VERA’S POV

I stood in front of the mirror, barely breathing as my maid adjusted the final clasp of the ceremonial robe.

The fabric shimmered in silver and crimson, colors of both House Nightshade and Shadowmere, now joined in unity. A woven belt of leather and embroidered gold lay at my waist, symbolizing both strength and legacy.

Tonight, I wouldn’t just be claiming a mate, I would be claiming a crown.

Without warning, the door creaked open. I turned, expecting my maid. Instead, it was Lucien.

He stepped inside and shut the door behind him without a word. He looked… undone. Not messy, but open. His jacket hung loose around his shoulders, his hair slightly tousled like he’d run a hand through it too many times.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” I said, but my voice lacked conviction.

“I couldn’t stay away,” he replied, crossing the room. “Not tonight.”

We stood there for a long moment.

Just staring, without saying anything. Then he crossed the room and pulled me into him without hesitation.

His mouth met mine, and all the tension, all the doubts, all the pain—melted.

We kissed like the world had stopped spinning. Like the war between us had ended. Like all that remained was fire and breath and this moment.

His hands slid along my waist, finding the ties at the back of my robe. Mine tugged at the collar of his shirt, fingers brushing against skin that felt cooler than I remembered.

We undressed each other slowly, reverently, like we were unwrapping a promise.

My back hit the edge of the vanity, and I gasped as his lips moved from my mouth to the side of my neck. I could feel his heart beating against mine, wild and desperate.

But somewhere between his touch and the heat rising in my chest, my mind wandered.

To Celene. To the temptation that had been placed so carefully in his path, and how he hadn’t given in.

Not once.

He’d chosen me, even in my absence. Even in my silence. That was loyalty. That was love.

For the first time in days, I realized I had forgiven him, not in part, but fully, deep in the marrow of my bones. Because I finally understood what it meant to navigate power and alliances. What it meant to wear a crown and still ache like a woman.

Just as his lips grazed my collarbone, the door creaked open again. We turned sharply, breathless, flushed, clothes half-peeled. Lady Vela stood there, with Neressa beside her. Both frozen in place.

I blinked, scrambling to wrap the robe back around myself, heat rising to my cheeks. “Do you know how to knock?”

Lady Vela stepped inside, clearing her throat with a tight smile. “We… heard you were here.”

“Well, clearly.”

Lucien adjusted his shirt silently, standing behind me now, quiet but alert.

Neressa was the first to speak. Her voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “We came to ask… for forgiveness.”

My heart stuttered. “You what?”

“We were wrong,” Lady Vela said plainly. “About you. About everything. Lucien told us what he should’ve told us years ago. You never deserved what we gave you.”

I searched her face for sarcasm or some hidden sting but there was none. Just plain regret.

“I’m not the girl who left Shadowmere,” I said, my voice measured.

“I know,” Lady Vela replied. “But I still remember her, and I see now she was worth so much more than we gave.”

“Why now?” I asked. “Why are you saying this now?”

“Because we were afraid,” Neressa said quietly. “Afraid of your power, afraid of what you represented. We thought if we could break you down, we could control what threatened us.”

“And now?”

“Now we know,” Lady Vela said, “that you’re going to be our Queen. And we want to serve you properly this time.”

Silence hung between us. Then I nodded. “I forgive you.”

Lady Vela blinked quickly. Neressa looked like she didn’t know how to process the words.

“Thank you,” Lady Vela whispered. “We won’t waste this chance.”

“See that you don’t,” I said, but my voice was gentle.

Before anyone could say more, my maid stepped into the doorway.

“Your Highness,” she said, bowing slightly. “It’s time.”

***

The bonding hall shimmered with moonlight spilling through stained-glass panels. At its center stood the ritual circle, lined with ancient runes and ceremonial stones, once used by queens who’d come before me.

Now it was my turn.

Lucien and I walked in together, hands joined, steps in sync.

The crowd silenced immediately.

The King stood off to the side, flanked by Council members and coven lords from across the territories.

I could feel their gazes tracking my every move. Lucien stopped with me at the center of the ring.

The High Priestess stepped forward, her voice like thunder wrapped in velvet. “Tonight, before the eyes of the Ancient Blood and the Laws of Night, we witness the bonding of two vampires: Vera Nightshade, Daughter of the Crown, and Lucien Dareth, Lord-born of Shadowmere.”

The air crackled.

She turned to me first. “Do you accept this bond freely, with no coercion or force?”

I looked at Lucien, and smiled. “I do.”

She turned to him. “And you, Lucien Dareth?”

His voice didn’t waver. “I do.”

The High Priestess raised her hands. “Then may the Ancient Blood bless your union with strength, unity, and eternal flame.”

We stepped closer, palms joined.

She tied the ceremonial cloth around our joined wrists, a loop of gold and crimson, and pressed a silver blade to both of our thumbs. A single drop of blood from each of us fell into the carved basin between the stones.

The runes flared, and crimson light soared upward. Vampires hissed in approval as the bond snapped into place. The Council wasted no time.

As the scent of burning herbs and sacred oils faded, the King stepped forward and called the Council to vote.

“Now that Princess Vera has taken a mate, she is eligible to claim the title of Queen of Shadowhold and High Lady of the Unified Covens,” he announced. “Let each council member step forward and cast your mark.”

One by one, they approached the ceremonial stone, pressing their mark upon the scroll laid flat across its surface.

My pulse echoed in my ears. Lucien held my hand the entire time. Finally, the Priestess returned with the scroll.

She cleared her throat. “The votes have been counted.”

I held my breath.

“With a majority vote, the Council hereby recognizes Vera Nightshade as Queen of Shadowhold and High Lady of the Unified Covens.”

Screams of joy and cheers erupted like a wildfire.

Vampires hissed and applauded. The crowd surged. Emotion shattered through me in a tidal wave.

The King reached for me and pulled me into a fierce embrace. “You’ve earned every piece of this.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, breath caught in my throat.