“Because I couldn’t resist you, little mate.”
“No, why am I here?”
“You belong with me.”
“Suddenly it’s that simple?” she replied dubiously.
“Theron also saw something he couldn’t share, but he basically pushed us out the door. For now, this is where we need to be. Favin and Danil will be here soon.”
“They weren’t allowed to hitch a ride with Hale?”
She didn’t know the two males, but she knew how much they meant to Marrok. He’dspoken of them fondly during their many nights together in the dreamworld.
“No. They have the horses and are bringing your things.”
“My things? Wait … how long am I to stay? My father has no idea where I am.”
“Indefinitely.” His tone brokered no argument.
Admittedly, Evelyn liked his answer. She felt like they were on the precipice of something of great magnitude, of starting their life together. They had a few things to clear up between them, and a malicious brotherhood to contend with, but she was finally with him. Evelyn would fight with everything in her to keep him.
“This isn’t your room,” she assessed, shifting the conversation.
“What makes you think that?”
“There’s nothing in here.”
“I don’t stay here very often. I prefer the fortress in Terenuskit. It’s closer to the peninsula and I can better keep an eye on things from there. For now, though, we will stay here as Theron requested. There are a number of rooms to choose from. You can have whatever you want to decorate them.”
Evelyn twisted her mouth side to side. “I’m happy to sleep wherever you sleep. I don’t need much, so as long as there is space to put some clothing away, I’ll be content.”
Marrok felt the same. He had no ties to this place. His only desire was to be with Evelyn in whatever home they made together.
So unlike Melena, his demon taunted. Though the spirit had never been fond of his wife, Marrok couldn’t argue there were significant differences between the females.
Melena had wanted two chambers, one for him and one for her. He’d believed it was because she came from wealth and needed the space for her belongings. She was fond of the finer things in life and he was only happy to fulfill her requests.
Truth be told, he was acknowledging more and more the things about his late wife he’d chosen to forget. It was difficult to accept she had characteristics he would never seek out in a life partner.
Marrok needed to stop comparing the two females. There was no comparison, not anymore.
“Theron is going to write to your father,” he informed Evelyn. “I know it’s not how we planned it, but it’s how he’ll find out you’ve been confirmed as my mate.”
“He’ll be upset he wasn’t there, that we’ve not had a ceremony.”
Marrok shrugged. “We’re bonded. Fully. It’s far more binding thananywedding could ever be.” He gave her a second to let his words sink in before continuing.
“However, if you want a wedding, and to have your father watch you take your vows, you shall have it.”
Evelyn shook her head stubbornly. “I’ve decided I donotwant a royal wedding.”
She didn’t say why. She didn’t have to. Marrok knew she’d suffered having to live through the memory of his emotions as Melena walked down the aisle to him.
He would have done anything to spare Evelyn from it. He questioned Fate’s decisions where those dreams were concerned, though he knew he should have told Evelyn about Melena from the start. The fault was his for those particular memories.
“Then we’ll do a binding ceremony, if you want. We don’t have to decide today. We have time.”
“Alright,” Evelyn agreed, fidgeting her hands on the blanket. Her focus remained on her lap.