Bener's strides were long and urgent, each step striking the cobblestones with barely contained anticipation. He did not spare a single glance at the blooming flowers that bowed gently over the path and the clusters of lilac and white jasmine that framed the quaint little house tucked into the right wing of Marquina Manor. The sweet scent of early spring clung to the air, but Bener's mind was too full, too fixed on the moment he had waited for.
Just a month ago, he had been granted the title of Marquis and Carles as his fief. It should have been the proudest moment of his life. And yet, all he could think about was Shaya—her smile, her steady gaze, and the promise of a future he was eager to claim.
He slowed only long enough to reach inside his coat, fingers brushing against the exquisitely crafted ebony box. Inside lay a diamond ring that caught the light like captured starlight. His heart quickened.
