Jonas~~

When they release Iris from Odette's cell is when the Veil unchain me from the chair. They don't remove the gag and instead of freeing my arms, they only unchain my hands from the chair to secure them together by my wrists behind my back.

On the screen before us, Iris is held by two Veil. From this chamber we were able to hear everything the two said to each other.

Iris is still standing.

She didn't allow herself to crumble before Odette, the subject of her nightmares.

Leorus Moretti tilts his head, observing me as if this whole setup was to study me and not Iris. That in hurting her, their intention was to hurt me.

If fate was kinder, I'd kill him.

"Ungag him," Leorus orders, and a Veil works to undo the knot at the back of my head.

I stare back at Moretti, letting him read my Expiration Date in my eyes. "Bastard."

Leorus leans back in his chair and takes a sip of his amber liqueur. "Oh would you like some?"

"If you want to hurt me, then hurt me. Leave her out of this."

Another sip.

"Whip me. Stone me. Whatever you want. She deserves none of this."

Another sip. His eyes regard me coolly. "I was planning to free the both of you, but if that is what you really want . . ."

"What?"

He passes his empty glass to a Veil. "I made a deal with my son. It seems he refuses to marry Gwen if I have her brother killed."

"My khaleedessa?" I breath. "I don't want her wrapped up in this."

"Even if it ensures yours and that girl's life?"

"Gwen is being forced to marry Alastair?"

"Nothing of the sort, but I can't imagine she'd refuse his offer."

"You're allowing us to go home?"

He nods. "Stripped of your title."

The ground lurches under me.

"If you wish to return to Elleany as its Preeminence, you'll have to convince the other Orders to reinstate you. Or you can go home now and marry your bride in disgrace."

I don't want to lose my title, but I fear losing Iris more.

"I'll give you a chance to think it over."

Three Veil lead me from the room to outside the prison and into the vehicle that brought Iris and I here.

She's inside, and all I want to do is wrap her in my arms and never let go.

Her eyes lock with mine. We can go home. We can marry.

A Veil unlocks my handcuffs while another shoves me inside and the third slams the door behind me.

Iris takes my face in her hands. "Are you all right?"

I grasp one of her hands. "Am I all right? What about you?"

She closes her eyes before nodding. "Yes. I—I think I needed to see her. To face her."

"Did they hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine." She helps to pull me into a more upright position. "Are they taking us back to their estate?"

"I don't know." The vehicle begins moving. "They're letting us return home."

The graveness leaves her face, and even in the dark, her face manages to light up. She clutches my hand. "Then we'll need to go back. For your brother, Vienna, and Percy. And probably Andrew and Basile too, don't you think?"

I move onto the seat and draw her up beside me. "Amoria should take care of my cousin and his husband. As for my brother and Vienna, I don't expect they're ready to return home."

She's silent for a few moments before she says, "Amoria won't interfere in our wedding?"

I brush the back of my finger along her cheek. "They won't."

"And your title?"

I still. She won't want to accept it for my sake, but not telling her would mean lying to her.

"Jonas?"

I draw my hand back. "My title has been revoked."

"No." She shakes her head. "That's not fair."

"They're letting us return home alive. They're letting us still marry."

She flinches. "Don't you realize I'd marry you even if everyone else told us no?"

"That's not . . . What I mean is that we should accept this offer and, well, be grateful to even leave."

"Grateful? They were the ones who took from us. We owe them nothing, especially not gratitude. What will it take for them to acknowledge your title?"

"The other Orders will have to side with me."

Something like fear flashes across her face, and I recall Odette's words to her that the Orders would want to display her.

"They wouldn't do that to you. The other Orders aren't like this one. But, Iris, we absolutely don't have to do this. We can go home."

"No, we do. You're going to leave Amoria as Preeminence. They don't get to take anything more from us. They don't get to have the last laugh. I won't let them."

*****

When a mansion smaller than Leorus's appears outside the windows, I realize the Preeminence does not intend for us to return to his home.

"Where are we?" Iris asks.

"A house of my family's."

The vehicle stops before the front door of the mansion. I hear a click, and the vehicle's door allows me to open it. Once Iris and I have stepped outside and the door is shut, it drives off, leaving us alone in front of what is a very old house. Lights in the sconces on the walls flicker, and I think that at least they had the power turned on. The stone has turned spotted from water, and all of the windows on the three stories are dirty.

Besides for upkeepONLYONWATTPADBENDERevery few months, it's only stocked with food when one of my family will be using it. I was the last to be in residence when I was here asking for permission to marry Iris.

In one of the sconces near the door, I find a key. It's rusted but it still turns in the lock. As I push open the door, it creaks, and I click a button for the lights, letting out a breath when they flicker on, illuminating the hall made of dark wood that is newer than the house, otherwise it'd be rotted. The marble floors need a polish, and there are stains here and there over the surface.

As we walk down the hall, Iris asks, "How old is this place?"

"It was built long before my family took over what was the United States. The majority of my ancestors went to Earth and now the few ancestral homes around Amoria are only used when one of us visits."

The hallway leads us into the dining room. On the other side of the once grand table is a large hearth. Above it is a tarnished silver wall piece forming the symbol for Borilia with Amorian letters cutting across it to write: Mortelixiri.

Iris tilts her head, pursing her lips. "What does that mean?"

"When the first Preeminence of Elleany married a human, he took her last name and so did the rest of the Society."

"Mortelixiri. It's a . . ."

"Mouthful?"

She nods.

"Hence why he took her last name." That and he thought itONLYONWATTPADBENDERwould help them fit in with their new surroundings.

"Jonas Regulus Astrophel Mortelixiri Blackwood?"

Grimacing, I run a hand through my hair and feel myself blush. "That's me. Awful, right?"

She steps closer to me, and I wrap my arm around her, pulling her against me. "It's you," she says. "So I love it, but maybe let's name our kids something shorter." At the mention of children, my hand tightens on her waist. What will they look like? Will they . . . love me or fear me? Will they be given all the time in the world or only mere moments?

Wanting to block those thoughts out, I lean down and kiss her on the lips, and when I pull away, there is a light in her green eyes.

"When we're married, do I get both your last names?"

"It's not really one we put on birth certificates. It's more of an honorary name. You can use it, but you don't have to."

Her lips inch up. "So when were you going to tell me about this name?"

I shrug. "To be honest, it's not a name I think of often. Even less than I do my middle names. I'm a Blackwood; Mortelixiri doesn't feel like me. Are you still certain you don't want to hold onto Levine?"

She pulls out one of the chairs. "This isn't going to collapse, is it?"

"It shouldn't."

She sinks down onto it and lets out a sigh. "It's one of the only things I have from my parents, but it's also something I share with my aunt and uncle." Who didn't want her. "All my life my last name has made me feel disconnected from others. But when I take yours, I'm not only gaining you as family. I'm gaining your Order and their sisters and more people than I could possibly ever remember the names of."

I pull out the chair beside her. "You don't know how happy it makes me to have you be a part of my family."

She leans forward, brushing away strands of my hair that have fallen across my forehead. "Iris Blackwood. I do like it a lot, you know."

I smile, taking in this beautiful woman who one day soon I will get to call my wife. "If you wanted, when your name changes, you could always give yourself a middle name."

"I have no idea what it would possibly be." She pauses taking in the room around us. "Where to first?"

I take her hand in mine and place a kiss on her knuckles. "A place that happens to actually like me. Odalia."

Would you be interested in a Spotify playlist for the series? I don't think I've ever made a public playlist before but I think I would then be able to add songs as I go, and you could see what songs are inspiring chapters before I post them.