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August 19 - September 2, 2025
“I am also doing the best I can.” Her whisper was sharper now. “I will try. I will fight. I do promise you that. But I cannot see the future, Merrick. I do not know what will happen once we’re in the midst of it all. You’ll have to take it or leave it.”
Merrick and Lessia… They were respect, they were fight, they were hope, they were… love.
Ask her to marry him—or to allow him to organize a mating ceremony—whatever she preferred, but to do something that would tie her to him, make her his official family.
That’s what the emotions drifting from her told him, so Merrick only held her closer and whispered, “I love you, Elessia. Whatever name you might choose to carry.”
“It’s just…” Raine gripped the hand she kept driving into his chest. “I need you to know… I promised her forever.”
movement. I care too. I care too fucking much, and it’s eating me alive. I might be centuries old, but I don’t fucking know how to deal with this! I don’t know what to do with you!
I do care, Frelina. His words were as slow, as cautious, as his kiss. I do care about you, and I am so fucking sorry for what I said.
Then don’t hurt me, Raine. I don’t ask for promises or commitments. I only… I only ask that you don’t push me away when you’re hurting—that you treat me like you would a friend.
I want you, too, little Rantzier.
Look at me.
She had somehow expected it to, but it was as if her stomach was set on fire, everything heating and swelling when Raine stared at her like that. As if she were something extraordinary.
Incredible, Raine murmured into her mind. Like you.
“If I die from one of those daggers to the back tomorrow, you’ll still have made me the luckiest man alive if you just give me one.”
Because maybe they’d been exactly what each other needed in those moments—a beacon of hope, a mutual understanding, a bond between misunderstood people.
“I’m happy you have him,” he said in a voice that should have been too soft to be the regent’s. “I truly am. He’s… he’s a good man, Lessia.”
No… As she stared at… Loche. Lessia slowly moved her gaze between them. She stared at him like… Merrick did her.
His lips were soft, warm, moving lazily with hers. As if they had all the time in the world. As if this wasn’t the night before battle and many of the people on this ship probably wouldn’t see another sunset.
“Give it to me,” Merrick said hoarsely. “Give it all to me.”
It wasn’t until Lessia finally straightened, and Merrick gave her a quick peck before helping her down and into her clothes again, that she realized her shirt was wet where he’d leaned his face.
Loche’s hands formed tight fists, his eyes going unseeing as Merrick pressed his forehead against that of the girl with the golden hair and eyes and whispered back, “So am I.”
A hand touched his, and while he didn’t look to the side, he somehow knew it was Iviry, could feel her fear mixed with determination and focus.
“So do you. Don’t let her out of your sight, little Rantzier. And I won’t let you out of mine. Whatever happens… I’ll look out for you.”
He seemed to read too much into her eyes, even with her mind carefully closed, because he leaned down to kiss her, and the entire time, his eyes swam with emotions.
“Don’t. Don’t make me a promise you won’t be able to keep.”
“Remember,” Merrick whispered hurriedly as metal hitting metal rang ahead, the rebels who’d survived his attack not hesitating as they stormed their ship and those around them, animals and humans and Fae crying out as they collided. “Stay behind your weapons. Don’t let them corner you—” “I know,” Lessia interjected, a soft edge to her tone. “You’ve taught me well.”
“Stop.” Thissian moved his other hand excruciatingly slowly to take Lessia’s in his own. “It-it’s been… it’s my time.”
“Breathe, little Rantzier. Breathe for me.”
Raine just held her. He didn’t hush her, he didn’t say it was all going to be all right, he didn’t speak into her mind. He just let her cry.
“I thought I lost you,” he eventually said, something like surprise sneaking into his low tone. “I thought… I…” His eyes closed for a second before they bore into hers again. “I can’t lose you. I… don’t want to.”
“I don’t want to lose you,” she whispered when he pulled back.
“If we leave now, we might survive. I say might, Lessia!” Merrick’s dark eyes whirled with such emotion that she whimpered at the sight. “I know! I know how much it hurts! Trust me! But they are already dead! They’re not getting out of there—not with that wave and the fucking anchors of the rebel ships.”
“Please.” His whisper shattered every piece of her heart, and as she opened her mouth, his hand locked around her wrist. “Please.”
“I hate… I fucking hate how much I love you. And I hate you for doing that… but… I am so fucking proud of you. Do you hear that?”
“Will you tell him?” Solana reached over the table for Lessia’s hand, and her grip was surprisingly firm for such a small female. “Will you tell him to be happy? To love again? He deserves it. And… so does she.”
“Tell him… we’ll find each other again when it’s time, and when we do… someone is waiting for Frelina as well.”
Merrick pulled her right into the darkness, but his silver being was all she could see—it was all that mattered—and he didn’t even let her speak before he kissed her with such passion she was surprised the shadows didn’t evaporate into steam.
“And so a soulbinder shall help her rise to take her throne—her right as a veiled queen.”
