The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“I imagine. I don’t know for sure. It has never…gotten to
that point before.”
Another wave of disbelief swept through me. “And you’d
be willing to walk away? To possibly let what has never
happened before occur?”
“Yes,” he said, again without even a moment of
hesitation. “I do not want to be party to forcing you into yet
another role you did not ask for nor desire. I will not replace
the veil you loathed with a crown you hate. If you do not
want to take the Crown, I will support you,” he swore, and
the intensity in his words captured me. The irrevocable oath
he was making. “And if you decide you want to take what is
yours, claim the throne, I will set this entire kingdom on fire
and watch it burn if that ensures that the crown sits on your
head.”
I jolted. “You love your people—”
“But I love you more.” Flecks of gold burned brightly in
his eyes, churning restlessly. “Do not underestimate what I
would or would not do to ensure your happiness. I think you
know this by now. There is nothing that I wouldn’t do, Poppy.
Nothing.”
I did. Gods, he’d already done the unthinkable by
Ascending me, but he’d been prepared for me to become a
vampry. He would’ve fought anyone and everyone who
came near him to keep me alive, even if I became a
monster. I didn’t doubt him now.
“This is about you, about what you’re comfortable with
and what you want,” he continued. “No one is going to force
this choice on you. It will be your call, and then we will deal
with whatever may or may not happen. Together.”
A soft tremble worked its way through me. I didn’t doubt
what he said. I didn’t underestimate him. I was at a loss for
what to say as I stared at him in silence, utterly
overwhelmed. That kind of devotion? His promise? It was…it
was life-altering.
And maybe the truth was that I wasn’t worthy of him.