have proof,” he pulled a folded parchment from his jacket and held it up,
“that the Chalice’s magic has been overturned in the past and a marriage
dissolved to the agreement of both parties.”
“Give me that,” Gryger demanded. The normally mild-mannered
librarian unfolded the parchment and began reading to himself. “But,
this is your great-great-grandfather’s…”
“Yea, it is, but it proves that marriages can still be dissolved happily,”
Cyril interrupted.
“I know this case. The wife died within the year,” Gryger said. “The
dissolvement wasn’t recognized by all.”
“Completely unrelated. She was happy before she died.” Cyril took
the parchment back and stuck it into his pocket.
“The king—” Cyril began.
“Gentlemen, I do not have patience for this,” Ari said. “Your point
please, Lord Cyril.”
Looking pleased with himself, he said, “I propose you dissolve your
marriage to Commander Rurik by royal decree and choose for yourself a
proper husband of noble birth.”
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Michelle M Pillow
Ari looked at her father. “Are you aware, Lord Cyril, that my father
was a farmer and not of noble birth when the Chalice chose him for my
mother?”
“What? I…” Cyril looked around, stunned.
“And you propose to insult my father?” she asked.
“Nae, nae,” Cyril insisted. “I meant no disrespect to the old king.”
“Lord Cyril,” Ari stood.
“Yea?”
“Leave,” Ari commanded.
“Excuse me?” The nobleman looked around the empty hall.
Ari felt a stirring by her side and paused to see Rurik standing beside
her. His clothing looked impossibly perfect and she assumed that was
partly due to the shifting.
“I don’t want you…” she started to speak, hesitating before looking up
into Rurik’s eyes. When he was in falcon form it had been easier for her
to ignore that he was there, right beside her as she tried to say what she
needed to. But now, seeing him, she knew what she had to say was for
her mate’s ears, not Lord Cyril’s. She didn’t care about Cyril or his
politics. She didn’t want Lynus for a mate. She only wanted Rurik and it
was time she told him, flat out, what she felt. If he rejected her, then at
least she would know she tried. He looked away. Her heart beat wildly.
She had to say it. “I don’t want you to leave, Rurik.”
His hot gaze turned back to hers, his eyes narrow slits as he studied
her. “What did you say?”
“I don’t want you to leave me. Please, don’t leave me to rule alone,”
she whispered, stepping closer to him. “I want… I want y…”
“Ari?” He started to lift his hand. It hovered by her cheek before
falling away, not touching her.
58
Talons: Seize the Hunter
“I want you to be king, I mean my king. I want you to be my king. I’ve
tried, but I can’t think of a single thing to entice you into wanting the job.
It’s not battles and I know you wanted to be in battle, but… Stay anyway.
Rule with me.” Ari’s whole body trembled and she wasn’t sure whether to
laugh or cry. Why didn’t he speak? She so wanted him to speak and yet
at the same time she was terrified by what he might say. “Bring blood to
the throne.”
“You wish for blood?” He laughed softly, a small smile curling the
side of his mouth for a brief second, so brief she wondered if it was just
hopeful wishing on her part.
“Nae, yea, I mean your blood, pure blood. I mean,” she took a deep
breath, “love me.”
He took a step closer, tilting his head to the side. “Did you just
say…?”
She nodded. “Yea. Love me, Rurik.”
“As my queen?” he asked, his expression guarded as if he was
purposefully misunderstanding her.
“As my mate,” she said, only to backtrack. “Unless… Yea, as a
queen.”
Finally, he touched her and she felt her entire being freeze in wonder
at his touch. Leaning forward, he shook his head. Her heart dropped.
“Foolish little feather, don’t you know? I’ve loved you since we were
children.”
Ari gasped. “You’re just saying that. You could barely stand me as a
child.”
“Then why did I write that note for you?”
“You? That note was from you?” She gasped in surprise. “But, you
said…”
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Michelle M Pillow
“I remember what I said, but you laughed at it. What else could I do?”