Rowan opened his fist and handed the mating band to Kade. “You know what to do,” he said with a wink.
Kade nodded, took the ring, and set it on Amelia’s finger as he spoke the same incantation Rowan had once said to me.
“My bond, my life, my one.”
I offered Amelia her ring as well. “Now you,” I said with a smile. Amelia’s dainty hands trembled as she lifted the band from my palm and set it on Kade’s finger.
“My bond, my life, my one.”
So far, the bonding ceremony had followed the Caster traditions precisely. This was the point where one of them would take power from the other. True matings—like what happened to Rowan and me—were very rare and only experienced by the most powerful mages. Amelia had some untrained Necromancer abilities. Kade could cast a little magick but nothing more. Neither of them expected to be able to share a true mating.
But this was where Rowan and I had decided to change the traditions. I supposed we might be upsetting the balance, as Tristan had put it. We could even be angering the gods. Neither of us was worried. Other people who loved each other deeply should be able to share the same kind of connection as a true mating.
And since we had hybrid power, we could easily make that happen.
Once their mating rings were in place, Kade and Amelia joined hands and met each other’s gazes.
Rowan and I had decided that would be our cue.
I set my palm on the back of Amelia’s neck; Rowan did the same with Kade. It was a shadow of the gesture that Shujaa had done when he’d transformed unwilling Casters into golden warriors. Today, we would turn that movement into something else entirely.
Rowan and I looped our free arms across each other’s shoulders. Our gazes shifted between Kade and Amelia as we spoke in unison. “By the power in our souls, we bestow on you the magick and connection of true mates.”
Kade and Amelia shared a long look. They didn’t appear upset so much as slightly confused. They’d see the truth soon enough.
Rowan and I sparked up the hybrid magick between us. Lines of purple power streamed over our connected arms and across our chests. Again, it was just as what Shujaa had done before. Only now, for a far better purpose. The hybrid energy rolled into Kade and Amelia. Their skin lit up with a violet hue.
And then their connected hands lit up as well.
I’ll never forget the moment when their eyes sparked with the understanding of the new power of touch and intimacy they now shared. Sure, the magick we’d given them wasn’t enough for them to cast any spells, but it would always make their physical and spiritual connection greater. I couldn’t think of a more fitting gift for our friends.
Rowan and I dropped our arms. Kade and Amelia stayed hand in hand. The audience had been quiet all this time. Now they broke out into loud cheers and dancing. People shouted about the new Genesis Rex and Regina and how we’d truly brought a golden age of power and light to their people.
In all the cheering, Kade focused his attention on me. “Thank you, Elea. I know I wasn’t always very kind to you.”
“You were protective of Rowan,” I said. “I respect that.”
His green eyes brimmed with tears. “After what you’ve done for Amelia and me, I can only hope you’ll become our Genesis Regina…Officially.”
I shared a long look with Rowan. He knew the truth. Petra had been sending me one threatening messenger after another. She wanted me to officially take my role as the ruler of the Necromancers. I was specifically forbidden to even discuss becoming Genesis Regina.
Amelia bobbed a little on the balls of her feet. “You should take the throne here. You’d be a wonderful Queen.”
I fought back a frown. There were those words again.
“You should.”
Maybe it was our new connection, but Rowan sensed my sadness instantly. He gently set his knuckles beneath my chin, guiding me until our gazes locked. “There are many things people say you should do. What do you want, Elea?”
A sense of warmth and rightness filled my heart. “To stay here and be your Queen.”
I didn’t think I’d ever seen a wider smile on Rowan’s face. “And why is that?”
“Because I trust us to handle whatever comes our way.”
“Good.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in for such a long and deep kiss, all the Casters began to whoop. I didn’t care.
Love and trust. There was no better reason to celebrate.
The End
The Story Continues With Crowned, Book Four In The Beholder series
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Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too. Christina lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.
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