The Bride Wore Blood

Two Years Ago - Thade’s POV Summer in the Year 514 It’s late at night, the hours starting to stretch towards the morning. I should be fast asleep, my body aches, muscles burning from exertion. But despite the storm that’s raging over the city, I can’t sleep. Thunder cracks and rolls, shaking the tiles of the barrack roof overhead. Through the thin walls that separate my small rooms from the next Knights, I can hear Iron snoring. I kick back in my chair, staring at the window and the flash of lightning bleeds across the sky in electric blue. There has to be a way forward, I know that there is. I just haven't found it yet. I push my fingers through my hair. My body is tired from the long journey back from Boren. After twelve days camping on hard and dusty ground, I was ready to fall into bed. Any bed. As a Knight, I can use a room at the Barracks whenever needed. They’re collections of long low buildings at different points in the city, and when I arrived to drop off Iron, I was

Coy? I don’t think I’ve ever played coy, I wouldn’t even know what it is. I feel all the air trapped in my lungs, like there isn’t enough space for it. They’re burning but I can’t think beyond the sense of his face so close to mine. The overwhelming awareness of the heat from his bare body and his closeness as he nudges my cheek with his nose and exhales. There’s something strange happening with the light behind me and the way it’s making his skin look magical. As though he’s painted in silver with flashes of blue swirls. I step back, panic warring against endless desire. I struggle to speak, to tell him to stop. I shuffle back, and feel the door pressing against the soaked fabric of my dress. I’ve never felt this way before, I don’t get close to people. I don’t let them get close to me. As the daughter of a duke, the consequences of being found with a man would be dire. But all the ways that this is wrong and needs to stop, slip away when finally, achingly his lips brush my cheek.

Neither of us can look away as the cord begins to slip. She’s holding her breath and I pause, bending to steal it from her with another kiss. I bend to meet her mouth with my own, only to pause. There’s shouting outside the door. I draw back, glancing down at Lana. She’s frowning, confused as she watches me. Wondering why I’ve pulled back. There’s another muffled from outside in the courtyard, over the torrential rain it’s hard to make out the exact words, but the name Lana is undeniable. I watch her face, and the moment that recognition overtakes her desire. Her eyes widen and she flushes, spinning suddenly into the door. So close to the panels that she seems to bounce off it. She’s scrambling for the look like a captive promise freedom and all my unspent passion fades as quickly as it came. I put a hand on her shoulder and she jumps, startled as she looks back at me, unable to meet my eyes. Whatever magic spell was holding us, it’s broken now. ‘Take a moment,’ I warn her, my

I feel as though I’m dressed in blood. The deepest, richest gown of ruby red that shimmers as though it’s wet. My people are warriors, our emblem is a sword on a red field. I’m not a complicated person and I’m shivering. Hating myself for the strength of my emotion. For the fear and and the hurt mixed with my undying hatred of the man that I’m going to marry, Thade. It’s been nearly two years since we first met, and almost as long since I’ve seen him. The chapel is filled with all the noblemen and women from Illure, ready to watch their King make his Queen. A string quartet plays a soothing, hopeful melody that rises and falls in soft expectation. They’re waiting for me to move forward and seal my fate. I feel like I’m in a nightmare, detached from myself and everyone around me. I’m floating, waiting to wake up. He’s not the man I thought that he was. I’m stuck at the entrance, and I can see the crowd whispering back and forth. I must be shy, the innocent youngest daughter of Duk

‘I don’t know you,’ I force myself to say it aloud. I should be putting up barriers, and making space between us, but I don’t want to. I’m fascinated by the man before me. The slight curl at the tips of his dark hair. As though he’s been pushing his fingers through it, exasperated. ‘I don’t know you either,’ he admits. He’s looking down, running his warm hands over the curves of one leg. Holding my leg gently between his fingers as his fingers smooth over my skin. I’ve never paid much attention to my legs before. But when he circles my ankle with his thumb, I’m holding back a moan. I’m so wet between my thighs, aching and eager to be touched. But afraid of what comes next and the whole world outside the door. ‘So let’s talk,’ he suggests, watching as his hands slid over my flesh again. I pant a breath and curl my hands around the arms of the chair, gripping it. I should tell him to stop, but I’m captivated by the sheen of firelight on his body. It’s touched with something like magi