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Ronan has been true to his word. The next morning, while I was sipping my coffee, a knock sounded at my door. When I'd answered it there had been no one there, but a small box, wrapped with red ribbon, had been left for me. On top of the box, there was a white envelope with my name scrawled across in in neat, cursive ink.

When I'd opened the box, I found a beautiful, white gold ring inside, adorned with three, massive diamonds. In between the diamonds were several, small opal jewels, which sparkled with breathtaking colors when the light hit them just right. It was a gorgeous ring, fit for a queen...

Or a lying, cheating, two faced snake...

I studied the ring more closely as I sipped my coffee, trying to find the rune that had been carved into it. After ten minutes of confusion, I finally saw the small intention on the inner band, so faint that it was nearly invisible.

She'd never notice it.

I put the ring back in it's tiny box and lifted the envelope, eyeing it warily. I slid off of the bar stool and leaned my elbows against the island as I studied it. When I finally ripped into it and pulled out the folded paper, I gasped.

It was a charcoal sketch. A sketch of me...

I was standing beneath the tree from last night. The lanterns were sketched above me, causing my eyes to shimmer. My face was a cross breed between anxiety and wonder. It was so detailed, so life like...

At the bottom of the page was a note.

Princess Brenya,

Please, do me the honor of accompanying me to our engagement party tonight. The entire Aviary will be there, celebrating our upcoming union, as well as the return of Lady Andromeda Price and Lord Torryn Griggs. Your public rune removal ritual, which is scheduled for tomorrow evening, will also be announced at the party.

Your's indefinitely,

High Lord Ronan Regulus

I stared at the page, waiting to feel something. But nothing came. I was completely numb. Nothing could undo this. I was bound to Ronan now, indefinitely, just as he'd written.

I set the letter down on the island counter top and began to slowly pace around the kitchen, sipping my coffee, waiting to feel something...

Anything...

The minutes ticked by...

A sudden, loud whooshing sound startled me out of my vacant minded pacing. I yelped, dropping my mug of coffee. It shattered at my feet, the hot liquid burning my toes.

"Shit, Ouch!" I cursed. My head whipped toward the balcony, where the noise had come from.

Dristan stood in the doorway, his hair ruffled around his horns from flight, his wings tucked in tightly behind his back. I only needed to meet his gaze for an instant to know that he was pissed. I swallowed and straightened as I gazed at him, the spilled coffee forgotten.

He was wearing black slacks and a plain, black T-shirt. The lack of color in his attire caused his startlingly blue eyes to stand out even more than usual.

He folded his muscled arms across his broad chest as he leaned casually against the door post. His eyes raked slowly down my body and I realized I was still wearing my very short, silk nightgown. His eyes lifted back to my face, two pits of blue flame.

I felt myself shrinking inwardly as his glare pierced into me, paralyzing me to the spot. His expression seemed to become more and more angry with each passing second.

"Dristan-" I started to whisper, but I was cut off.

"Tell me it's not true." He demanded, his voice like ice.

He knew...

I inhaled a shaky breath. "How did you find out?"

He growled as he threw a white card toward my feet. It was an invitation to tonight's ball. I stared down at it as I read the inscription, which had been scrawled in perfect cursive, and bordered by red roses.

*~*~*~*

You are cordially invited!

Tonight at 8pm.

Join the celebration for the royal engagement of

Princess Brenya Alemand

and

High Lord Ronan Regulus

*~*~*~*

As I lifted my face back to his, I found his eyes shining with anguish.

"Dristan-"

"Why?! Why did you do it?!" He bellowed, pushing off of the doorway. He stalked toward me, his wings flaring behind him. the action should've scared me, but I felt nothing, still numb. I held my ground as I stared up at him blankly.

"I didn't have a choice." I whispered.

He glared down at me with flared nostrils. "I told you we would find another way." He seethed.

I shook my head slowly. "There is no other way. You know that."

"I would've killed her before I let you do this." He hissed, his body an inch from mine.

I let out a small laugh. "Do you honestly think I'd let you do that? Do you know what that would do to you? She's your longest friend. She may be a cheating, traitorous slut, but she doesn't deserve to die, Dristan..."

He huffed angrily and ran his hands through his hair. "We'll find a way out of this... You'll call it off after we get the ring..."

He didn't realize it was impossible, now. My icy blood seemed to turn colder, numbing me ever further, as I turned away from him.

I walked toward the island robotically and picked up the box before walking back to him and placing it in his palm. I stared up at him, my face like stone.

He studied my expression, confusion swimming in his eyes. "You've already got it..."

I nodded, lowering my eyes to his chest.

"Then call it off." He murmured, slipping the box into the pocket of his slacks.

"No..." I whispered.

"What do you mean, no?"

"I can't..."

"What are you talking about? Of course you can, just tell him-"

"Dristan! I can't!" I yelled, snapping my eyes to his.

He blinked down at me, shocked at my outburst. I watched his confusion turn to rage as his eyes darkened. "Has he threatened you? I'll kill him..."

"No... He hasn't threatened me." I breathed.

"Then call it off, Brenya."

I sighed and turned away from him, about to walk toward the living room, but he caught me by the wrist.

"What the hell is this?" He whispered in horror. I turned my head to look at him and found him staring at the rune on my wrist, his mouth hanging open, his eyes wide.

"What have you done?" His eyes lifted to mine.

For the first time since I'd received the mark, I felt a twinge of emotion stirring inside of me as I stared into his tormented eyes. I could feel my face breaking.

"He bound me to my word, Dristan... He wouldn't make the rune unless he knew I wasn't bluffing..."

He let go of my wrist and took a step back, his face crumpling. "You... You let him bind you to him?"

I stared at him, my face grim, my eyes burning with the coming tears.

"No... Brenya, no..." His voice broke on the last word.

That one, broken word, completely disarmed me.

My heart, which had been slowly cracking apart over the last several hours, finally split into two as he backed away from me. His expression went from desolate, to disbelieving, to pure rage... and then circled back to misery again.

A choked cry escaped my lips as I watched him retreat, as if he could escape the horrible reality of the situation.

"Dristan, I'm sorry... please...." I whispered as tears blurred my vision.

"He's dead. He's fucking dead!"

"No, Dristan-"

"How could you do this?" His voice was hardly a whisper.

"I did it for you..." I pleaded, taking a small step toward him.

"No..." He shook his head, bringing his hand to his face and rubbing it across his stubble and lips.

"No." He repeated.

He dropped his hand, his eyes swimming with despair. "You didn't do this for me... This is far worse for me to endure than having to marry Andromeda. You did this for you, Brenya. You did this so that you wouldn't have to watch me marry her. You did this out of selfishness. And now... I am the one who will have to watch you marry him... You've passed that burden onto me."

I clutched a hand to my heart. "No! I did this so that you could be free of her! I did this so that you would be free to choose your own wife, someone you love, someone who is deserving of you and your throne! I did this for you!"

"Someone I love? That's not going to happen."

"Yes it will! It has to... Otherwise, I did this for nothing!"

He chucked, running a hand through his hair. "Gods damnit, Brenya... You just don't fucking get it, do you?"

I shook my head as tears fell from my eyes.

His hands fell limply to his sides as he stared at me, his eyes draining of their anger.

"I will never be free to choose the woman that I love."

"Yes you will, you just have to find her!"

"No..." He whispered, his eyes intense, as he stepped closer to me. "Can't you see?" He stopped an inch away from me and gazed down into my eyes with an emotion I'd never seen inside of his depths before.

"I have already found her."

The world fell away from beneath my feet. My lips parted in disbelief as he gazed at me, through me, into my very soul. I couldn't speak.

My shattered heart seemed to pulse with new life as his words sank into my mind, somehow pulling back together at the seams, repairing itself. The emptiness I'd felt all day... The hollow, bottomless depth of emotional void in my soul... was suddenly replaced with an explosion of warmth and joy.

He lifted a hand and brushed the back of his knuckles against my cheek. "Don't you understand?" His eyes alternated between my own.

"You impossible... Defiant... Brilliant... Beautiful woman...." He whispered, brushing my tears away with the pad of his thumb. "It's you, Brenya.... I love you."

He pulled me into his arms just as my legs fell out from under me. Sobbing cries erupted out of me as a happiness as equal as my despair enveloped my being. The sobs racked through me, and went on for what seemed like forever, as my body trembled against him.

He held me the entire time, his face buried in my hair, never loosening his arms from around me, never showing a hint of impatience. He just let me cry.

After an immeasurable amount of time, I felt him lift me into his arms. I was vaguely aware that he had carried me into my bedroom when I felt the softness of my bed replace the strength of his arms.

I slowly opened my eyes as my crying subsided, and found him lying across from me, his arm propped up on the pillow. His free hand was absentmindedly playing with a strand of my hair. He met my gaze with gentle, blue depths and smiled weakly at me.

"I hate it when you cry." He said softly.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. And I knew, that he knew, I wasn't just apologizing for crying. I was apologizing for everything. For what I'd done... For being selfish. For hurting him, for hurting myself. For all of it.

"I forgive you." He said, lifting my hand and planting a soft kiss on my knuckles. He brushed his thumb over the spot his lips had been as he studied me. "I'm going to find a way to get you out of this engagement. Somehow... We'll figure it out."

I knew he was in denial. There was no way out. But I smiled softly anyway, and reached out, brushing my fingers over his lips. "I wish I could just... Be with you...Marry you."

His eyes softened. "I wish that more than you'll ever know. But it would go against every belief that the Fae people have. They would riot if their Princess married a Dragon Lord..."

I winced and let out a shaky sigh. The people were supposed to be more important to me than anything. My kingdom had to come first. Guilt coursed through me as I felt a sudden hatred for them, for my crown... I didn't want it... It wasn't fair...

Depression loomed above me and threatened to drown me in it's sticky, black, tar like substance. I pushed it away, as well as the thoughts about my people, my kingdom, the whole world... And I focused on him. Only him...

"I've loved you for a long time, now..." I breathed.

He kissed each of my fingertips in turn as I spoke slowly. "As soon as you stepped into the Captain's path, after he struck me in the village, I felt something... I just didn't know what it was... And when you let me read the letter from my father... It grew into something more. And then, in the forest... When you saved me from the wolves... That's when I realized what my feelings meant."

He pulled me toward him, over the sheets, pulling my body flush against his. He rested his forehead against mine as he sighed deeply.

"It's been a bit... different... for me." He admitted.

I furrowed my brows. "What do you mean?"

His eyes flashed with emotion as he held my gaze. "From the moment I first looked into your eyes... My dragon changed. I remember when you first looked at me, your face soaking from the rain... It physically stunned me. I couldn't move... I'd been suppressing my dragon for a long time, keeping him hidden, deep inside. But as soon as you looked at me... Brenya, you sparked something inside of him. I can't explain it. All I know is what I felt. And ever since I met you, he's been out of his fucking mind with this overwhelming, protective, possessive drive to be near you."

His fingers traced the outline of my jaw as I stared into his eyes, immersed in his words.

"It wasn't until you struck Flynn with the rock and killed him that I realized I shared my dragon's feelings. People don't surprise me. Ever... But you... You've shocked the hell out of me every single day, since the day I met you. You've stunned and amazed me with your bravery, your spirit, your smart mouth, your loving heart... Your strength... By the time we got to the Bakru village, I was burning... I was in flames, overwhelmed with the desire to touch you, to taste you, to claim you... It's driven me mad, Brenya. And when I saw you with Ronan... I knew. I couldn't lie to myself any longer. I realized that I've loved you, all this time. And when those words went through my mind... I love her... It broke me. I've never feared anything before... But you... You absolutely terrify me."

I smiled. "I terrify you? I nearly died of a heart attack when I first saw your dragon and you killed the soldiers. You still scare me... a little... Sometimes..."

He chuckled softly, his minty breath fanning across my cheeks. "I know... It was quite entertaining, watching you try to hide your fear of me. Your face was so unreadable, but your scent always gave you away... "

I scowled playfully. "I wish I were as brave as you are."

his smile faded as his eyes scanned every detail of my face. "I'm not brave when it comes to you."

My hand left his face and trailed down his neck, his shoulder, his chest...

"You've never seemed afraid to me. You're always so bold... You've been the one who's acted first in all of this... Us..."

"It's not being with you that I'm afraid of. It's losing you that scares me. It's the fact that you constantly occupy the contents of my mind. It's knowing that for the first time in my life, someone has the power to harm me. It's knowing that you'll be at his side, in his bed... It's knowing that you'll never truly be mine."

I pressed my palm against his heart, feeling the precious, dull thud of it beating beneath my touch. "You're wrong." I whispered.

His throat bobbed as his eyes alternated between mine.

"It doesn't matter who is by my side... My heart belongs to you, Dristan, always... I love you, and I am yours."

For the first time since I'd known him, I saw moisture swimming in his eyes. My heart ached at the sight of him coming undone before me. I curled my arm up and wove my fingers into his silky hair as I leaned forward to kiss him.

My lips melted against his softly, molding with his in the most perfect of ways. "I love you." I whispered against his lips, pulling myself against him, welding every inch and curve of my body to his. I felt a tear spill over his cheek and I tasted the saltiness of it between our lips.

"Brenya..." He breathed, his arms tightening around me. The way he said my name, so delicately, so lovingly, sounded like the answer to some unspoken prayer.

His lips became more desperate against mine, his sense of need escalating, inflaming my own sense of desire. His tongue slid over the seam of my lips and I parted them wider, meeting the heat of his tongue with my own. His hand slid down my side, following the dip of my waist, and then firmly gripped my hip.

I moaned into his mouth as the familiar, tingling warmth began to spread in my lower belly, traveling straight toward the apex of my thighs.

He moved suddenly, flipping me onto my back. I gasped at the unexpected movement. I blinked up at his towering form above me. His wings flared out to the sides, blocking out the light, shielding me from the outside world, from anything and everything, aside from him.

The light behind him illuminated his wings, causing the shades of deep purple within the black webbing to become visible. I could see the veins inside of the leathery wings, twisting and spiderwebbing outward. I stared at them in awe, wondering what they'd feel like beneath my hands.

He sat back on his knees as he stared down at me with wild, heated eyes, his hands both resting on the tops of my exposed thighs.

"Tell me you're mine." He demanded, his slitted eyes raking down my body. The thin material of my silk nightgown did little to shield my body from him. My nipples grew stiff beneath his gaze, as my heart began to thunder against my ribs.

"I'm yours." I whispered breathlessly.

A soft growl grew in the back of his throat as he lifted one of his hands in the air. He held his clawed, index finger in the air above me, hovering a few inches from my body. I watched, perplexed, wondering what he was doing.

He curled his finger like a hook in the air and began to drag it down, over the length of my body. And though he was not touching me, the fabric of my nightgown began to rip open. The material at my neckline split open and I gasped, my eyes wide, as the fabric continued to rip, following the motion of his finger through the air.

Magic...

By the time he'd reached the hem of the silk gown, I was panting with unhinged need. He was so daring, so sexy... It excited me in ways I never knew could exist.

The last of the material shredded in half and he slid his eyes to mine. He uncurled the rest of his fingers lazily and then flicked his wrist. As soon as he did, the two, shredded pieces of silk flew to the sides, yanking open like a curtain.