Page 64 of The Marked Princess

Josselyn listened as his steps faded down the stairs, all the while keeping her eyes on Alex as he glanced around the room for a place to sit before finally pulling a chair up beside the bed. He sat down, leaning forward as he looked her over with concern.

“How are you?”

She smiled, letting her hand slide across the bed to capture his own and entwining their fingers together. She heard his breath catch, and her smile deepened.

“Better now.”

He squeezed her hand lightly. “You were out for a long time. Even longer than the first time you brought your beast out in the forest. We were all pretty worried.”

“I suppose I shouldn't have kept Kella out quite so long, especially with whatever Luxeos did to increase their power, but I was too caught up in everything to consider the after-effects.” She lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug. “I imagine I have a lot of training in my future if I want to gain full control over the whole celestial beast thing.”

He nodded, glancing down at their hands. “And you'll have several new duties to attend to, now that you're about to be crowned queen. You're going to be one busy woman.”

“Not to mention planning a wedding... although my aunt will probably take charge of that, whether I wish her to or not,” Josselyn added, a small smile pulling at her lips as she watched Alex's reaction.

“A wedding...” His eyes darkened, and he tried to pull his hand back, but Josselyn only tightened her grip in response, her eyes beginning to sparkle with mischief as he frowned at her. She widened her eyes innocently.

“You were planning to marry me, weren't you? Or was all that talk of loving me forever just that? Talk?”

He stared at her wordlessly for a moment, reading the seriousness in her eyes. He must have liked what he saw, because he reached out and in a single, smooth movement pulled her off the bed and onto his lap, where he proceeded to envelope her in a crushing embrace.

“Your damn right I'm going to love you forever,” he murmured into her hair, before leaning back just enough to tilt her head and capture her mouth with his own, a possessive growl of satisfaction rumbling through his chest. She parted her lips, letting his heat fill her as she dug her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer still.

When they finally broke apart, flushed and breathing heavily, she let a sigh a of contentment escape her lips. The boy she'd loved had finally become the man she was going to spend her life with.

He was finally hers, forever.

Epilogue

Six months later; the royal castle in Antos

“You've failed at the only task I've ever given you. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Benedict Ascania, the reigning king of Antos, looked down at his second born son cowering on the floor before him, his arms in shackles behind his back. After spending the last six months wasting away in Eldour's dungeons, Stefan was almost unrecognizable.

“I'm sorry, father,” he rasped. “I was certain we would succeed. We would have, if not for those...beasts.” A shudder ran over his frame as he recalled how close he'd been to becoming another victim of the hellcat's wrath. His father frowned in stern disapproval.

“I'm not interested in your excuses, only your results.”

Stefan dropped his gaze to the floor. “Yes, sir.”

“You informed the princess of Weston's involvement... did you happen to tell her of mine, as well?”

Stefan craned his neck around to see a tall, lean man with dark hair enter the room. His silvery blue eyes gave his already handsome face an almost ethereal look, and they held Stefan's gaze as they pierced him, almost as if they could see right through to his soul. The man smiled, breaking the spell, and Stefan felt instantly at ease. Here was a man he could trust, a man of wisdom whom he could pledge his life to without batting an eyelash.

“Well?” the man repeated, “Did you?”

“No, sir,” Stefan responded, relief flooding him at the truth of his words. “She believes I acted of my own volition.”

The man held his gaze for a moment before turning and walking over to the king. He sank into the chair beside him, leaning back and crossing his legs with a casual grace that belied the intensity of his thoughts.

“Tell me more about these 'beasts' you mentioned.Was it not only the hellcat that was involved, then?”

Stefan shook his head, eager to be able to provide some information of interest despite his failings. “No, sir, there was also some sort of large bird. It was terribly vicious, scratched out the eyes of two of my guards.”

The man drummed his fingers against the arm of the chair, watching Stefan with a speculative look. “A large bird, you say... was it a phoenix, by any chance?

Stefan's eyes lit up. “Yes! It was a phoenix, but... how did you know?”

The man frowned slightly, looking past Stefan's head as if lost in thought. “I'm quite familiar with the Shendri and their celestial beasts,” he murmured. “They and I go way back.”

Stefan stared up at the man in confusion. “Sir?”

Glancing back down at him, the man waved his hand in the air. “Please, call me Bade.”

Stefan bowed his head, feeling the blessing of Bade's words roll over him, a balm upon his aching soul. “Thank you, sir...Bade...you are most kind...”

Ignoring him, Bade continued speaking, more to himself than anyone else in the room. “The queen will be well protected now, both by her kingdom and her beast. I'm afraid she'll have to wait until I've regained more of my strength. The other girl with an awakened beast, however... I would very much like to meet her.”

The king gave him a solemn nod. “I will make the arrangements immediately.”

Bade tapped his finger against his mouth in thought. “Actually, it might be best if you weren't involved. After your son's failed attempts to secure Eldour's throne, I'd rather not draw any additional attention to Antos at the moment. No, I think something a little more subtle this time...”

A smile spread across his face as he nodded to himself.

“And I know just the man for the job.”

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