We’re panting, our bodies molded together as he thrusts deep inside me. My orgasm is already tearing through my body, his name falling from my lips as I play out a million lifetimes between us. I’m grateful for our immortality, because it means never having to lose time with the man I love.
He shouts his release into the hollow of my neck. The movement of his hips becomes jerky and uneven before he slides out of me. I watch Galen as he rolls to his side pulling me snug against him.
“Perhaps this time next year we will have a little prince or princess roaming our halls,” Galen teases, brushing his nose, then his lips across my brow.
“Perhaps if the Goddess of Motherhood chooses to bless us this time. Do we know her? I’m drawing a blank.” My tone is dryer than his, less hopeful. Instead, I cross my legs, twisting closer to my husband, planting a kiss on his chest.
For the first time, I feel Galen’s hands outside the memory tense on my face. Is this not what he wanted me to see?
Galen walks his fingers over my abdomen. “Maybe she is yet to be born. Maybe you’re to be the mother of such a goddess, one who will be worshiped by all. And you know what? Even if they become the god or goddess of birds or grain or nightmares, we will still love them. They will be our child, our prince or princess, and we will love them because you will be their mother, and they will inherit your wit and charm and that clever, wicked mouth of yours. The Fates might see fit to test us, but I will never tire of trying. I will never tire of us.”
I push him back down onto the mattress and reach between us, hoping to hide my tears. I feel him hardening under my ministrations until I slide down onto him. For a moment, I think I get away with the empty feeling growing in me despite how Galen fills me now. That is, until he rolls me over so I’m on my back, and he stills to kiss each tear away.
The memory ends there, and I feel tears on my face. Galen wipes them from my cheeks, and I smack his hand away, not interested in his comfort.
“What happened?” I demand. “What changed from then to here? You want me to be patient until tomorrow, but I’ve done my waiting, weeks of it, in fact. These memories are teases, and I’m tired of it.”
Galen steps away from me, giving me my space to be angry. “After you were…taken from me—”
“Murdered. Just say it out loud,” I interrupt.
He swallows, not meeting my eyes. “After you were murdered—by Essos,” he finally says, his voice cracking, “I tried to get you back, bring your soul back, but the weapon he used locked it away. He kept your soul from me. I don’t know what changed, why he released your soul, but he is King of the Underworld, and he alone has power over souls.”
“I just don’t understand any of this.” I shake my head, moving to the other side of the kitchen, away from him. I am too confused by what I’m feeling versus what I’m seeing. They don’t match, and I don’t have time to figure out how to get them to line up. I have too many questions to even know where to begin.
“Tomorrow night, during the ball, Essos will choose his next bride, and I think he intends to pick you.” I look up, surprised. A part of me always wondered if maybe I was here to tease and taunt Galen, and that he would ultimately pick Zara. “Oh, don’t look shocked. This is his way of taking you from me forever. If he chooses you to be his queen, then we can never be together. Tomorrow, he’s going to announce it in front of everyone.”
I turn away from Galen, my hand covering my mouth. He’s right. On some level, I did know that Essos would choose me, but I held on to the hope that I could avoid being forced to choose between him and Galen by having Essos pick Zara. How am I supposed to know what to do and who to choose? With the knowledge I have, it seems as though Galen is the choice I’m supposed to make. But what about the magnetism I feel toward Essos? Is he somehow influencing my attraction as part of his charade? To make me love him?
“So, what am I supposed to do instead?” I ask, my back still turned to him.
“Pick me. When the time comes, I need you to choose me. I know you haven’t yet, but when you remember, you will love me. I suspect it’s the only way you’ll get your memories back. Your mortal fairytales have it covered quite well with true love’s kiss.”
I spin around to him. “Are youactuallytrying to sway me using aGrey’s Anatomyquote? That moment didn’t work out so well for Meredith,” I say, completely befuddled.
“I know it’s your favorite.”He tries to move into my space but I back away.
“What about Cat and Zara? What happens to them when I pick you?” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth.
“They will be fine. Essos will have to pick his runner-up, and he’ll probably let the other girl stay to help his new bride. Once your memories are back, you’ll be caught up in trying to learn about all that you missed, and your friend will be so busy adjusting to being queen, she won’t have time for you.”
His words leave a sour taste in my mouth. “I need to sleep on this.” I go to walk around him.
Galen slams his fist on the countertop, cracking the marble. “I won’t lose you to him again,damn it,” he hisses, looking at me, eyes flashing red. There are warning bells going off. This level of vehemence is startling, and it feels wrong.
I take another step back.“I want you to know, and remember, that I willnotbe bullied into making any decisions. What I decide tomorrow will bemydecision. If you love me the way you claim to, then you will respect that. Now. Step.Aside,” I say, not breaking eye contact.
He reaches for me again, and once again I step back.
“I’m sorry. I just—I’m terrified of losing you again, forever. It would break me to know that you are just out of reach, and I think that, once you remember, it would break you too.” His voice sounds feeble now, a drastic difference from moments ago.
“I don’t appreciate feeling like you’re pushing me into a decision, and if you keep pushing me, you won’t like the decision I make.” My voice is low and lethal.
Galen holds his hands up and steps aside. “I’m sorry. You’re caught in the middle of a centuries-long sibling rivalry, and I’m terrified to lose you again now that I’ve found you.”
I opt to let him have the final word, shaking my head and leaving him behind in the kitchen to wonder if he’s pushed me too hard.
I am shaking from this interaction, and I don’t say anything to anyone as I walk straight past the group laughing in the living room. Sybil passes me on the stairs. Their small hand reaches out to stop me, but I need to get into my room and away from people. I dodge deftly out of their grip and take the rest of the stairs two at a time.