Read Online Scorched - Book Four - The Surrender Series by Melody Anne - Free Book Online Page A

dangerous enough. She knew her maid would search for her, though, so she held his head in her lap, calling out every hour or so, hoping someone would come to their rescue.”
    “Is this true?” Ari gasped as she hung on his words.
    “Yes; now listen,” he said before kissing her nose. “The prince was in horrific pain, but the sound of her voice gave him something else to focus on. They spoke the entire night, and he fell deeply in love with her without knowing his father had plans already in place for their union. When the morning light came, search parties found both of them, safely pulling them from the ravine. They were only fourteen at the time, but that was nearly marrying age back then.”
    “That’s horrible,” Ari said, shocked at even thinking of a fourteen-year-old marrying.
    “It was the way things were back then. It was a different time. They weren’t scheduled to wed for three years, though. Over the next three years, they spent much time together, falling even more deeply in love. The day of their wedding, the prince held the necklace in his hand, anticipating placing it on her neck and finally making love to his bride. It wasn’t often that royalty married for love, and he felt truly blessed that he would get to have it all.”
    “Oh, this is special,” Ari sighed, running her fingers along the necklace.
    “So they wed, and he was even more in love than ever.”
    “Is there more?” Ari asked, almost afraid to know. She didn’t want her necklace marred.
    “The rest of the story doesn’t matter,” he hedged.
    “Now, I must know,” she insisted.
    “She grew pregnant almost immediately, and their marriage was happy even when war broke out within their country. The prince went to defend his land, and she was so afraid he wouldn’t return, but he did the night she went into labor. He was filled with joy to be there for the birth of their first child.”
    Rafe turned for a moment, and Ari’s stomach tightened, knowing she didn’t want to hear the rest. Let the story just end on a happy note, she prayed silently.
    “She didn’t live through the birth, but a healthy baby girl was born. The prince was devastated by the loss of his wife, and at first refused to even hold his child, blaming the baby for taking his beautiful wife. Then his daughter cried out, and as he looked down at his wife, at her flawless skin, a slight smile on her lips, he knew he would love their daughter as much as he would always love his wife.”
    “Breaking the tradition of passing the necklace down to the oldest son of the family, the prince gave their daughter the necklace when she reached the age of fourteen, the same age he’d met her mother. He told her the story of their love, though he was now remarried and had sons. He told her to pass it down to her oldest daughter and never to forget the story of their love, never to let his princess die. She would live forever through this token of his love for her. The owner of the antique jewelry store received the necklace from the last heir, along with the story, which was written down. The final woman in the line had not married, had not produced a daughter to pass the necklace down to. The only stipulation she’d given the woman I purchased the necklace from was that it go only to someone truly in love. It must be a wedding gift, and the story must live on, she told me.”
    Tears streamed down Ari’s cheeks as she touched the precious gift around her neck. She felt connected to the princess who’d died far too young. Nothing would ever compare to this present.
    Yes, there had been tragedy connected with the necklace, but there had also been great love. The love is what she would focus on — what she needed to focus on.
    Her relationship with Rafe was similar. There had been heartbreak and pain, but also pleasure and love. The love — the passion — the comfort she felt in Rafe’s arms was what was important. If she thought back to the pain, her heart would