The celebration lasted until the morning. Amaya moved away from it and left. Ciaran took her to his chambers.
"I'm going to sleep in my bed," Amaya said.
"Okay," Ciaran said coldly.
"Are you mad at me?" Amaya wondered.
"No," replied Ciaran. "Should I be?"
"You have no reason or right to be upset. I just told you the truth," said Amaya. "This is not a blessing from the gods, but a curse."
"I just don't understand you," said Ciaran. "One moment you're sweet and I feel like there's something between us and then you're suddenly so cold and cruel."
"I am what I am and you either accept it or let me go," Amaya snapped.
"And you want it?" Ciaran asked her. "To leave?"
"And would you let me go if I wanted to?" she answered with a question.
"No," replied Ciaran. "Because I know you don't really want to."
Amaya angrily turned her back on him and went to her chambers.
Crown Prince Enzo was lying on her bed. As she entered the room he sat down and stared at her with ferocity in his eyes.
"How did you get here, Your Highness?" Amaya asked him irritated.
"I'm the crown prince," His Highness replied. "There is no place in this kingdom that I am not allowed to enter."
"So now there is," Amaya said. "To my chambers."
"You can't command me," said Prince Enzo.
"I think your father, King Mael, would certainly not be happy to find out where you spent the night," Amaya remarked with a mischievous smile.
"I don't think you would tell him," Prince Enzo replied with a challenge in his eyes. "You fight your battles alone."
"But that doesn't mean I won't use it against you," Amaya said.
"You are not playing fair," said Prince Enzo.
"I just play well with whatever cards life deals me," Amaya replied. "It's not my fault you're giving me an advantage."
Prince Enzo stood up from her bed and approached her. He pushed her against the wall. They stood as close to each other as the skirt of her dress would allow.
"What do you want, Your Highness?" Amaya asked him a question.
"You, Miss," he replied.
"I think it's too late to ask for my hand in marriage, now that I'm married to your brother, who's in the next room," Amaya said.
"I only care about your body. I never had a witch," said Prince Enzo.
Amaya laughed lightly. "And what will I get out of it?" she asked him. "I don't give anything for free."
"And what did my bastard brother pay for it?" asked the crown prince.
"He had nothing to offer me, but you, the royal throne awaits you," said Amaya.
"So you want a crown. That's probably the only thing I can't give you."
"In that case, I'm afraid I have nothing to offer you, Your Highness."
Amaya pushed him away and went back to Prince Ciaran's chambers.
"I'll be here waiting for you if you change your mind," Prince Enzo called after her.
Ciaran was not in his chambers. She didn't know where he went. Maybe it was better that he wasn't there. On a day that should have been joyful, there was tension between them that divided them.
Amaya laid down in his bed, the huge skirt spread out around her. She looked at her new sign adorning her wrist. She had no idea what the bond meant. She had no idea what it would bring. But she was sure it was no good.
Her eyes were already blinking when Ciaran came out of the bathroom. Wet strands of hair fell into his dark eyes. He had no clothes on. His toned body was admirable. He looked surprised to see Amaya in his bed.
"What are you doing here?" he asked her, uncertainty in his voice.
"I guess I'll be sleeping in your bed tonight since my bed is occupied," she tried to say, not attracted by what she saw.
"Who's in your bed?" Ciaran asked her irritated.
Amaya noticed his tension at the mention of someone else in her bed. She hesitated whether to tell him.
"Your brother Enzo," she finally answered.
Ciaran put on his clothes and strode furiously into her bedroom. Amaya hastily stepped behind him to stop him from doing anything stupid.
Prince Enzo was lying on Amaya's bed. Ciaran grabbed him and threw him to the ground. Laughing, Enzo got back to his feet.
"Haven't you had enough today, brother?" he said.
"You don't go near her!" Ciaran told him with venom on his tongue.
"You weren't planning to spend the night with her anyway, so it can't be a problem if I replace you today." Enzo grinned.
Ciaran grabbed him by the shirt and threw him against the wall. Enzo kept laughing. He clearly enjoyed provoking his brother.
"You should be careful, little brother. You know how easy it is to slightly exaggerate an attack on the crown prince."
Ciaran backed away from him reluctantly, but the flame of fury still burned in his eyes. Prince Enzo smoothed his shirt. His lips curled into a mischievous grin.
"I see you've finally learned where your place is," he said.
Suddenly, something pulled him to the ground. Amaya screamed. "No!" A shadow composed of thick, black darkness pushed him to the ground. It was grinning its sharp fangs at him. It dug its razor-like claws into his throat but did not cut the skin. It stopped its attack as Amaya screamed, but it was still ready to rip to pieces.
"Call off that monster of yours!" Prince Enzo ordered strangled. As he spoke the shadow tightened its grip even more.
"Leave him alone!" Amaya commanded her shadow.
The shadow released its grip and dissolved into the darkness from which it had formed. The Crown Prince rose to his feet and adjusted himself to regain his pride. However, suppressed fear was reflected in his eyes.
"What the hell was that?" he asked.
"Trust me you'd rather not know, Your Highness," Amaya replied.
Prince Enzo rushed out of her chambers. Ciaran looked at her startled. Silently demanded an explanation. Even Amaya herself would like to know it.
"I thought you couldn't control it." Ciaran cut the silence between them.
"I can't, that's why it attacked your brother so unexpectedly," Amaya replied in shock. "I'm honestly surprised he's not dead and even more surprised my shadow defended you. How is it possible that you were able to sway my shadow to your side?" she did not understand.
"Because, apparently, even your shadow understands that the two of us belong together, only you don't want to admit it," said Ciaran.
"It definitely has something to do with this," she pointed to the mark that adorned their wrists. "There is no other explanation for it. Nothing makes sense to me anymore."
Amaya sat down on the ground. She lay down. The skirt of her dress was like a mattress. Ciaran held out his hand to her, which she accepted. He pulled her back on her feet. He held her in his arms. With a gentle touch, he tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear.
"You will sleep with me today," he said.
"No." Amaya refused. "Your brother is already gone and my bed is free. And you have your own bed."
"Your bloodthirsty shadow just attacked the crown prince, I think I'll stay with you and make sure my father doesn't try to burn you," Ciaran said.
Amaya laughed. "Do you think you could do anything about it?" she shot him a challenging look. "You're forgetting the fact that I can't die and I'm the one with the bloodthirsty shadow."
Ciaran took another tiny step towards her. He let the distance between them disappear. "I'm afraid you have no choice," he told her. "Either you sleep in my bed or I sleep in yours. Either way, we'll be sleeping in the same bed, little goddess."
"Force me, little prince," Amaya told him.
Ciaran kissed her. Amaya kissed him back. She tore his shirt off him. Ciaran turned her back to him and slowly began to unbutton her dress. He made sure it was as slow as possible. He gradually revealed more and more of her bare skin. He was kissing her back. As he pulled the dress off her shoulders, he kissed her shoulders and neck. A soft moan escaped Amaya's lips.
She turned to him. Fierce and passion played in his eyes. "You don't have to be gentle with me," she told him. "I'm not a porcelain doll that you break. You don't have to be careful with me. I want to see the darkness."
"I didn't even plan to be gentle, just enjoying every bit of you," Ciaran replied.
They lay in bed looking at each other. Their eyes were absorbed into each other. The sunlight was already creeping into the world. Amaya gently caressed the wound on his eyebrow. He was hurt all over the body.
"Who did this to you?" she asked him.
"It doesn't matter," he replied.
"Ciaran," Amaya demanded an answer. "I think I can worry about my husband."
"So you acknowledge me as your husband?" Ciaran grinned.
He wanted to kiss her, but Amaya pulled away.
"No touching until you answer."
"It is a tradition that the king has the right of the first night. I fought so that no one but me could touch you. Never," he replied.
"You want to usurp me for yourself?" Amaya laughed.
"You're all mine," said Ciaran. "I don't want anyone else touching you."
"And what makes you think anyone else would be able to survive one night with me?"