Abso
Sophia lay wrapped in furs beside Lucian in his private chambers, her wings folded behind her like a celestial cloak. The warmth of the fire in the hearth battled the cold that had gripped her after the transformation, but Lucian's arms were what truly steadied her.
His mother had explained it earlier that evening, her tone reverent as she addressed the court and then Sophia directly.
"You are more than a fae. You are the heir of a goddess. Wings like yours are not just power—they are a claim. A declaration that the mate bond is in motion," Queen Elira had said, her voice steady with awe.
Sophia remembered blinking in disbelief, still glowing faintly from the transformation. "Mate bond?"
Elira smiled gently, stepping closer. "When a fae goddess awakens, the bond with her destined mate becomes undeniable. And once she is marked, it becomes eternal."
"Marked?" Sophia whispered.
Lucian hadn't spoken. He'd only stared at her like she was everything he'd ever fought for.
Now, curled together in the silence of night, her breath slowing, Sophia turned to him. "What does marking mean, Lucian?"
His eyes were glowing red in the firelight. "It means you'll belong to me, body, soul, spirit. And I'll belong to you. There'll be no running from it. Not even death could break it."
She swallowed. "And the… act?"
His gaze darkened with longing. "When I take you," he said, voice barely above a growl, "you'll feel it everywhere. In your bones. In your blood. My mark will burn through you, and yours through me. It's not just sex. It's a claiming. A binding."
Her breath caught. "What if I'm not ready?"
Lucian kissed her forehead softly. "Then I'll wait. Even if it drives me mad."
Just then, a knock sounded on the door—firm, purposeful.
It was Lucian's sister, now named Eira, her silver eyes wide. "Sophia, Father wants to see you. Alone."
Lucian stiffened. "Why?"
"He said it's about your parents. Your true lineage. And… something he's kept hidden for over two decades."
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