without dire consequences.”
The Princess stiffened within his embrace. “What kind of dire consequences?”
“She would die as would Tador.” Brushing a beaded braid out of her face, he continued. “She held out hope for too long, as did we all. By the time the other mated royal couples were tried, none of the princesses and some of the princes…”
She wrenched out of his grasp and wrapped her arms around herself in a protective gesture. “None of the princesses and some of the princes what, Stone?” She pierced him with a stare that would brook no argument.
He knew if he told her, she might refuse to take the risk of the ceremony, but he also knew he couldn’t keep it from her. She was strong enough to undergo the ascension—he would bet his life on it, and in fact, he was, as he knew firsthand from witnessing Lianna’s attempt to ascend. “None of them survived the ascension.”
Expressions chased across her features until she scrubbed her hands over her face, slightly smearing the kohl lining her eyes. “What makes everyone so sure I’ll survive?”
Stone reached for her, but stopped before touching her. He needed to let her assimilate this in her own way. “You are the blood descendent of the true queen and you have already begun to come into your powers. None of the others’ powers appeared until the ascension began. Please believe me, Alyssandra. I would never allow you to go into the ceremony tent if I had any doubts about your ability to successfully complete the ascension.”
Her expression turned tender and she reached up to cup his cheek in her palm. “I’m sorry, Stone. I just realized, the royal couples who died were all friends of yours. It must’ve been difficult for you. Were you there when they…”
Stone closed his eyes and took a deep breath before blowing it out slowly. When he opened his eyes, the understanding in her soft lavender gaze almost broke him. “I knew all of them, but I only participated in one of the ceremonies—I was one of the twenty Klatch that would lend their essence. Lianna was a close friend, and I saw her die, along with her betrothed. I knew she wasn’t strong enough for the ascension, but I didn’t try hard enough to dissuade her.”
“Did she have a choice? I mean, could she have said no?”
His brow furrowed. “Of course. No one is forced to ascend. It is always a conscious choice to accept both the risk and the responsibility involved.”
“Then Lianna could’ve said no. You can’t be responsible for the world, Stone. Everyone has to make their own choices—including me.” She dropped her arms to her sides and stepped back. “When do I have to decide?”
His heart squeezed inside his chest. Not only would Tador perish, but he would lose Alyssandra if she chose not to go through with the ceremony. He was the only prince powerful enough to supply the new queen with energy. Yet, he couldn’t imagine sharing his life or his bed with anyone but the woman standing before him. Taking a deep breath, he told her the truth, although his heart begged him to lie. “You can choose to decline at any time before our mating inside the ceremony tent.” His voice sounded distant and flat.
Alyssandra nodded. “Thank you for telling me. Even though it’s not what you want. I have to decide this on my own—I don’t want to be pushed into it and then resent you later. And Stone,” she placed a tentative hand on his arm. “Any risk I willingly choose to take is my responsibility, not yours.”
He pulled her back into his arms and laid a simple kiss on her forehead. “I would never wish to force you into anything, beloved. You must embrace this choice willingly or not at all. You must be true to yourself.” Even if it rips me to shreds .
She raised a tentative hand to trace his face with her fingers. A slow exploration, as if she saw him for the first time.
As her fingers left a feathery hot path across his face, his heart squeezed inside his
The Princess stiffened within his embrace. “What kind of dire consequences?”
“She would die as would Tador.” Brushing a beaded braid out of her face, he continued. “She held out hope for too long, as did we all. By the time the other mated royal couples were tried, none of the princesses and some of the princes…”
She wrenched out of his grasp and wrapped her arms around herself in a protective gesture. “None of the princesses and some of the princes what, Stone?” She pierced him with a stare that would brook no argument.
He knew if he told her, she might refuse to take the risk of the ceremony, but he also knew he couldn’t keep it from her. She was strong enough to undergo the ascension—he would bet his life on it, and in fact, he was, as he knew firsthand from witnessing Lianna’s attempt to ascend. “None of them survived the ascension.”
Expressions chased across her features until she scrubbed her hands over her face, slightly smearing the kohl lining her eyes. “What makes everyone so sure I’ll survive?”
Stone reached for her, but stopped before touching her. He needed to let her assimilate this in her own way. “You are the blood descendent of the true queen and you have already begun to come into your powers. None of the others’ powers appeared until the ascension began. Please believe me, Alyssandra. I would never allow you to go into the ceremony tent if I had any doubts about your ability to successfully complete the ascension.”
Her expression turned tender and she reached up to cup his cheek in her palm. “I’m sorry, Stone. I just realized, the royal couples who died were all friends of yours. It must’ve been difficult for you. Were you there when they…”
Stone closed his eyes and took a deep breath before blowing it out slowly. When he opened his eyes, the understanding in her soft lavender gaze almost broke him. “I knew all of them, but I only participated in one of the ceremonies—I was one of the twenty Klatch that would lend their essence. Lianna was a close friend, and I saw her die, along with her betrothed. I knew she wasn’t strong enough for the ascension, but I didn’t try hard enough to dissuade her.”
“Did she have a choice? I mean, could she have said no?”
His brow furrowed. “Of course. No one is forced to ascend. It is always a conscious choice to accept both the risk and the responsibility involved.”
“Then Lianna could’ve said no. You can’t be responsible for the world, Stone. Everyone has to make their own choices—including me.” She dropped her arms to her sides and stepped back. “When do I have to decide?”
His heart squeezed inside his chest. Not only would Tador perish, but he would lose Alyssandra if she chose not to go through with the ceremony. He was the only prince powerful enough to supply the new queen with energy. Yet, he couldn’t imagine sharing his life or his bed with anyone but the woman standing before him. Taking a deep breath, he told her the truth, although his heart begged him to lie. “You can choose to decline at any time before our mating inside the ceremony tent.” His voice sounded distant and flat.
Alyssandra nodded. “Thank you for telling me. Even though it’s not what you want. I have to decide this on my own—I don’t want to be pushed into it and then resent you later. And Stone,” she placed a tentative hand on his arm. “Any risk I willingly choose to take is my responsibility, not yours.”
He pulled her back into his arms and laid a simple kiss on her forehead. “I would never wish to force you into anything, beloved. You must embrace this choice willingly or not at all. You must be true to yourself.” Even if it rips me to shreds .
She raised a tentative hand to trace his face with her fingers. A slow exploration, as if she saw him for the first time.
As her fingers left a feathery hot path across his face, his heart squeezed inside his
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