Page 99 of Crown of Wings and Whispers

“What? Ye’ll sic yer man on me? Go ahead.”

Zing!A blade had left its scabbard. I knew I should speak up and break up the fight, but I was busy trying to hold my heart together. Though I was numb, I had a vague thought--I didn’t want blood spilled at my wedding any more than I wanted a rapist in my honeymoon cabin.

Now I had to decide if I wanted a wedding at all.

After a long silence, Archer spoke quietly.“He must bind her to him in any way he can. If we’re lucky, he’ll plant a babe in her belly. Anything to keep her loyal. Anything to circumvent what Moire saw. All our lives depend upon it, Persephone. That includes yours, mine, Lennon’s, Griffon’s. It includes every life out there. My ma. That includes yer man’s.”

I could hear them breathing heavily, then the swish of cloth and the click of fast-moving heels filled the hallway and faded, followed by a slower set of boots, leaving me alone again in the quiet.

I didn’t dare think. I could barely breathe. I kept clinging to three little words.

He loves her…

He loves her…

He loves her, so it shouldn’t matter that he didn’t intend to marry her?

He’d claimed me. Was that the Fae equivalent? So a civil, mortal marriage was redundant, but was it meaningless? Just a way to reinforce sentiment on my part?

No. What I really wanted to know was how much he’d protested. Had it taken all of Christmas Day to convince him? Had the ring honestly belonged to his real mother?

I stared at my hand. The piece was very old. Very, very old. But it didn’t matter if he’d been telling the truth about the ring. The point was, it wasn’t the universe tearing us apart this time, it was Griffon.

I glanced at my bouquet. The green center points of the Star of Bethlehem blossoms stood out against the white of the ranunculus.Honesty. Honesty. Honesty.And in the depths, the tiny green berries of the seeded eucalyptus symbolizedprotection…

So, every life out there depended upon my loyalty to Griffon. If I hadn’t cracked that door open, I would have happily gone along, oblivious to the machinations that brought me here. A baby wouldn’t have made a difference because a baby was impossible. And now, knowing the wedding was someone else’s idea, not Griffon’s, did it mean I would turn on him? Did it diminish my feelings for him?

This betrayal was a knife in my chest, the handle sticking out. It was hard to look away, but I had to. The clock was ticking down.

For the sake of everyone I loved sitting in the pews, waiting for me to walk down the aisle, I would go through with the ceremony. It wasn’t to save my pride or Griffon’s. I would call it off if it would do any good. But it wouldn’t. I had to think about my friends. And Bridie. And yes, I had to protect Griffon, despite the fact that he couldn’t be honest with me.

I’d go through with it. I’d play along. I would never let anyone know what I’d heard.

* * *

I jumpedwhen someone knocked on the door and eased it open. It was Wickham. “Are ye ready, love?”

I took a deep breath into my lungs and let it seep out. “Ready.”

His eyes widened. “Somethin’s amiss?”

“No. Just nerves. I’ve been sitting back here a while. Started to think you forgot about me.” I forced a smile.

He didn’t buy it. He eased through the door and closed it behind him. “What is it, Lennon? Second thoughts?” He studied my eyes. “Somethin’ more serious, I think.”

I grasped for anything that might appease him. “I’m just a little old to be a bride.”

He chuckled. “Not so. I reckon, for a DeNoy, ye’re a babe yet. Barely out of nappies.”

My smile turned genuine, and he relaxed.

“Shall we go? Or would ye like to make him sweat a mite longer?”

“Is he sweating?”

“We forced him into a proper wool kilt with full regalia. The whole nine yards. Winter weight. Of course he’s sweatin’.”

* * *

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