SWNOVELS A Throne of Ruin: Chapter 27
The journey was a miserable one. I was carried over the bony shoulder of the demon king himself, moved via teleportation. Jedrek yelled and hollered behind me, carried in a similar way by a powerful demon.
He’d essentially sold himself to the demon king in order to mate me. Our marriage bed would be in the dungeon—not that we’d ever marry if Nyfain had it right. Either way, Dolion had made it very clear I would hate my existence down there, bereft of the finery he’d thought I’d grown accustomed to.
I could survive that, no problem. I didn’t know if I could survive leaving Nyfain, though. It felt like my heart had cracked in half. I only had half a heartbeat.
My animal had lost the feeling of the only other animal she’d ever known.
And me… I hadn’t even gotten to tell Nyfain that I loved him.
Finally, we boarded a large boat, traveling across murky waters in the dead of night. I had no idea where we were. I only knew we were going to the demon kingdom.
Jedrek sat beside me, his face mottled with purple and blues. He hadn’t spoken since we’d been thrown down into the bottom of the boat. He’d gone hoarse from screaming.
I pulled a folded-up piece of parchment out of my pocket. My hands shook as I looked down at it.
In the time I’d been granted before we’d left, I’d given some very teary goodbyes to my family, and hugged Leala within an inch of her life (something she reminded me wasn’t proper as she cried). Hadriel…
Well, he hadn’t taken it so well. He knew I had to go—he’d helped plan it, after all—and he knew he couldn’t go with me, even with his maid costume, but he didn’t want to accept it. I reminded him that he had the most important job of all, which was to watch over Nyfain and make sure he kept up with his duty. Make sure he wasn’t lost to the darkness.
Hadriel was not enthused about the very real possibility of shitting himself sometime in the near future.
Every other remaining second I spent with Nyfain. Demons had needed to pry me out of his hands in the end. I’d had to keep him at bay with my will.
I only had two things to remember him by—besides his old clothes, of course, which I was wearing.
One was the sword he’d given me. His mother’s sword. The demon king must’ve heard from somewhere that I was absolute shit with it. He’d grinned when he told me to bring it. Lesser creatures would strive to steal it from me because of its value, he’d said. Given I didn’t know how to use it, I’d likely get a beating as it was taken. He thought that was hilarious.
I’d thanked him. I’d make sure to shove it deep into his flesh when it was time to kill him.
The second thing I had from Nyfain was this letter he’d given me right before I left.
I broke the seal and opened it.
Dear Finley,
I have always assumed this day would come. I did not assume it would be this difficult to bear. I have had a lot of terrible blows in my life, but only my mother’s death can compare to this. I would remain in this curse forever if you could stay by my side, but you deserve better.
Dolion stripped away my magical gag, likely to cause you pain. You deserve to know the truth, however.
You are my true mate.
I wondered when I first saw you at fourteen. I knew for sure when I smelled you in the everlass field a couple of years later, after your animal would’ve normally surfaced. A shifter’s scent has settled by then. My dragon and I both knew without a doubt.
I waited until you were eighteen to get a glimpse, however. Since then, I have mostly kept my distance, just checking on you now and again. I intended to wait until you were twenty-five, at full power, to meet you officially, but the kingdom was dying. Fate pushed my hand.
I enchanted the birch to alert me when you were at the everlass field, and my valet kept watch to track your movements. He is only able to shift because he is a small animal, and even then, it takes a boost of my power for him to manage it. He’s the owl you threw rocks at. Don’t worry, I’m sure his grudge will wear off eventually.
Dragons do purr. They are temperamental and moody. Everlass tends to spring up in places they frequent. You must’ve noticed the way the everlass field in the Royal Wood has expanded? That wasn’t just because of me. It started after your first visit at fourteen. That patch started as just a few plants. It grew into a whole field under our care.
Yes, Finley. You are a dragon. I wish I could’ve seen the color of your scales.
I lied about not knowing what you were. The magical gag would not allow me to tell you.
I also lied about something else. I felt I had to at the time, but that’s no excuse. I am not a nice man. I told you that.
With your healing talents, your power level, and your dragon, you would’ve been entered into the court at eighteen. You would’ve taken commissions for healing and working the plants, learned to fight, and quickly risen in the ranks of nobles. Given you are also my true mate, yes, my father would have had no choice but to let a previously common woman without a dowry mate his son. He wouldn’t have been able to pass up the heir we would’ve created.
You should know by now, however, that I wouldn’t have cared about his approval. I would’ve mated you in a heartbeat, claimed you, and imprinted. “Princess” is not a nickname. It is your rightful station at my side. Though…yes…I was a bit condescending when I first used it. I’m not known for my politeness.
To break the curse on our kingdom, we would’ve had to claim each other (mate truly) and imprint. After reading all those books, I’m sure you know that to imprint, both parties need to be hopelessly in love with each other.
I am hopelessly in love with you, Finley. I have been for some time. No, I was not great at showing it, and I wish you were here to punish me for that. My love for you was the only reason I was able to keep from claiming you for so long. It was unbearable, but I knew it was necessary. For you.
From what I gather, my father just wanted me to marry a dragon noble of good standing and high power and reside on my throne. But the demon king, wanting to make the curse nearly impossible to break, added in true mates, claiming and imprinting. I wonder if, in a moment of clarity, my father added in the clause that the villages would age, but the castle residents would not, giving me virtually forever to find my true mate.
If the curse had not happened, I would not have found you, Finley. I would’ve been out of the kingdom with someone I didn’t love. I would’ve missed knowing you. Missed fighting with you. Missed loving you and claiming you. The curse brought us together. And though it is hell, I’d endure it all over again for you. I’d wait forever to fall in love with you again. Gladly. Out of the ashes of this kingdom came a perfect love. I will cherish it always.
I will love you forever.
After your travels through the library, I suspect you knew some or most of the major points in this letter. I could see you piecing things together with each new book. I remember the look on your face when you realized my fate. I know that you are trying to help me right now, but I just want you to find your freedom and live the rest of your life in happiness. There is nothing here but that ruined throne Dolion spoke of.
Fly free, my little dragon. I hope to meet you in the next life.
Forever at your command,
Nyfain
P.S. When you do get to freedom, send some new books, would you? The library needs a refresh.
I smiled through my tears. Yes, I’d pieced most of it together. Though I could scarcely believe it, all the signs of us being true mates were there, like his delicious, comforting smell, the four-way bond, our animals’ desperation for each other, and his dragon’s primal breeding frenzy. I’d also read the signs of what I might be.
But hearing him say it…
Tears dripped down my face. My heart ached.
Part of me wished we could’ve imprinted and ended the curse. We’d been so close! But of course that would’ve been an opening for the demon king to march his troops in and finally take Nyfain out. It was essential that we didn’t.
Still…I couldn’t help feeling the longing.
I folded up the note and held it to my chest as I watched the dark shores of my new home draw nearer.
I would need to survive the next leg of my journey so I could get back to Nyfain and finish what we’d started.