Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Her eyes frantically shifted back and forth between mine. “You don’t think they mean…a dragon?”
It was the first assumption I’d made, but I didn’t want to say it out loud. “I have to tell Ivory.”
“Ryker, it’s too risky. If you get caught, we’ll both be killed.”
“Then what do I do?” I asked. “Let them attack the Capital, having no idea there’s a black dragon about to burn them alive? Effie, I can’t do that.”
“They seemed to have accepted us with open arms, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t secretly suspicious.”
“Rutherford and my father were friends a long time.”
“Still, we have to be careful.”
“Our only other option is to flee the city and find them.”
“Won’t Rutherford’s men search for us once they realize we’re gone?”
“Probably.”
“And we have no idea where Ivory is. I doubt they’re still at Delacroix. They must have moved on by now.”
I gave a nod.
“We should wait until they take Minora,” she said. “Rutherford will know once the city has been claimed, and then we’ll know exactly where they are. We can choose to send a missive or travel there ourselves.”
I gave another nod.
“Either one is risky…and makes me uneasy.”
The last thing I wanted to do was put Effie in danger, but I didn’t have any choice. Ivory and Huntley needed to know exactly what they were up against. “Then we’ll wait. In the meantime, we’ll lie low.”
“Should we still get married?” she asked, her voice turning quiet again.
My heart was racing in terror from what I’d just learned, but it amazed me how quickly it turned calm once I heard her question. “I’d like to—if you still do.”
Unlike the streets of Delacroix, the Capital was blessed with electricity everywhere. All the cobblestone walkways were well lit, and it made the journey along the narrow paths easy to maneuver. The road away from the castle was windy because it was straight down from the top of the mountain, but the view of the homes and shops as they trailed toward the water was indescribable. The docks were lit up, showing the sailboats that bobbed on the water. The air was warm, filled with excitement, and the people we saw were always merry.
“This place is nothing like Delacroix.” Effie held my hand, her dress dragging behind her on the cobblestones.
I’d noticed the spire that pierced the sky when we were at the castle, so I made my way down until we reached the double doors that led to the church of Adeodatus. He was the god of souls, of love, of promise.
“You think anyone is inside?” she whispered.
I grabbed the brass knocker and banged it against the large door a couple times.
No answer.
I twisted the knob, realized it was unlocked, and let myself inside.
“Can you do that?” she said.
“It’s unlocked, right?” With her hand held in mine, I stepped inside the massive shrine, seeing the sculpture of Adeodatus right in the center, in the middle of a fountain. Monks in robes walked about, oblivious to the two of us by the door even though they must have heard us. “Guess these guys never take a day off.” We approached the fountain in the center and watched them work at tables, their noses buried in dusty textbooks. “You sure you want to do this?” I looked down at her, her hand small in mine. “Because now is the time to say something.” There was no going back. Once our souls were bound, they couldn’t be ripped apart. We would walk this earth together forever, until our souls traveled to the light.
She held my gaze with such confidence that she didn’t need to give a verbal answer.
“Alright, then.”
After I pleaded with the high priest to marry two young people deeply in love, he agreed. The three of us stood in front of Adeodatus as the fountain trickled in the background, harp music coming from one of the great halls.
Our hands were together, our eyes locked in place. My heart kept a quick pace like a drum, but it was more from excitement than nerves. There was also regret because my sister couldn’t be there. I hadn’t been to hers, and now she hadn’t been to mine. I imagined Effie felt the same way—and she didn’t even know the fate of her family.
The high priest read from his text, but his words were drowned out in the background. My entire focus was on the woman to whom I pledged my entire existence. Her blond hair was framed around her face, and her green eyes were deep like the leaves in the forest. She was more than just beautiful, but brave and kind, with a heart that could love far deeper than mine ever could.
When I’d found her in the woods, I never expected us to end up like this.
But it felt right, nonetheless.