The heavy, suffocating cold that had haunted Elara’s bones since the Shattered Shores was entirely gone.
Instead, a deep, radiating warmth enveloped her, like basking in the midday sun of the southern territories, yet grounded in the immovable strength of the northern mountains. She blinked her eyes open, the heavy, velvet canopy of the royal bedchamber slowly coming into focus. The massive hearth across the room was roaring with a comforting fire, casting dancing golden shadows across the stone walls.
She was wrapped in thick, luxurious furs, but the true source of the intense heat was the massive, heavily scarred body wrapped securely around her.
Valerius was awake. He was propped up on one elbow, his dark hair falling wildly over his broad shoulders, his glowing violet eyes locked
