Mage Bride (Special Edition)

His hand rested on my shoulder, turning me toward him. I let the curtain of my hair fall between us, unwilling to let him see my soul. But his fingertips grazed my cheek as he pushed my curls back and tilted my face toward his. “This is my choice. I would do whatever it takes to protect my people. At all costs. It is more than my sworn duty, it is in my blood. It’s who I am.” 

“Then we are the same,” I breathed. “Why do you think I became a mage? Magic has a cost, a demand, and one can ignore it and ask for it to be taken away. Or one can step into their calling.” 

His thumb brushed over my shoulder. “Then I am grateful you answered the call.” 

A delicious tension hovered between us, as sweet as sugar, and I wanted to lean forward and taste what he might offer. 

But a hardness came over his eyes and Rhyme dropped his hand and turned back to the map. When he spoke, his voice was harsh. “Phera, I met with the council and explained what you’d seen. They agreed to send a group of hunters to search for this monster and its lair.”

So soon? I’d barely found a useable clue and they already wanted to rush into the wild. “Will you be joining the hunters?” 

“You and me, Lessie and Isak, yes, we’ll all go. Now that you’ve provided a landmark, I’ll be able to guide the hunters. It’s a three-day journey by yak. I must prepare. And Phera, the council agreed to move up the ceremony. We marry tomorrow.” 

I felt as though I’d been punched in the stomach. Just when I was warming to him, this blow came. Tomorrow. So soon. There was no time for Lessie and me to plan and prepare. We were out of time.