Damian led me to a secret room in the palace even I didn’t know about. It was dark and weapons lined the walls. The floors had mats covering them. This was a soldier training room.

“Woah.” I mumbled.

“Yeah.” Damian replied. “Are you ready?”

“I guess.” I replied.

“Good.” He tossed me a fake knife. “Here’s your first lesson. The element of surprise.” Then he came at me with his own fake knife.

I screamed and swung a punch at him. He ducked and grabbed my waist. In a second, his fake knife was at my neck. I stared up at him and processed what just happened. His onyx eyes met mine.

He smirked at me. “You’re dead.” He said.

“I wasn’t ready.” I argued.

“That’s the point of the element of surprise. You’re not supposed to know. You always have to be ready.”

Then I realized that Damian’s hand was around my waist and our chests were touching. All I could think about was Dane’s hands on me. It made me cringe. I couldn’t handle this.

“Please get off me. I think I got it this time.” I said.

“I doubt it.” He replied, but let go of me.

He went at me again. I shoved my knife out at him. He grabbed my wrist and pushed it away. He simulated the motion of stabbing me. “Dead.”

I glared at him.

We went again and again. Each time, I died. Damian either stabbed me, twisted my neck, or broke my legs and arms. After a while, I was exhausted and wanted to cry.

Damian let me take a break. “How have you learned nothing?” He asked.

I panted and collapsed onto the floor. “What’s the point? You heard my father. This is a waste of my time. I’ll just get a stupid husband who can do it for me.” I mumbled.

He gaped at me. “You heard that?”

“Yeah. Whatever.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter. That’s how most marriages in this kingdom work.” I sighed.

“Really?” Damian looked at me like I was insane.

“Yeah? What does your city do?” I collapsed onto the floor and waited for his reply.

“My city, Bloodwren, is all about love. We believe in finding the right partner and really making sure that that person is the one. There is no going to the parents. There is no match making. It’s about finding true love and keeping it.”

“That sounds nice. How do they do that?” Now I was intrigued. I wanted to know about Bloodwren’s traditions and if they still followed them.

“Well, when someone proposes, they do it with a gift. It’s supposed to be this significant gift that means something to the both of them. It’s all about showing how badly you want to marry that person. I once saw a poor man propose to a girl with a rose. He made a grand speech about how he didn’t have much, but he wanted to give her his life. All of his bad moments and all of the good. It was the most romantic thing I had ever seen.” Damian said. He had a wistful look in his eyes and I wondered if there was more to him than just breaking hearts.

“That is romantic. I want someone to propose to me with a flower.” I said.

“It’s very beautiful.”

I smiled. “What comes next?”

“Well, after the proposal, the couple gives each other weapons. They both give each other something they can protect themselves with as a symbol of trust and support. It’s a way of saying that they will fight for you.” He explained.

“Weapons?”

“Yep. Everyone is Bloodwren knows how to fight. Protection is necessary. We have a lot of enemies.”

“So I hear.” I paused. “Is that it?”

“No. The last thing they do is perform a great service to one another. They do something of great importance. It shows that they will put your needs above their own. It’s a great honor to complete them.”

“That’s nice.”

“I know. At the wedding, the couple gives each other a bit of their blood to bond them forever. It shows love, trust, support, respect, and honor. Every tradition in my culture is related to true love. It’s all about careful decision and trust.”

I smiled wistfully. I could imagine that. I wish I had that option, but I didn’t. I would be forced into a marriage and lost to a broken heart forever. I was doomed. “That sounds nice. I wish I had that chance.” I mumbled.

“Maybe you will.” Damian gave me a reassuring smile.

“Nah. It’s out of my hands now.”

“Well, are there any traditions here that you like?” He asked me and reached out his hand to help me up.

I gracefully took it and, once I was standing, I replied, “Well, there is one Solestian tradition that I’ve always found romantic. Not many people do it anymore because they think it’s old and outdated. Basically, the wedding ceremony takes place at midnight. The wedding ceremony happens, but the couple doesn’t kiss yet. Then they celebrate and dance with the people there and have an amazing time.”

What surprised me was that Damian was listening to every single word I said. He didn’t interrupt me. He just stared at me with his onyx eyes and listened. It felt…nice.

“Then, before sunrise, they head to the ruins of the Sun Palace. Everyone gathers there and the priest makes them restate their vows. Then they share a kiss at sunrise.”

All I ever wanted was the side-splitting, life-changing, end-of-the-world type of love. Yet as I slumped against the wall of the training room, I realized my world was ending, just not in the way I’d hoped.

That was defeating.

Damian suddenly charged at me. I squealed and shoved my fake knife into him. He fell over and smiled. I gasped. “Oh my holy sun. What the heck, Damian?” I cried out.

“Element of surprise.” He replied and smirked, before getting up and brushing away some of the hair that fell into my face. Then I realized that his touch hadn’t sent me cringing away. It felt kinda…pleasant.

Oh my holy suns.