Inglesha sat in the garden. She gripped her groom’s cloak tighter around her shoulders and tried to hold back a sob. She hadn’t taken it off since Jesuha had taken her place three days ago. The king had kept his promise; showered her with love and affection, placing the whitest dress on her and making sure she never felt alone. Even now, the king sat with her in the garden, a hand around her shoulders, pulling her into him.

The sun had just peeked over the horizon, a beautiful sunrise painted the sky when a door opened behind them, breaking the quiet. Inglesha kept crying until she heard the newcomer speak: “It is finished.”

She spun around so fast she almost fell off the bench. Jesuha stood there in the morning light shining like a second sun. Crying out, she leaped over the bench and into his arms. The king also stood up and placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, a smile lighting up his face. “Welcome back, my son.”

Jesuha smiled at him before turning back to his bride. “Hey beautiful,” he whispered making her cry harder. He placed his hand under her chin and tipped it up. His thumb brushed across her cheeks, wiping away her tears. “No more of those.”

She found her voice. “How? How are you not dead?”

“I was. But because Apollyon took an innocent person with him, the contract was broken. I was free. So I returned to you.”

“Why? Why did you do it?”

He brushed her hair back and stared at his beautiful bride. “Because you are worth it. You are to die for, so I will. And I would do it again if it meant keeping you safe.” He kissed her then. All his love for his bride poured out and the world became new.