her husband.
