Treasured (The Binding Chronicles, #3)

by Elayna R. Gallea

To everyone who needs an escape and finds it in a morally gray vampire prince. I’ve got you covered.

I preferred libraries over forests, books over people, and reading over hiking.

But that was before Luna. Before I knew what it meant to experience true, all-encompassing love. Before, my existence was gray and black. Now, I saw everything in color.

I liked making plans. They brought order to my life, giving me something to focus on. Order was nice. Lists were good. The more, the better, in my opinion.

Love was all-encompassing. It could complete you, consume your being, and transcend all rational thoughts and feelings. It was a force with no boundaries, a melody echoing in the hearts of connected souls, and a burning, raging, eternal flame that brought light to the darkest places.

Whoever said words weren’t powerful had never been in love. They’d never given their heart to someone else to hold, to protect, to keep safe. There was no way they’d experienced having a partner willing to go to the ends of the earth for them because they’d know just how powerful words could be.

Words could make you, break you, mold you. A word could give someone life or take it away. They were far more powerful than anyone gave them credit for.

How could he ask me not to worry? Didn’t he know he was my entire life? Asking me not to worry about him was like asking the sun not to shine. Pointless.

Bravery wasn’t overcoming fear. It was staring at the wall fear tried to build, and dismantling it brick by brick until it was possible to get through. Bravery was acting in spite of fear.

“Wow,” Marius breathed, still eyeing the place where Phyrra had stood. “I just met a spy.” Sebastian tucked me against his side and addressed my brother, “I’m a literal vampire and the prince of this realm, but you’re impressed by a spy?” “Obviously,” Marius said dryly, rolling his eyes. “Being a spy is far more interesting.”

“I am here simply as the one who has fallen deeply, madly, irrevocably in love with you.” Her eyes searched mine. “Sebastian⁠—” “Don’t be mine for the sake of a treaty,” I implored her. “Be mine because I love you so much that I cannot stand the thought of being apart from you for even a single moment in time. Be mine because, without you, I am less than nothing. I am a wisp of a shadow, a fleeting existence, barely here at all. Marry me for me, darling. Be mine, forever.”

Your darkness is my darkness. Your shadows are my shadows. Your life is my life. You’re mine.”

“You’re the reason I draw breath, the fire in my heart, the shadows that dance in my soul. Every good thing in my life is because of you. I love you, you ridiculous, sweet vampire. Of course, I’m yours. I never belonged to anyone else.”