These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows, #1)(115)

“You don’t have to,” I blurt. I hate being the cause of the pain on her face. “I love you so much,” I whisper. “If you need me here, I will stay.”

“I love you too.” She wraps her arms around my waist. “You deserve to be happy, Brie. You’ve worked so hard for so long. You’ve done everything to protect me, and I can’t handle seeing you sacrifice yourself one more time for me.”

“But I don’t want to leave you.”

“Just give me time. I need to stay here awhile, and when I’m better, I’ll join you.” She tries to smile, but the shaky curve of her lips doesn’t hide the lie from either of us.

“I’ll visit you as often as I can,” I say, but I already know it won’t be as often as either of us would like. The hot tears on my cheeks are barely a hint of the grief I feel at telling her goodbye.

There’s a knock at the door, then Nik opens it a crack and sticks her head in. “Brie, it’s time. I’m sorry, honey, but I can’t risk Gorst finding you here.”

I nod but don’t take my eyes off Jas.

“Go,” she says. “I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll miss you every day.”

“Visit me in my dreams like you did when we were kids.” She grins and waves goodbye, but as Sebastian hurries me toward the portal, I remember the old joke. After we moved in with Uncle Devlin, Jas would wake up some mornings and thank me for the adventure I took her on in her dreams. Were they just dreams, or did I have access to that part of my power even as a child in the human realm?





Chapter Thirty-Six


WHEN WE RETURN TO THE GOLDEN PALACE, my mind is still in Fairscape with Jas.

Sebastian escorts me to my room, and when I stop at the door and turn to him, he studies me. “I’ll take you back to see her soon,” he says.

“Thank you, Sebastian.”

“It’s nothing.”

“No, thank you for . . . everything. For standing by me through all this when anyone else would send me away.” I close my eyes. “For forgiving me for taking the book and for . . . understanding the choices I made.”

I feel his fingertips on my chin, sliding along my jaw and into my hair, and when I open my eyes, his are full of anguish. “I love you, Abriella. All that matters to me is that you’re here with me now. We’ll figure out the rest. Together.”

I search his beautiful eyes, his strong yet fine features. “I want to be bonded with you.”

Sebastian swallows, and his eyes widen. “You’re sure?”

I nod. I can’t stop thinking of the Banshee—of death sitting on my chest. Or of the crown that sits on my head and the false king and the Unseelie prince who tried to trick me out of it. The prince who was willing to let me die so he could claim this throne. “Mordeus was right about one thing. As long as this crown is on my head, my life won’t be my own. If it’s not Finn after the crown, it will be another Unseelie. Until we can figure out how to get rid of it safely, I need the bond so you can protect me.”

“I thought you were against humans bonding with faeries.”

I take both of his hands in mine. “I trust you.”

He brings my hands to his lips and kisses them each twice. “I vow to do everything in my power to give you a good life. To make you happy and protect you.”



* * *



Sebastian chose to do the bonding ceremony on the balcony outside his chambers at dusk, and my maids are giddy as they prepare me for the occasion, styling my ear-length mess of curls as best they can and taking extra time on my makeup.

When they bring out my dress, my breath catches.

“Sebastian gave us your sister’s muslin mockup, and we did our best from there. Is it what you wanted?”

“Yes.” I take in the thin emerald-colored velvet, and my vision goes blurry with tears. Only Sebastian would have thought to let me wear something designed by my sister on this special night. The dress isn’t a dress at all, but the outfit Jas had designed for me to wear to Faerie. The one she wasn’t able to finish because Madame V sold her.

“No crying now,” Tess says, wiping at her own eyes. “You’ll make me start.”

I step into the loose-legged pants, and the velvet feels decadent against my skin. Emmaline helps me into the fitted top with its deep V.

She places a matching emerald necklace around my neck. “Also from the prince,” she says.

I close my eyes. Has he been holding the muslin mockup of this dress all this time? Saving it for this occasion?

“Why are you so sad?” Emmaline asks. “You look stunning.”

“I’m not sad.” I draw in a ragged breath. “I’m ready.”



* * *



The view of the sunset from Sebastian’s balcony is breathtaking, but nothing compared with the man who stands in front of it.

Sebastian’s resplendent in a white tunic and pants of the finest linen. There are no weapons on him tonight, only a single day lily in his hand. His eyes fill with tenderness as he tucks the flower behind my ear. “You’re so beautiful.”

I duck my head, feeling inexplicably shy, and look up at him through my lashes. “Thank you for the dress. And the necklace.”