CHAPTER 79

Rune leaned in the doorway separating their rooms, dressed in his customary tailored black suit. Hellfire flickered over him, lighting the edge of his white-blonde hair with a soft blue light.

Darkness, he was gorgeous, and he belonged to her. She bit the inside of her lip, wondering if the possessive desire was something she inherited with her powers, or if it would ease back into the attraction she felt for him in the beginning.

Dismissing her thoughts, Faye slipped into a black dress, pocketing the single shard she would display. There would be time to think about her newly acquired quirks later. There were more pressing details needing her attention. Namely Rune's older brother. "Alister wants you to formally acknowledge me in front of the High Council so he can attack me. What happens if we don't?"

Rune's expression fell. His gaze lowered as he entered her room to stand before her. His hands slid down her arm in a feather light caress.

"If I denounce you," Rune stepped closer, taking her face between his hands. Yearning and sorrow filled his gaze. "Denouncing you would label you as my whore, and you are not." He rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. "You are everything to me, and I will never speak the words."

Faye's heart twisted. She leaned up kissing him softly. He held her close, encircling her in his strong arms. Rune brushed against her mind, and she let him in. Voshki reached her first, his compulsive, aggressive affection focusing on her. Enveloping her.

Then she felt him, Rune laid his emotions bare. His love warmed her. His devotion is a shield he would use to protect her. Even at the cost of himself.

Rune met her gaze. His pale blue eyes haunted. "I am aware you desire young."

Faye's eyes grew wide as tension set in her shoulders. Her lips parted but no words formed. The heat of embarrassment flung across her cheeks as she lowered her gaze. She wanted a family but planned to have these talks after things settled. Waiting until she survived his brother to broach the subject.

Rune pulled her closer, stroking her hair. "I love you. Would be honored if you blessed me with young," he said before kissing her, the meeting of their lips soft and tender. "I will find a way around my blood debt."

Around what he'd done. The stain of it still hung between them. Faye wanted to wipe it clean and heal Prinia. "Could you arrange a meeting with Alister? Hopefully he won't want to kill me if he knows I want to help his wife."

"I am sorry my actions have placed you in harm's way."

Faye frowned. At his heart he was still a dark-blood. He'd once asked for the context of her mind to understand things from her point of view. They could make a world they could both live in, but only if they did so together. "You're supposed to feel bad for the action, not the consequence."

Rune lowered his gaze and nodded. "I regret allowing Saith to shape me. For following blindly. I should have taken better care of my family. Protected them." He stepped back, lightly grasping her hand. "I was conflicted over what I had done to my brother. I went to Saith for council." His smile was bitter, distant. "His answer? An order to kill my brother."

His words filled her with revulsion. Her village burned offerings for The Creator. Saith was thought of as kind and fair. Yet this same man that mentored Rune— Shaped the Shadow Prince, ordered him to kill his own brother. Faye squeezed his hand, and he met her gaze. Different shadows haunting them.

"I refused, and Saith raged at my disobedience." He exhaled a shaking breath. "The last words he spoke to me were,All my efforts on you will be wasted. He left to pick a fight with my father in Hell, leaving me at the court's estate in Necromia. I should have stopped him or stood at my father's side." He glanced off into the distance, as though he watched the events unfolding. His expression grew taut. Pained. "Saith and my father fought so viciously I felt the snap of power ripple through the realms. I phased to Hell to end their quarrel.

"When I arrived, half the realm was leveled. I reached for their minds and felt nothing. They destroyed each other and the backlash of that power claimed their wives as well. I lost my mentor, my family, and my court that day because I was too proud to let my brother have an Anarian."

Faye squeezed his arm, stepping closer to him. After a while Rune met her gaze. "You couldn't have stopped it. You would have died with them."

Rune exhaled. "You wish for me to sire your young. I want you to understand what I am. What may pass to our offspring. The depth of my strength runs deeper than my father and Saith combined. Though nothing compared to you." A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "I was given three shards of Darkness."

A small wooden box appeared in his hand. Rune slid the top off and two unmounted shards floated between them.

"How did you keep them secret?" The blood priests and priestesses would have seen him invoke his blood at the very least.

The black misted shards returned to their resting place. Rune slid the lid closed and the box vanished. "My altar is in Hell. I feared Saith would abandon me if I did not come back with the Darkness. I cloaked myself and invoked my blood alone when I was fifteen."

Faye's chest went tight. He carried that power as a boy. Was mentored by a monster. She thanked the Darkness he didn't continue down the path Saith set for him. "We'll make things right." She slipped her arms under his jacket, leaning against him. The steady beat of his heart soothed her. She glanced up at him, poking his side. "We don't kill."

He smirked. "I will do as you command with a single caveat. If you are threatened, their lives are forfeit." His look softened as he brushed her dark hair behind her ear. He stilled and glanced down the hall. "The jeweler is here. We should meet the others before I take you back to our bed."

Faye leaned back, her hands falling to his waist. "You'll have to move my clothes into your closet."

The corner of his mouth lifted, and Faye heard a faint sound of metal scraping. "There are two closets in your room." He turned in a smooth motion, offering her his arm. "Shall we."

Faye tucked her hand into the bend of his arm, and they made their way down the hall. She halted her steps as the great room came into view. "This is a lot."

Rows of tables covered in black velvet filled the great room. Boxes were arranged to hold rings, while larger pieces were displayed against the black cloth. Sadi perused the tables, setting small red markers near the pieces Faye guessed she wanted.

"There are several rings and other jewelry here. If these are not to your liking, Frances would be happy to create a custom piece for you." Rune nodded and Faye followed his gaze.

A man approached them. He wore a blue leather trench without a shirt. Low-slung pants with knee-high boots, and a scarf coiled around his neck. His golden eyes dusted with minimal makeup.

An intricate ring that looked more like armor covered his right index finger. His dark gray soul was embedded in the first joint. Faye took note of its design and its similarities to Sadi's articulated ring.

Frances inclined his head at Rune. "Shadow Prince." Then turned to her and inclined his head. "His mysterious, yet beautiful chosen."

"My name is Faye, it's nice to meet you."

Rune made his way to Vashien and Damian. The men congregate near the refreshment table.

Faye let Frances lead her through the tables, offering her displays of rings and the finger gauntlets typically worn by Familiar women. The rings were stunning, but nothing spoke to her.

"Would it be okay if I looked around myself?" Faye asked in a soft tone, worried she would offend the Familiar. His designs were breathtaking, but she needed to find something that was her.

"Of course. If you find aspects of rings you like, pick them up. I can sketch out something new, and we can see about creating a design for you." He took a step back and bowed before he turned, leaving her to browse.

Faye glanced over a table with rings that had diamonds in the band. She picked one up, turning the ring over. Diamonds spanned the whole band.That's unnecessary.Faye returned the ring and moved to the next table.

Sparrow sauntered up beside her. Faye glanced from her sister to the fluted glass of champagne. "Really?"

Sparrow rolled her eyes. "It's already poured. What do you think they do if no one drinks it, put it back in the bottle?"

"It doesn't mean you have to drink all of them," Faye said as her gaze wandered over the rings. None of them felt right. Sparrow plucked a ring from the next table bringing it to her.

"This looks like you." Sparrow held the ring out while guzzling her champagne.

Faye took the ring and Sparrow wandered off to get another drink. Faye examined the elegant setting. Hooker picked a good one. It was white gold, simple, clean lines. It would balance well with her unique soul shard.

Faye brought the ring to Frances and said, "I like this one."

He took the ring and slipped it onto the index finger of her right hand, and Faye tensed. She could hardly breathe as she gazed at her ringed index finger. The walls seemed to close in. It felt real now. The band around her finger would soon hold her shard and irrevocably reshape her life. This bit of jewelry reflected her power, marking her a dark-blood.

Francis's hand settled over her own, covering her ring. He rubbed her hand and said, "Breathe. It's not uncommon to feel overwhelmed with your first ring." Faye nodded, taking a deep breath.

The Familiar lifted her hand by the curve of her fingers. "Size needs to be adjusted a touch." At his words the band shrank until it fit her perfectly. Frances held out his hand. "If I may borrow your soul shard, my Lady."

Faye hesitated for a moment, then reached into her pocket to retrieve her shard. She placed it on Frances's palm and braced herself for his reaction.

The Familiar tilted his head, pinching the shard between his thumb and forefinger. He held it to the light as though he inspected a gem. "It looks like you carved a piece of the Darkness free." Frances gazed at her and smiled. "This will make a splendid ring." He set the shard in the ring's setting, and the prongs closed over the shard, anchoring it in place. Frances tapped his nail against it, making minute adjustments. "There," he said, releasing her hand before meeting her gaze. "How do you like her?"

Faye held her hand out admiring the ring. Excitement thrumming through her. She wanted to jump in place. To scream. This bit of metal completed her.

Her ring. Displayinghershard.

"It's beautiful, thank you." She beamed, turning the back of her hand toward Rune.

His deep, accented voice spoke in her mind.

You look radiant, my queen.