The Mist Thief (The Ever Seas, #3)

by L.J. Andrews

“Hush and listen. You’ll be inspired soon enough.” The king held up three fingers. “You do not know each other well, but find something that brightens her days. No matter what it is, seek to grant her that, simply to watch the joy fill her eyes.” He waggled his second finger. “Give her your trust in her strengths, her ideas, and learn to trust her with yourself.” “What do you mean?” Ari smiled. “Those secrets you think we don’t know are in there—they should belong to her now.” The king would be disappointed, but I would never let her in on the weakest part of me. I hardly accepted the notion of Sander and my mother and father knowing. “And finally, work at the first two every day until she is the one you want at your side on a battlefield.”

“In that moment, when she is the only one you want standing with you against a foe, that is when you will know you’ve fallen in love with your wife.”

“But hear me—you’ll be faithful, Jonas. Don’t you dare dishonor your wife. She is your choice, no matter what has brought you together. You will respect her as that choice, understand me?”

“Trust me, be you, Skadi—just you—and that will be enough.”

“If I know you, I’ve no doubt my heart will be utterly yours to break.” A muscle pulsed in his jaw. Jonas leaned forward and kissed me sweetly, letting his forehead rest against mine. “If given such a gift, what a fool I would be to handle it so carelessly as to let it break.”

“We didn’t feel there was a choice at the beginning, Skadi. But every day since, you’ve become the best choice I will ever make. I will never stop choosing you.”