Before I Let Go (Skyland #1)(52)

“So what does that mean?” My heart hammered in my chest as I watched his magic, and my own surged inside of me begging to feel him.

“It means that we will have to figure this out as we go.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Mates have always been more powerful together, and their marriage only strengthens that power. We will figure out what we’re capable of based on the decisions that we make.”

“You mean if I agree to marry?” I put my hands on my hips even as the words that just passed my lips thrilled me.

Evren’s gaze fell upon them, and his smile never left his face. “That's exactly what I mean, princess. Legend says you will determine the fate of this world, but you will determine far more than that.”

“That she will.” Jorah pushed through the door, and Thalia took off in his direction. She ran toward him, jumping straight into his arms, and he caught her with a large smile on his face.

“You’re back.” Thalia seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and Jorah tightened his arms around her.

I looked at Sorin, and a smile formed on his lips even as his shoulders tightened.

Thalia squeezed him again before dropping back to her feet and running her hands over his face and down his chest.

“You have word?” Evren asked, and Jorah simply held up a black scroll with a gold seal.

“Queen Kaida clearly knows more than we thought. Her men hand-delivered this to us this morning. Right where we were meant to be spying on the kingdom.”

Evren stepped forward and grabbed the parchment from Jorah’s hand, and I watched him as he unrolled it and looked over it. His hands gripped the sides so tightly that the parchment crinkled in his fingers, and I could feel his power surge and surge as his eyes scanned over the words.

“What is it?” Sorin stood and moved to Evren’s side. “Fuck.” Sorin looked at me, but all I could concentrate on was Evren. His magic felt stronger than I had ever felt before. It was pure and unfiltered, and it felt like rage.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, and Evren’s gaze flew to me. They were darker than they had seemed only moments before.

“It’s from Gavril.” The parchment crumpled in his hands.

“And?” My chest tightened, and I was desperate for him to just tell me what was going on.

“And he’s sent me an official invitation to his wedding?”

“His wedding?” I looked back and forth between him and Sorin. “To whom?”

“My mate.” He practically spat the words. “He fucking dares to send me an invitation to his supposed wedding with you.”

“This is nothing more than a taunt.” Thalia moved close to Evren and read the invitation over his shoulder. “He’s trying to get under your skin.”

“This is a threat.” Evren stared directly at me, and I could feel his anger as if it was a living, breathing thing. “He thinks that he’s going to take Adara back.”

“We won’t allow that to happen,” Jorah promised, and the certainty in his voice begged me to believe him. “We won’t let him close to her.”

Evren wasn’t listening to them, though. His attention was solely on me. “His name is next to yours.” Black smoke trickled from his fingers, and I knew he was no longer in control of himself. “He requests the honor of my presence at the marriage of their crowned prince and the Starblessed who was promised.”

“I need a moment,” I said quietly, and Evren shook his head.

“Fuck no.”

But I wasn’t talking to him, and I looked past him to look at his friends. “I need a moment with my mate,” I said it more firmly, and the three of them looked to Evren before looking back at me.

“Okay.” Thalia nodded before grabbing Jorah’s hand. “Let’s give them some space.”

I waited as all three of them left the small courtyard that had felt more like home to me than almost anywhere else. My hands trembled as Evren stared at me. Neither his anger nor his magic had calmed, and I could feel them reaching for me as if I was the only thing capable of settling them.

“That invitation means nothing.”

His gaze darkened at my words and his fingers dug harder into the invitation. “You think threatening my mate is nothing?”

“I think that his threats don’t matter. I am your mate, and I am here with you in the Blood kingdom.” I motioned my hand toward the parchment. “What can that little piece of parchment do?”

“It will instill fear.” He stepped closer to me, and a chill ran down the markings along my spine. “When news of this spreads, it will instill fear in my people and in so many people who remain in the fae kingdom. They will fear war and the possibility that Gavril could gain power over both kingdoms.”

“The fae kingdom doesn’t support Gavril?”

“Those people have never supported Gavril or his mother. They have seen their cruelty, and most don’t care that your betrothal will strengthen their kingdom. Gavril needs no more power at his fingertips.”

“Then don’t give it to him.”

“What?” He looked furious as he searched my face, and I realized that this was about so much more than Gavril’s power. Gavril had threatened his mate. He had threatened me. “How do you suppose I do that?”