Page 299 of Elemental Becoming

I narrow my eyes. “Are you absolutely sure?”

He exhales, half amusement, half exasperation.

“Amara.”

I glance down at the ring again.

“Because it really feels like a proposal, Thane.”

“If I were proposing, you’d know,” he says smoothly, and the look in his eyes makes it impossible to dismiss the comment as teasing.

I lift my gaze back to his, the magics in the ring still thrumming against my palm.

“Would I?”

He leans in slightly, his voice lower, meant just for me.

“You would,” he murmurs. “And when that moment comes, you won’t have to ask.”

When. Not if. For one impossible moment, I can almost see it.

I stare at him for a moment before looking back down at the ring.

“What does it mean?” I ask softly.

Thane’s thumb brushes along my knuckles, his voice skimming across me like a caress.

“That I will stand with you. That I will fight beside you. That no matter what comes, I am yours. Always.”

He watches me, reading every reaction, waiting for me to understand.

Then, as if to make sure I do, he leans in. His lips brush against mine, as though he’s sealing this promise with something more than words.

I melt into the kiss, into the familiar comfort of him, the magics of the ring still pulsing in my palm.

When he pulls back, his fingers slide into my hair, cradling the back of my neck. The gesture is possessive in the gentlest way. His thumb traces the curve of my ear, and I lift my free hand to his face, brushing my fingers along the line of his jaw.

His eyes soften, and for a moment, neither of us speaks. We simply sit there, holding on to one another.

Then I lean forward, and he meets me halfway. When our lips meet again, the kiss is deeper. A promise met with a promise.

When we part, I glance down at the ring again. The dark metal rests against my skin, the magics within it still thrumming in time with something deep inside me.

A soft breathless laugh leaves my lips. “This still feels like a proposal.”

I lift my gaze back to Thane.

Thane chuckles under his breath, the golden flecks in his eyes dancing like embers stirred by the wind.

“Then I suppose you’ll just have to wait and see what an actual one looks like.”

The amusement in his eyes lingers for a moment before his attention drops to the ring.

“It goes further than that,” he adds. “This isn’t just about standing beside you in battle, Amara.”

His fingers close around mine.

“No matter where in the realm you go, I can find you.”