The vision abruptly disappeared, and I was once again in the present. It must not have lasted for long, or else my prince would have noticed. Wrath pulled out, then pushed in, his breathing ragged against my neck. We were both close, our skin damp and hot. I was nearing my release… but I still swore I felt the aftershocks from the climax in my vision, which only heightened my experience now.
“Goddess above. Don’t stop.”
“Never.”
His words were spoken with the promise of a vow. Wrath rubbed my clit in wicked circles, right where he still thrusted into me, and I came violently. A moment later, he joined me with a harsh curse. My legs trembled as he leaned forward and gently kissed my neck.
As I caught my breath, I stared at the tattoos that had now appeared on our fingers in the present, finally making out the words as the light faded into our skin. The letters were written vertically in rose-gold, from just under my nail to where my finger met my hand.
S
E
M
P
E
R
T
V
V
S
The words were spelled like Roman inscriptions. It took a moment for me to piece together what the Latin said. Forever yours.
Wrath reached around and placed his left hand on mine, revealing the rose-gold ink that now also ran along the entire length of his ring finger. SEMPER TVVS.
Past and present collided and, for a moment, I couldn’t tell which was which.
“Emilia.” His voice was soft, measured. I couldn’t stop staring at the tattoo. I gently tugged my hand from under his and sucked in a breath. This was no illusion or past memory; the same phrase really was inked onto my skin in the here and now.
I held up my hand, twisting it around. “Is this because of the marriage bond?”
Wrath pulled free of my body and turned me until I faced him. “Yes. And no. Did you remember something?”
“I… I’m not sure. I saw us. In the past. Just now.” I moved to the bed and sat, my gaze locked onto the ink. “We were in a dark corridor, making love. And these same words appeared.”
“Do you recall anything else? Anything at all?”
“I had the impression you’d said the words earlier that evening.” I rubbed my temples, suddenly feeling unwell. “Dear goddess above. It was me. Wasn’t it? Not the First Witch. Not Pride’s missing wife. Not some reincarnation. Me. But… how?”
Wrath crouched before me, his hands resting gently on my knees. His touch was not simply meant to soothe and comfort, but to reinforce. As if he could somehow help break the hold the curse had on me. The curse. Heart hammering, I squeezed my eyes shut. The curse…
There was something else there, something niggling around the edges of my memory. Fuzzy and out of focus. Like opening your eyes while under water. A memory was straining to break free, to fight its way back to me. I opened my eyes and focused on the new ink on my finger.
“Has this always been here? Hidden by a glamour?”
“I have a theory, but…” Wrath’s voice trailed off, likely the curse’s fault.
“Who am I?” I demanded. The room was spinning. “What am I? Do you remember?”
It took so long for Wrath to respond that I almost jumped when he spoke.
“For a long time, I didn’t. And if I did, the memory would warp.”
“And now?” My voice was quiet, tense. “Do you remember who I am?”
Wrath’s gold gaze latched on to mine as he slowly nodded. My whole body tensed as I waited. “You are the one she tried to make me hate for eternity. But she failed.” His grip on me tightened slightly, but not painfully, like he was never going to give me up. Unless I wished to leave. “Remember.”
The single word—spoken with authority and pure dominance—kept playing and replaying in my mind, almost spinning wildly like a top out of control. There was something there, in the way he’d commanded me to remember… magic. He’d commanded me through magic.
Wrath was feeding me his power, likely a result of our marriage bond. I sensed the slight trace of Wrath’s magic in the air, deep inside me, and gripped onto it, wanting—more than anything—to understand how I could be both enemy and lover. How I could have ever forgotten.
My heart thundered in my chest, too strong, too powerfully. Something was wrestling and fighting within me, something that was snarling and feral—something that wanted to break free. Our power seemed to merge, to braid together, creating new magic. Strong magic. A well of power too enormous to be contained. It was fire and ice and full of rage and passion. Whatever spell or curse or lock that was on my mind cracked. I cried out as magic flooded my system, lighting me up from within.