Chapter 224 TEIGEN XLVIII
“I’m not alone,” he answered, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. “I have you. Together we can face worse than Sawyer’s ambitions.”
A faint, broken laugh escaped her, the sound cutting through the last threads of her despair. “You are reckless,” she said, her smile growing despite everything. “Would you really charge in with that battered old sword, shouting my name like some battle cry?”
“Yes,” he replied without hesitation, a grin breaking across his face. “Because you are magnificent. Hurling stones like siege engines, eyes glowing like living embers. He wouldn’t know what hit him. That’s who you are, Elara—not a pawn, not a prize. A force.”
The last of the stones settled gently back to the ground. The clearing fell quiet except for the soft rustle of leaves and the distant call of a nightbird. Elara’s magic ebbed away, leaving her drained but strangely lighter, as though Ryker’s words had drawn some of the poison from her heart.
She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his, their breaths mingling in the cool evening air. “How do you do it?” she murmured. “How do you always pull me back from the edge?”
“Because I see you,” he said simply. “Not the duke’s daughter. Not Sawyer’s obsession. Just you. The girl who used to sneak into this garden at midnight to practice her magic. The one who laughed when I tripped over roots trying to keep up with you. The woman who makes my heart race every single time she looks my way. I’ll always find you, Elara, no matter how far you drift.”
She closed her eyes, letting his words wrap around the raw places inside her like a balm. “Promise me you’ll stay,” she whispered. “No matter what Father decides. No matter what schemes Sawyer weaves. Stay with me.”
“Always,” Ryker vowed, his lips brushing hers in a kiss that was both tender and fierce—a promise sealed in the quiet of the garden. “In this clearing, in the manor, in whatever storm your magic stirs up. I’m yours, Elara. Always.”
She kissed him back, fingers tangling in his dark hair as the world narrowed to nothing but the warmth of his embrace. For now, the garden, the cold manor, and her father’s indifference all faded away. There was only Ryker—the one steady light in her fractured world. And for tonight, it was enough.
The torches in the Grand Duke’s manor hissed and spat as rain lashed the stone walls outside, thunder rolled in the distance. Servants hurried through the wide corridors, their footsteps echoing as they prepared for their lord’s return.
From the balcony above the great hall, Elara watched her father stride through the massive oak doors, his cloak heavy with rain from three days on the road. Grand Duke Cortez carried the same cold authority he always did, his presence filling the vaulted space even before he spoke.
She gripped the balustrade until her knuckles whitened. He had come back at last, yet not when she had needed him.
He had missed her return from Lord Sawyer’s keep, missed the silent tears she had shed crossing the threshold alone, and missed the growing ache in her chest that each of his absences only deepened. Duty, as always, had come first.
“Summon Lady Elara to the grand hall,” Cortez’s voice rang out, deep and resonant. “There is much to discuss.”
A steward bowed low and hurried away. Elara’s heart gave a painful lurch. What fresh command awaited her now?
She descended the wide staircase with careful grace, though anger burned hot in her chest. The skirts of her gown whispered across the marble, her veil trailing behind like a shadow as she entered the hall.
Her father stood beneath the Empire’s sigil, his steel-gray eyes turning to her.“My daughter,” he said with a slight nod. “You have returned from Sawyer’s keep in good health. That is well.”
Elara’s lips pressed into a thin line. That was all? No word of regret for his absence? No warmth in his greeting? She curtsied stiffly. “Yes, Father. I have returned.”
Cortez gestured for her to come closer. “I have news of great importance. The Empire stands on uncertain ground. Allies must be bound tighter than ever, and enemies kept at bay. For that reason, I have pledged you in marriage to Lord Sawyer. The betrothal is sealed.”
The words landed like a blow to the chest. Elara’s breath caught, her vision blurring for a moment. She prayed she had misheard, but the hard set of his jaw told her otherwise.
“No,” the word slipped out before she could stop it. “Father, you cannot.”
“I can,” he replied sharply, his gaze hardening. “And I have. Sawyer’s lands guard the western border. His loyalty is vital. This union strengthens the Empire.”
Beside him, his advisor Fouler gave a solemn nod of agreement. Elara’s voice rose, shaking with fury. “You would give me to a man who covets, not cares. He looks at me as though I were a jewel to be locked away. Do you not see what you are condemning me to?”
For the briefest instant, something like regret flickered across her father’s face, but it vanished as quickly as it had come. “You are a daughter of the Empire, Elara. Your heart is not yours alone. It belongs to your people and your bloodline. Do not speak of selfish desires.”
“The Lord is nothing but a gentleman,” Fouler added smoothly. “You have misunderstood his wish for your hand.”
Her nails dug into her palms as she fought back the sting of tears. “And what of love, Father? What of choice?”
“Love is a fleeting fancy,” Cortez said coldly. “Security is what matters, and Lord Sawyer is powerful enough to keep you safe. Choice is a luxury few can afford. You will wed him, and that is the end of it.”
The hall fell silent except for the crackle of the torches. Elara stood frozen, fury and grief twisting inside her. She wanted to scream, to run, but her father’s presence pressed down on her like a weight of iron. How could he speak so coldly of love? Had he not once loved her mother before she was gone? Or had that loss taken the last fragments of his heart?