TWIN FLAGS DECORATED the palace walls—one red and one light blue. It had been almost a century since Delton had seen the light blue flag imprinted with King Elian’s red coat of arms—the flag of Escayton. It seemed historic to be standing here, gazing down at the ministers, dignitaries, and kings gathered for the ceremony. The President of Escayton and King of Terra had put in a rare appearance for the occasion. No doubt they were excited about Escayton passing back to Xara. Before he’d taken control of the country, it had been a neutral territory—a gateway kingdom connecting the other three.
The court was painted in bright hues, celebrating the coronation of a new queen. However, his heart felt gray and bleak. He’d gone back to Escayton to beg her for another chance. But she’d refused. He’d been so sure that he’d be able to convince her. Defeat tasted like ash in his mouth. After his return, he’d waited for her letters but none had arrived. Unlike him, she’d moved on. What did he expect? That she’d forget everything he’d done and fall into his arms?
Yes, that’s what he’d expected.
As much as it hurt to admit the truth, Xara wasn’t going to forgive him. He had underestimated the extent of her pain. Sometimes, Delton wished he’d been smarter years ago. He wished he’d never done those things to her. But there was no point in thinking about the past. He wanted her now. Even if it took years to make her change her mind, he’d do everything in his power to show her how much he loved her.
Steadying his breath, Delton sat back on the throne. Adorned in his official royal costume–black and gold—he’d shown up early to the power transition ceremony. Two pieces of parchment coupled with feathers, ink bottles, and seals sat before him on a long table. Once the ceremony was complete, they’d sign the papers. Then…they’d part.
He had yet to draft a law on royal divorces. He’d been putting it off, hoping she’d change her mind. But he knew now that his hopes were futile. Once she left tonight, he’d have to get on with his life.
Delton’s polished boot reflected his clean-shaven face, his bleak blue eyes, and his grim set of lips. Darius stood in the second row with Michael by his side, watching him with interest. Did he understand how Delton felt? Like he’d lost everything?
The throng of people gathered at the entrance to the court moved.
“The queen.” The messenger announced her official address. Her old title. She’d walk out a queen tonight, but not his queen.
The crowd parted to reveal a lone silhouette. Delton held his breath, preparing his heart to come face-to-face with Xara again. He’d anticipated and dreaded the meeting in equal measure, not trusting himself to remain calm with her around.
She stepped into the light, and all eyes focused on her. Her brown eyes met his.
He couldn’t breathe.
For there stood his wife, dressed in a black and gold gown. Strips of gold held up the bodice and the tops of her sleeves. A mass of gauzy black fell over her arms, threaded with golden embroidery. The billowing black skirt was similarly detailed, bringing attention to her narrow waist.
He recognized it right away. It was her wedding gown.
As she took steps toward him, his heart began to race. When she raised her hand, her golden wedding band glimmered in the light. She had worn the wedding band he’d given her to the power transition ceremony.
Why?
Did it mean what he thought it did?
He did not dare to hope. But his heart was rapidly filling with effervescent bubbles, concocting scenarios he had no business imagining.
Her steps were slow and measured, aware of every eye in the room watching. She politely nodded her head to acknowledge the other leaders, maintaining her reserve as she ascended the stairs to his throne of bones. A crown sat atop her head—a golden crown with diamonds. It was King Elian’s. Delton had it sent to Cadia for her to wear to the ceremony. Standing over him, her unbound brown hair falling over her shoulders, she was his every dream come to life.
The scent of roses filled the air and hemmed him in, almost suffocating in their realness. His heart threatened to leap out of his chest. If she took another step forward, he would forget where they were and take her in his arms.
She must’ve felt it too for she bowed formally. He rose, bowing back reverently. With a formal glance in his direction, she sat down on the throne next to him.
He raised his hand and announced, “The power transition ceremony will now begin.”
Delton didn’t miss the smirk on President Ogier’s face. Elysium was no doubt having a field day. For so long, he’d held onto Escayton, barring them entry to the rest of the continent. His rivals must see it as a sign of weakness for his marriage to be disintegrating. But he couldn’t care less.
One glance in Xara’s direction and he knew why he was doing this. He wanted her to have everything that would make her happy. Her upturned nose faced forward, listening intently to the tenets being recited. He’d gone over the contents of the treaty with the minister last night so he didn’t bother to listen. Instead, he took her in, fearing this might be the last time he got to see her.
Aware of his gaze, she turned in his direction. When their eyes met, they lingered. She looked ravishing in the black gown. Xara rarely wore black because it was his color. But she’d done it that day. The corner of her lips curved up.
His thoughts scattered.
He wanted to keep staring at her, but the reader soon announced, “The King of Inferno and the new Queen of Escayton will now sign a peace treaty affirming the transition of power.”
Delton stood up immediately. He extended his hand to her when she endeavored to stand. It was a habit. All too late, he realized they weren’t alone. He moved to retract his hand, but she held on before he could. The touch of her gloved hand on his sleeve was like a spark of lightning.
There was a moment of buzzing. It quietened when he moved.
She placed her hand in the crook of his elbow and walked with him to the table. Every second was agony. But the most agonizing was letting her hand go when they reached the table in two steps. They sat side by side, a feather in hand.
He signed his treaty while she signed hers. Then, they passed it around, covered fingers brushing when they exchanged pages. He signed under her name, and she signed next to his. Then he stamped his royal seal. She’d brought King Elian’s old seal to the ceremony and used it to complete the transition of power.
Once the papers were done, he held them up.
“The new Queen of Escayton.”
A chorus of applause followed his announcement. President Ogier grinned while the King of Terra frowned. Darius smiled at him, and Michael’s blue eyes surveyed him carefully.
A royal banquet was to follow the signing of the peace treaty. Delton was already antsy. He didn’t want to eat a seven-course meal and make small talk with foreign dignitaries. He wanted to hear Xara’s voice, telling him why she’d worn their wedding gown to the power transition ceremony.
The guests filed out one by one until only the two of them remained in the court. When the court was empty, he turned to her. Xara, however, didn’t budge. He didn’t want to go to the banquet. He wanted to remain next to her and take in as much of her as she could.
“You look well.” He didn’t know what else to say.
“I’m not.” The sound of her voice wrapped around his starved senses, making him groan involuntarily.
“Are you ill?” He cleared his throat.
“Maybe I am,” she said. “I keep crying. I want to see you and be with you all the time. My heart breaks over and over again when I think about you. Tell me, Your Majesty, is that an illness?”
“Xara…” His heart overflowed with the feelings he’d suppressed all day long. He had felt that way when she’d left him too. Heartsick. Bereft. Lonely.
She took a step forward, running a finger over the handrest of his throne.
“I’ve been the Queen of Inferno for a hundred years, but today was the first day I got to sit on a throne next to you,” she said.
“How did it feel?” he asked.
“Like it was where I belonged.”
“On the throne?”
“Next to you.”
His heart squeezed. “What are you saying?” He took a step toward her until they were just a few inches apart. “Why did you wear your wedding gown to the coronation ceremony? Why are you still wearing my ring?” His voice was shaky, but he was too far gone to care.
“Don’t you know?” Her voice was low and airy. Her large brown eyes met his, shimmering with her unshed tears. “It’s because I love you.”
The tears that he’d been holding back sprang into his eyes. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. Delton stepped forward and folded her in a tight embrace. Her arms came around him and they hugged each other so tight that he feared her bones might break.
“That’s my answer to your question. I want to begin again, not because we’re stuck together in a marriage, but because I want to.” Her words were like rain after years of drought. He reveled in each word, feeling her hair under his chin. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize the truth. I’ve spent so much of my life resenting you that I lost sight of who I was. It is magnificent how you’ve rebuilt everything from ruin. It couldn’t have been easy to find the motivation to go on after your parents were killed. While I was wallowing in my misery, I failed to acknowledge yours. We’ve both gone through so much to get here. Perhaps it is time we learned to be happy.”
He wanted to tell her that he didn’t care if she’d taken longer to make up her mind. In the end, she’d come to him. That was the only thing that mattered.
She broke the embrace and looked him in the eye.
“When you exiled me, I began to hate myself. I had failed at the only thing I wanted to accomplish. I didn’t know how to go on. So, I hung onto that sense of betrayal and turned it into my life purpose. But it’s only made me more fragile. More vindictive. Insecure.” When she swallowed, the graceful column of her throat shuddered. He knew she was laying her heart bare — giving him the whole truth so that he could never doubt her sincerity.
“It wasn’t your love I couldn’t win. It was my own. Deep down, I had hoped to love myself even when you didn’t. But I let myself down and made you pay the price for it. I thought that if I got Escayton back, I might be able to love myself again. But…” She positioned her face on the crook of his neck. “It doesn’t work that way, does it? Getting Escayton is back no longer the only thing that’ll make me happy.”
“No?”
“No. Power is a poor substitute for love. I want you. I want a future with you, even if it isn’t perfect. I’m ready to take that risk. It has taken me so many years to find the strength to say these words. I love you. I hope that you still love me back because I choose you too.”
“Xara.”
Xara extended her hand, her fists clenched. When she opened her palm, he glimpsed a golden band.
“I don’t think I got the size right, but I hope you appreciate the gesture.”
Her smile was more radiant than the sun. With trembling fingers, he picked up the ring and turned it over. When the light hit the inside, he read her declaration loud and clear.
Yours always.
She had read the inscription on his ring. And she returned his feelings. The gesture undid whatever was left of his reserve.
Never in his long life had he imagined that he’d experience a moment like this. This beauty. This love. This wholeness. It was transcendent—this feeling of being loved by someone you loved. Truly. Whole-heartedly. Without any lies or hurts.
Delton slipped the ring onto his ring finger. It stopped halfway so he slid it into his pinky. It fit. He made it fit. She smiled when the ring smug sat at the base of his finger.
“Hmmm…” she said, perusing his hand. “Next time, I’ll get you a bigger ring.”
There would be a next time. There would be several more times. Even if he screwed up a million times, he could rely on love to show him the way. Because despite everything that had happened to him, he’d chosen love. He’d chosen her. And it was the best choice he’d ever made.
“I love you, Xara. More than I ever thought I could love someone. I will take whatever you give me. I’ll love you even when you hate yourself. I’m so glad you came back. I, for one, don’t plan to waste any more time.” He reached for her hand. “Do you have anything else to say? Because it’s been too long and I want to kiss you senseless.”
“No, I’m done,” she said, standing up on her tiptoes, and turning her face to him. “Kiss me senseless.”
That was exactly what he did. For the next fifteen minutes, he proceeded to show her how much he loved her. He kissed her until they forgot where they were. Until there was no time or space. Just the two of them. In love. Enveloped in the wholeness of their unique journey.
When she wrapped her fingers around the back of his neck, he deepened the kiss, feeling a surge of power rush through his veins.
True power wasn’t winning but being okay even when you lost.
Delton had never loved losing so much.
