the two lanterns he’d brought. A blue one for himself and a red one for me, tied together by a simple red thread.

“So I don’t lose you in the dark,” he explained when I traced the thread with my fingers.

“You’ll never lose me, Bushi’an Takkan,” I replied. “Be it bright or dark, you are the light that makes my lantern shine.”

"His heart is my home, and—”

“—where you are is where I belong,” he said together with me. He looked down at our wrists, the red strands still visible, their ends knotted. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

"His Eternal Highness Seryu’ginan reminds us..."

"The dragons wish her to live.”

“I like the ending to your story,” I whispered. “I wish it were how ours ended.”

Takkan lowered his eyes. They were wet as he pressed his hand into mine, and his voice was husky with emotion. “We are bound, remember? If you have no heart, I will give you half of mine. If you have no spirit, I will bind yours to mine.”

“I am the end of your string,” Takkan reminded me. “No matter how long it stretches, so long as you want me, I will never let go.”

"What kind of stories?” I probed. “I want stories too.”

“Most were about you.”

Oh.

“I missed you when you were in Ai’long,” Takkan said. “Telling stories about you helped.”

“I wondered why you mysteriously vanished.”

“I bought bandages and ointment for your arm,” he replied

“Smells awful.”

“That’s why I waited until you’d finished eating.”

“I should’ve known it was you,” Takkan murmured, his eyelids blearily peeling open.

“What?” I scooted closer worriedly. “What did you say?”

“All those uneven stitches you made on me.” The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Same as in the apology tapestry you sent. That should’ve been my hint that it was you, Shiori.”

Your fate is bound to mine now,” I whispered, my lips against his. “Your heart is my own, and where you are is my home. Whatever we face, we face it together.”

“Together,” he echoed firmly. “Always.”

Takkan was the end of my string. No matter how far my kite wandered, it would always find its way back to him. And though the impossible still awaited us, my heart rested a little easier knowing he would never let go

"Are you sure you want to link your fate to mine?” he questioned. “A lord of the third rank from a wasteland so far north that the sun is but a pebble in the sky?”

My cheeks heated with shame. Those were my words. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Amusement edged his voice. “I know.”

“Takkan…”

"Your brothers warned me that a lifetime with you would mean plenty of jabs to my pride. But my love for you is far greater than pride, Shiori. Far greater than anything.” He tilted his head and held me in a tender gaze. “Now, what did you say about finishing the ceremony?”

"No,” said Takkan simply. “You didn’t run out on me. You ran out with me. It’s quite different.”

“I know it’s been years,” he said, the tempo of his words accelerating a nervous notch, “and you never had any say when we were children, but I wanted to ask you now, before we—”

“Stop rambling, Takkan,” I blurted. “Are you asking if I’ll marry you?”

I’d rendered him speechless, at least for a second. He recovered admirably, and I wanted to kick myself for being an impulsive fool. But fool or not, I was still curious.

“I was going to ask more formally,” he said slowly, “if you’d…if you’d be betrothed to me.” He flashed a wry grin. “I suppose, in the end, the meaning is the same.”

“Yes.”

He rose and hoisted me up with both arms, holding me close so our noses touched, and his breath tickled my lips.

“Are you finally going to kiss me?” I murmured cheekily.

Takkan touched my chin, and I half closed my eyes, ready for him to lean in and take my breath away. Only he chuckled softly. “You’ll find out tomorrow,” he replied, with equal cheekiness.

On my nose he burned a kiss into my skin, then set me down. “Incentive to actually show up this time.”

Incentive it was. I didn’t take Takkan for the sly and brazen sort, but he must have learned a lesson from me. I liked it. “I’ll be there.”

"I’ll not stand by and watch you put yourself in danger, Shiori, not ever again. Whether I am your husband, your betrothed, or simply your friend.”

"You’re not my bodyguard.”

“I’m not,” he agreed. “I’m your betrothed. Officially again, as of tonight—which means you can’t dismiss me.” He settled in a corner. “Go to sleep"

"the thought that you might stay in Ai’long kept me up more nights than I’d like to admit,” Takkan replied. “They say the waters of Ai’long have a way of muddying the mind—even erasing the past. I worried you might forget me.”

"Then I’m coming with you. I’ll not have you dealing with more dragons alone.”

“I wasn’t alone. I had—”

“Seryu.” Takkan flinched. “I know.”

I cocked my head. That wasn’t a reaction I’d seen from Takkan before. “I had Kiki too.” I poked, “Don’t tell me you were jealous of Seryu.”

Takkan shifted uneasily, and I couldn’t help it—the imp in me enjoyed seeing how uncomfortable he looked. “You were jealous!”

“He’s a dragon prince,” admitted Takkan with an exhale. “A dragon prince who whisked you away to his underwater kingdom. And he was clearly attached to you.”

“Attached?” I echoed. “How would you know—you didn’t even speak to him.”

“I would have, had I the chance.” Takkan’s tone was steely, which made me hide a smile. “Anyone could see he cared for you. Your brothers certainly did.”

Oh, I could just envision it. Reiji and Yotan preying on poor Takkan

"I am stuffy. And older than you.”

“Only by a year.” I grinned at the face he made. “Still miss the sound of me?”

Takkan traced the dimple that had appeared on my left cheek. “Always.”

Takkan was still smiling. “Then laugh,” he said in all seriousness. “I’ve missed the sound of you"

A smile spread across Takkan’s face, and I knew I wasn’t imagining the mist that suddenly touched his eyes. “I’m only out of breath from seeing you again, Shiori.”

Shiori. The way he said my name hadn’t changed, like the first notes to a song he loved to sing

I grabbed Takkan by the hand, towing him out of the chamber. “Run!” I whispered once we were out the door.

Takkan asked, rightfully, “Why are we running?”

"Because we can,” I replied between breaths. “Because I’ve been a thousand fathoms beneath the sea for the past week. Because my father told me to act as though nothing has happened, and this is the first thing the old Shiori would have done.”

"I see,” he replied. Then he winked. “Race you!”

Ahead he sped, and I ran too, shouting after him, “You don’t even know where we’re going!”

“I have an idea.” He didn’t stop, and curse him, he was going in the right direction.

I had eyes only for Takkan. Kiki was right: at the sight of me, he nearly toppled off his rosewood stool. He rushed to stand and join the ministers in a uniform bow.

“Not you,” I said, pulling him up by the arm.

I regarded my father’s officials, overlooking their furrowed brows and fallen jaws. “I’m borrowing Bushi’an Takkan for the rest of the afternoon,” I declared. “Carry on without him.”