The Reborn Sovereign of Ruin, Bound by His Star

"What do you mean, now?!" Liam asked while very clearly trying to get away from Arik.

They had changed out of the heavy coronation clothes less than half an hour ago. Arik had exchanged black-and-gold imperial robes for a fitted black shirt and loose trousers, the sleeves pushed to his forearms. Liam had abandoned layers of ceremonial purple for soft charcoal trousers and a thin dark shirt that had made him believe, foolishly, that the rest of the night involved food, sleep, and preferably nobody speaking to him.

Instead, Arik had informed him that the mate ceremony was waiting.

Of course Narissa had told Liam about it.

Arik had mentioned it too. Multiple times.

Rubis had even delivered a painfully awkward explanation about sovereign traditions, bonded ether, spiritual imprints, and the creation of a mate stone.

Liam had apparently chosen to misunderstand every important detail.

"Liam, my eshara. The love of my life. Stop running away," Arik said with an equal mixture of frustration and affection.

"You mean that entire talk was about us having sex in a special room while you imprint on my soul?!" Liam yelled. "AGAIN?"

Arik stopped near the foot of the bed.

"Technically, my mark is not complete because my soul was incomplete then, but the core repaired it."

Liam stared at him.

Arik reconsidered.

"That sounded better before I said it."

"It sounded horrifying before you said it."

Liam backed around one of the low chairs near the windows. Beyond the glass, Deira remained bright despite the late hour. Gold formations traced the edges of suspended bridges, while distant lights moved between palace towers as officials continued dealing with an empire that had reappeared in the world that morning.

Liam looked at the city.

Then toward the inner corridor leading to the ceremonial chamber.

Then back at Arik.

"No."

Arik crossed his arms. "You agreed to the ceremony."

"I agreed to ether."

"There is ether."

"I thought we walked into a room, mixed our ether together, made the gem for the collar, and left."

"That is an aggressively simplified description."

"It was the description I preferred."

Arik’s mouth twitched.

Liam pointed at him. "Do not find this funny."

"I am trying very hard."

"You are failing."

Arik gave up pretending.

Liam made an offended noise and moved farther around the chair.

"You had sex with me two days ago," Arik said.

Liam stopped so abruptly his thigh struck the edge of the table.

"That is not the problem."

"You seemed comfortable with the activity then."

Liam’s face heated.

"That happened privately."

"The ceremony is private."

"It is ceremonially private."

Arik blinked.

Liam gestured toward the doors.

"There are people outside this suite who know exactly why we are going into that chamber."

"Nobody is coming inside."

"That does not erase their knowledge."

Arik leaned one hip against the edge of the table, visibly attempting to understand the distinction.

Liam dragged both hands through his loose hair.

"I do not mind having sex with you."

"That is reassuring."

"I mind an entire palace knowing we have an appointment for a specific kind of sex designed to complete a soul bond."

Arik’s amusement softened.

Liam looked away, irritated that he had needed to say it aloud.

The mate collar rested inside an open case on the smaller table near the wall. Dark metal, almost black, had been worked into clean lines without the excessive ornamentation Liam disliked. It was perfectly new and not touched by a poisonous grandfather. At its center sat an empty setting.

The missing stone would be theirs.

Their ether would synchronize during the ceremony until it condensed into a crystalline gem containing both signatures.

Liam wanted it.

That was what made his current desire to flee particularly inconvenient.

"I want the stone," he muttered.

Arik pushed away from the table.

"I know that much."

"I want the real one. Not some alternative method Severin invents because I become difficult."

"I would never call you difficult."

Liam gave him a flat look.

"Not where you could hear me."

"That is better."

Arik approached slowly this time.

Liam considered retreating again but had run out of furniture to use strategically.

Arik reached him and wrapped both arms around his waist.

Liam remained rigid for a moment.

Then he sagged against him with a long exhale.

"This is manipulation."

"Yes."

"At least you have become honest about it."

Arik rested his cheek against Liam’s hair.

For several seconds, neither moved. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the palace formations beneath the floor and distant aircraft beyond the glass.

"The ceremony can be delayed," Arik said.

Liam frowned against his chest.

"That is not what I want either."

Arik’s hand moved slowly up his back.

"You want it without thinking about everyone else knowing what happens."

"Exactly."

"That I can work with."

Liam lifted his head.

Arik brushed several strands of brown hair away from his face.

"When those doors close, everyone outside stops mattering."

"They will still exist."

"Unfortunately."

Liam almost smiled.

"Nobody enters. Nobody watches. Nobody interrupts. We finish the bond, create the stone, and leave when we are ready."

"That sounds better."

"And if you decide halfway through that you hate everything about Nurian tradition, we stop."

Liam looked toward the ceremonial corridor again.

He was not frightened. That would have been easier to explain.

He wanted Arik. He wanted the completed bond. He wanted the stone that would sit against his throat for the rest of his life.

He simply hated that an ancient imperial ritual had turned something intimate into an item on an official schedule.

Arik apparently read enough of that from his expression.

He kissed Liam’s forehead.

"Besides, the empire already assumes we sleep together."

Liam groaned.

Arik continued before he could object.

"And if you ever become pregnant, I suspect secrecy becomes somewhat difficult."

Liam immediately covered Arik’s mouth with one hand.

"You were doing very well."

Arik kissed his palm.

Liam pulled it away.

"You ruined everything."

"I introduced perspective."

"You introduced pregnancy into a conversation where I was already suffering."

Arik smiled.

Liam glared at him, but the effort lacked conviction now.

Arik lowered his head until their foreheads touched.

"You want to do it."

Liam remained silent for several seconds.

"Yes."

Liam had wanted the ceremony from the moment he understood what the mate stone represented.

He just wished everyone else could collectively forget how it was made.

Arik kissed him.

Liam’s hands slid up into Arik’s hair by instinct, catching the faint gold still lingering at the dark ends from the coronation. By the time they separated, Liam had stopped looking toward the outer door.

"Fine," he said.

Arik’s expression brightened.

"Do not look victorious."

"I am not."

"You absolutely are."

"I am looking in love."

"That is suspiciously convenient."

Arik took his hand.

Liam allowed himself to be led toward the inner corridor.

At the first step, however, he stopped.

Arik glanced back.

"If Rubis asks tomorrow whether the bond was completed," Liam said, "I am going to Wrohan."

"To find Felix?"

"To kill Felix."

Arik squeezed his hand.

"Then I will warn Rubis."

Liam followed him into the corridor.

At least Arik was finally taking the threat seriously.