Page 86 of Dig Your Grave

A crisp winter breeze ruffled the bare trees lining the Edenvane courtyard.Snow dusted the ground, crunching underfoot as I hurried to the campus chapel—notthe old Skulls crypt, but the restored, brightly lit chapel near the administrative halls.

Inside, a small gathering of friends and family awaited.My mother stood near the front in a stylish dress, tears already brimming.Kate fussed with my hair, straightening the delicate veil.Rock paced, grinning like a proud father figure.The caretaker dean, Dr.Bridges, had offered us the chapel free of charge for our wedding.

I inhaled, heart pounding with excited nerves.The brand, now covered by a lotus blossom tattoo, no longer ached.We made it.Today, I’d walk down the aisle to Anubis Edenvane, the man who risked everything to stand by me.This was the life we chose.Free from blackmail, secrets, or forced obligations.

The music started, a gentle piano piece.Kate gave me a final thumbs-up.I stepped forward, bouquet trembling in my hands.My mother dabbed at her eyes.Rows of seats were filled with close friends, a few professors, and scholarship students who had found hope in Toccara’s memorial.Toccara’s mother sat in the front row, a bittersweet smile on her face, grateful to see love win out after such tragedy.

Then I saw him, standing at the end of the aisle, wearing a tailored suit, eyes bright with unshed tears.Anubis Edenvane.My fiancé, my partner in everything.My heart swelled so big it felt like it might burst.

Step by step, I drew closer thinking of all we’d endured together.And now, the final vow of love, not coerced by any Skulls tradition but chosen by us alone.

He extended a hand as I reached him, and I placed mine in his, trembling with joy.The officiant cleared her throat, smiling warmly.“Dearly beloved, we gather to celebrate the union of Suede Divore and Anubis Edenvane, who’ve walked through shadows into light.”

We exchanged rings, simpler ones than the emerald engagement band, but equally precious.The officiant spoke of resilience, honesty, and rebuilding hope, words that meant the world to us.When the time came for personal vows, my voice quavered.

“Anubis,” I said, gazing up at him, “from the moment we carried trash bags of clothes on move-in day to the darkest nights when we battled a secret society, you stood beside me.We turned pain into strength, secrets into truth, and fear into love.I vow to keep walking with you, forging a life that’s free, hopeful, and never losing sight of what we overcame.”

His eyes gleamed.“Suede, you taught me that blood and lineage mean nothing without integrity and heart.You showed me how to be braver than my past, how to treasure every small kindness in a world that tried to tear us apart.I vow to honor you, to protect what we built, and to stand with you against any storm.”

Tears blurred my vision.The officiant pronounced us married, and we sealed it with a trembling kiss, soft, tender, full of promises and memories.Applause thundered through the chapel, echoing off stained-glass windows that glowed with midday light.

Turning, hand in hand, we faced our friends and family.Toccara’s mother beamed, tears streaking her cheeks.Kate snapped photos, half-laughing.My mother blew kisses, and Rock whistled.The caretaker dean nodded approvingly from the side pew.

A swirl of well-wishers surrounded us in the foyer, pressing hugs and flowers.The ring on my finger caught the light, a mirror to the first ring of our engagement.But now we wore matching wedding bands, proof that the darkest secrets couldn’t destroy us.

We spilled outside, the winter air fresh on our cheeks.Someone scattered rose petals on the snow.Anubis laughed, lifting me in a playful swoop, spinning once.I clung to his shoulders, heart brimming.

Before the reception, we slipped away from the celebration to pay tribute to Toccara one last time.The quiet library steps bore her plaque, flanked by winter flowers.I kneeled, brushing off a bit of snow.

Anubis joined me, resting a gentle hand on my shoulder.“We did it,” he whispered.“She’s part of this forever.”

I nodded, tears catching in my lashes.“Thank you, Toccara,” I murmured, voice cracking.“For pushing me to see the truth, for giving me the courage to fight back.I wish you could’ve seen this day.”

A hush settled, the library behind us full of life, students reading, chatting, free from the fear of watchers.I rose, wiping my cheeks.Anubis squeezed my hand.

We walked away, arms around each other’s waists.The future beckoned, finishing his final year, co-leading the new ethics center, eventually traveling the world as we’d dreamed.The brand might have scarred our flesh, but we wore the lotus tattoos, living proof that from the darkest depths, something beautiful could bloom.

We had dug our grave in the dark grounds of Edenvane, but we conquered it, together.

The stars sparkled across the Edenvane sky as I walked hand in hand with my new husband.My long wedding dress, now stained at the hem with a day’s worth of celebration, swished softly around my legs.Laughter and music from the reception still drifted faintly from the campus chapel, but Anubis and I craved a moment alone, a final stroll to seal this perfect day.

We paused at the edge of the rose garden, the same place we’d often come to talk or share stolen kisses.My heart fluttered with overwhelming happiness.We did it.We got married without the Skulls overshadowing everything.The brand on my shoulder, now covered by my lotus tattoo, felt at peace.

That was when footsteps shattered my bliss.A cold wind seemed to blow through the garden, rustling the petals.

From behind an old oak, Anubis’ father emerged, Osiris Edenvane, tall and imposing in a dark coat, his silver hair shining.My blood ran cold as I saw the shadows crowding behind him.A group of hooded men, their faces hidden in the flickering torchlight from the path.

My hand tightened on Anubis’.He said nothing, jaw clenched.

“Well done, my son,” his father called out, stepping forward.His tone dripped with triumph, not joy.“You’ve wed the girl.Perfect timing for your true inheritance.”

A chill spread through my body.“Your father is… part of the new order?”I whispered to Anubis.

The older man’s lips curved into a thin smile.“Call me the survivor, if you wish.The old guard, Dean Mence and her associates, were a nuisance.Now they’re gone.My watchers served me well.And you…” He looked at us, eyes gleaming.“You completed your tasks, rid the campus of the useless faction, married the right woman to bind the lines.Time for the final step.”

I blinked.

“Dear child, did you think you and the undercurrent exposed the skulls?”He laughed.“Tell her Anubis.We wanted this to happen.”

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