Mark of Betrayal (Dark Secrets #3)(166)
Author: A.M. Hudson

I stepped back, pinching the open vein in my arm, and David reached down to take my hand as we spoke the words of our vow, feeling the light of Mother Nature fill our souls with warmth. I didn’t remember feeling this when I took my oath, but it felt like the way Mike described it; as if someone injected hot coffee down the artery in your neck and let it pass through every limb, stopping in your heart like a happy feeling.

The darkness in David’s eyes faded a little then, as he spoke the last words of his promise; “To give my life in service of my people and my queen.”

Across from us, Emily and Morg hugged Mike’s chest, while Blade and Falcon watched on like proud uncles, and Arthur stood almost centre to it all—my foundation—the strong knight that would save the world, save my people—save my husband.

David’s fingers tightened ever so slightly on mine, and I felt the heat charge his skin, the Mark of his promise coming to life somewhere underneath. He felt it, too—felt the burn, felt the power, but showed no distress, no emotion, like a good king.

Then, as if by some secret cue, our people moved—parted to make way for us. We bowed to the Stone and started off between Bert and Boris, hand in hand. We weren’t allowed to speak until the crown touched David’s head, but we didn’t need to. I knew he was smiling at me because he thought I looked beautiful in my white ball gown, with my hair falling down in curls under my crown. And he knew I was smiling at him because I was so proud to be beside him; so proud of everything he’d become—everything he’d sacrificed to make this day possible.

I lifted his hand and kissed his palm, tasting the blood of his promise on my lips, thinking, I love you.

He reached out then and smoothed the blood away, leaning across to kiss the remains. “Love you, too,” he whispered so quietly, his lips shaping his breath as words no one else would hear.

I looked up in surprise. Did you hear me?

And he just smiled—his secret smile growing into a radiant grin. My heart fluttered the whole way then as we walked the path of red and white roses at our feet, past the people and the marble columns, down the crimson carpet and took the stairs to the thrones.

Just before we reached the top, David quickly bent down and grabbed something, then stood back up again, smiling at his closed fist.

I stared at him quizzically.

To new beginnings, his voice came through my thoughts like real words, and he opened his hand, revealing a small red rosebud before pressing it between our palms, linking his fingers through mine.

And I knew what he meant; everything we were, everything we had grown to be had started on ground so shaky, and somehow, we’d survived. Somehow, the blossom of love we had between us had never died.

Ever since I first felt death in my life, all I wanted was to find my place in the world, and when I found it with this man, he was taken away from me so many times—our forever always a question—always only a hope we had for the future. But as we stood atop the step, two thrones behind us, hand in hand, eternity was no longer a hope, but a promise I would fight to keep.

I squeezed his hand and smiled up at him, feeling the cool flower between us; in this moment, anything was possible. Anything was acceptable. Our future might have looked grim to him as he faked the smile his people saw when the crown touched his head, but I knew in my heart that this little bud of life in my hand was the symbol of true new beginnings—a beginning together. I would be the saviour now. I would never let anything tear us apart, ever again.

He came into my life as just a boy who fought to be my knight, and turned out, in the end, to be a king. And I would not lose him. We once promised each other forever—nothing do us part—not even death. And from this moment on, I would keep that promise, even if it meant I had to betray him.