Page 199 of The Fallen Fae King

“That’s why there are golden wolves on it.” I smile, remembering how pretty I had thought the veils when Daire helped me to put mine on.

“And ravens on mine.” Daire reaches up to touch the front of his veil.

“Don’t take it off,” Aurelius commands. “That’s my job.”

Aurelius leans forward and then by agonizingly slow degrees, lifts my veil.

It is like the world is being reborn.

I blink, as our gazes meet.

Aurelius folds the veil over my head, and I see him with fresh eyes.

This is unmistakably Aurelius and not Hadrian. His eyes aren’t molten or swirling, and I am right that his cheeks are dusted with pink.

He brushes the back of his knuckles down my cheek. “So beautiful. You have no idea how much I wanted to see your face throughout the ceremony and during the vows.”

“You can see me now.”

“And for the rest of our lives.”

He kisses me, tenderly.

I indulge in the smoky taste of his lips.

During the weeks spent in the cold Consort House, as much as I made the best of it, I missed being in my dragon’s royal nest.

“I missed you.” My chest is rising and falling fast. I drop my hands to Aurelius’ shoulders, stroking them. “I fucking missed your nest.”

His eyes crinkle at the sides. “I could barely sleep knowing that you weren’t here.”

“I did my best,” Daire says, quietly. “To make a home for you, Spark.”

“But it wasn’t my home.” Aurelius doesn’t look away from me. “It could never be a royal nest.”

“Is that right?” Daire’s voice is icy and unreadable.

“Don’t go anywhere.” Aurelius taps my lips, before kissing me again quickly.

I stretch, luxuriating in the piles of soft bedding, cushions, and petals.

I watch in interest, as Aurelius pulls back to sit next to Daire.

Daire is now perched stiffly on the edge of the bed.

“I thought that you would have flung off your veil just to show me how much of a rebel you still are,” Aurelius taunts, reaching toward Daire.

I shake my head in amusement.

He still doesn’t understand my Raven King.

In a wild flurry of movement, Daire snatches off the entire headdress, along with his crown, and hurls it across the chamber, revealing his snarling face.

I thought that Daire would never have taken off his crown, after how much he treasured Lanlin’s.

His gesture shocks me.

Then Daire leaps across the bed and dives on top of me. “Hello, my wife.”