The Terms of Surrender

...The silence in the parlor stretched thin, taut as a bowstring. Dust motes danced in the shafts of sunlight between them, but the air felt charged with something far heavier....

...Valerius stepped back, finally breaking the magnetic pull she seemed to have over him. He cleared his throat, the sound rough and unpracticed. He adjusted his gloves, avoiding her gaze—specifically, avoiding the expanse of skin her dress revealed....

..."Lady Seraphina," he said, his voice regaining a fraction of its command. "You are clearly... unwell. Perhaps the sudden warmth of spring has fevered your mind. I will pretend I did not hear that."...

..."You heard every word, Your Grace." Seraphina didn't retreat. She moved to the worn velvet sofa and sat down, patting the empty spot beside her. "Sit. If we are to be married, you must get used to being near me."...

..."We are not getting married," Valerius insisted, though he didn't leave. He stood his ground, looking like a fortress under siege. "Do you not understand who I am? I am the Commander of the Paladins. I spend my days hunting beasts in the Abyss. My hands are steeped in gore. The Church considers me a necessary weapon, not a man. A woman like you—"...

..."—A woman like me?" Seraphina cut in, her blue eyes sharp. "You mean a woman with a failing estate, a sick father, and a bloodline so ancient it’s the only thing keeping the High Priest from seizing our lands?"...

...Valerius pressed his lips into a thin line. She had struck a nerve....

..."Precisely," Seraphina continued, her voice softening. "You need the Vance name to legitimize your standing with the nobility, who see you only as a butcher. And I... I need a shield. A very large, very powerful shield."...

...In her past life, she had waited for him to protect her. She had waited in the chapel, praying for his safety, sending him letters he never opened. She thought his distance was disdain. But looking at him now—watching the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, the way his eyes darted to her lips before darting away—she realized the truth....

...He wasn't cold. He was terrified. He was a man who believed his touch destroyed everything good....

..."I propose a contract," Seraphina said, leaning forward, resting her chin on her hand....

...Valerius sighed, the fight draining out of him. He pulled a chair from the corner and sat opposite her—safely out of reaching distance. "State your terms."...

..."One," Seraphina said, holding up a finger. "You will clear my family’s debt immediately."...

..."Done," he said without hesitation. "Money is of no consequence to me."...

..."Two. You will ensure the safety of this estate while I am gone."...

..."My personal knights will be stationed here by sunset. Next?"...

..."Three," Seraphina said, her voice dropping an octave. "We will live as a true couple. No separate wings. No separate meals. And certainly... no separate bedrooms."...

...Valerius gripped the arms of his chair so hard the wood groaned. "Lady Seraphina, that is improper. For the sake of your virtue—"...

..."My virtue is mine to give," she interrupted. She stood up and walked toward him again. This time, he didn't retreat. He looked up at her, paralyzed....

...She stopped beside his chair and leaned down, whispering into his ear. "The Church watches you, Valerius. If they see a cold marriage, they will find a way to annul it and replace me with one of their spies. Do you want a spy in your bed, or do you want me?"...

...Valerius squeezed his eyes shut. "You." The word escaped him like a confession....

..."Then it is agreed," Seraphina declared, straightening up. She felt a tremble in her knees and hid it by smoothing her dress. It was a gamble. A massive gamble. But she had won....

...Two hours later, Seraphina sat in the Grand Duke’s carriage....

...It was a monstrosity of black wood and silver trim, pulled by four nightmare-steeds—horses bred with magic to withstand the presence of demons. The interior was lined with crushed black velvet....

...They had left the Vance estate in a whirlwind. Seraphina packed only a single trunk. She left the grey dresses behind....

...Now, she sat across from Valerius as the carriage rattled over the cobblestones toward the capital. The space inside was intimate, forcing their knees to brush with every jolt of the road....

...Valerius sat with his arms crossed, staring out the window at the passing forest. He looked composed, but Seraphina noticed the tension in his jaw....

..."Your Grace," she said....

...He flinched. "Valerius," he corrected, keeping his gaze on the trees. "If we are to play the part of lovers, titles are... unnecessary."...

..."Valerius," she tested the name. It felt heavy on her tongue. In her past life, she had only called him that once—moments before she died. "You are sitting very far away."...

..."I am giving you space."...

..."I am cold."...

...It was a lie. The carriage was enchanted with warming spells. But Seraphina shivered theatrically, rubbing her bare arms. "I foolishly wore this thin silk. And you have such a heavy coat."...

...Valerius looked at her. His gaze swept over her exposed shoulders, his red eyes darkening. He wrestled with himself for a moment, then began to unbutton his military coat....

..."Here," he said, taking it off. "Cover yourself."...

...He moved to hand it to her, but Seraphina didn't take it. Instead, she moved to the seat beside him....

..."It would be warmer if we shared it," she murmured....

...Before he could protest, she draped the heavy coat over both of them, snuggling into his side. She felt his entire body go rigid. He was hard as stone, his muscles tense....

..."Seraphina," he warned, his voice strained. "I am not a saint. Do not test my control."...

..."I don't want a saint," she replied, resting her head on his broad shoulder. She could smell him—clean soap and the metallic tang of magic. "I want my husband."...

...She reached out and took his hand. It was huge, calloused, and scarred. He tried to pull away, but she interlaced her fingers with his, holding tight....

..."My hands are stained," he whispered, the self-loathing bleeding into his tone. "I execute heretics. I slaughter beasts. This hand should not hold yours."...

..."Your hands are warm," she countered simply. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed the knuckles, right over a jagged white scar....

...Valerius let out a shuddering breath. He turned his head slowly, looking down at her. The indifference she remembered from her past life was nowhere to be seen. In its place was a raw, bewildered hunger. He looked at her as if she were a fragile bird that had landed in a lion's den, and he was terrified he might crush her....

..."Sleep," he commanded gruffly, though he didn't pull his hand away. "It is a long ride to the capital. And once we arrive... the wolves will be waiting."...

...Seraphina closed her eyes, exhausted from the adrenaline of rewriting history. She felt Valerius shift, and hesitantly, awkwardly, his arm came around her shoulders, pulling her closer into his warmth....

...I have him, she thought, drifting into darkness. I have the monster on a leash. Now, I just have to make sure he doesn't realize that I’m the one who needs saving....

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