Adrian's POV
The gates of my kingdom rose on the horizon long before I was ready to see them.
I should have felt pride. Relief. Familiarity.
But all I felt was heaviness, like I was wearing a crown carved from stone instead of gold.
The carriage slowed as we approached the bridge, hooves clattering against the ancient marble path that led into the heart of the Duskbane Kingdom. The air here tasted different, cold, sharp, metallic. Home, yes, but also memory. Painful memory.
I exhaled slowly, fingers brushing the place on my neck where Damien's mark still pulsed faintly beneath my collar. It warmed against my touch, almost responding to my thoughts of him.
My king.
My mate.
My soulmate.
It had been less than a day since I left him standing on the palace steps. His eyes had followed me until I disappeared into the fog. I had felt his emotions through the bond the entire journey, anger at the council, fear for the kingdom, and beneath that, buried deep…
Me.
His longing.
