His heart exploded.
He grabbed her. He hugged her. Her tits mashed against his chest. She smelled like lavender and healing herbs. She was trembling in his arms.
"I will make you happy," he promised. "I bought a house. A small one. In the capital. We will start a new life. Just us. No more dungeons. No more adventures."
"That sounds wonderful," she said into his shoulder.
But Deo didn't see her face.
If he had, he might have seen the flicker in her eyes. The shadow. The thing that looked like panic.
He didn't see it.
He was too happy.
The wedding day arrived.
The house was small. Clean. Deo had painted it himself. Blue shutters. A garden bed. A bed inside with white sheets he had washed three times.
He was in his wedding clothes. A cheap tunic. Clean robes. His hair was combed. He had cast a minor glamour spell to make his skin look clearer.
He waited.
The priest was at the temple. The guests were—well, there weren't many. Just the party. Brutus, Jarek, Kael. And Mira.
