Page 31 of Enduring Magic

“Take care of our daughter,” Preston added with a formidable stare. It brought to mind the first meeting in the man’s study when he’d judged Coop’s worth and found him lacking. At the time, Preston Thorne hadn’t been wrong.

“Always, sir.” Coop looked down into Summer’s trusting eyes. There was no nervousness in her expression. No worry. Just love, and Coop was humbled by her continued faith in him. He lifted her hand and brought it to his lips. “Always,” he promised her, then kissed her knuckles.

Together, they walked up the steps to the temporary platform created for the wedding. The corner poles were decorated with a wide arrangement of flowers and vines, all real and conjured by Spring Thorne. Massive, forty-eight-inch-wide bows secured the sheer swag of material that ran from one column to the next, adding to the romantic setting.

In the center of the platform, Summer’s sisters, acting as bridesmaids, were lined up to the left, and Coop’s groomsmen were on the right. About ten minutes earlier, their cummerbunds had mysteriously changed from soft orange to a deep purple that matched the dresses of Summer’s attendants. No one bothered to question why. It was the side effect of living with a whimsical witch.

In the divide between the two groups stood the Aether, Damian Dethridge, the most magically supercharged human being on the planet and one scary mo-fo. Hundreds of years old, he looked to be about thirty-seven. His eyes were so dark as to be black, matching his hair and his sleek suit. Damian looked like Coop imagined the Devil himself would. Mysterious, formidable, and ungodly handsome. So gorgeous, in fact, he made the men around him exceedingly uncomfortable whenever he was present. But Damian’s arrogance wasn’t lent to his appearance. In fact, Coop would say the man wasn’t arrogant at all, merely sure of himself and his abilities.

“Are you ready to exchange your vows?” Damian asked. His voice, smooth as silk and hypnotic to a degree, was still loud enough to be heard by the congregation.

Coop looked down at Summer to find her staring back at him.

“We are,” they said in unison.

“Excellent. Let’s get started.”

13

Ibet you thought I’d forgotten this part, didn’t you? Nope! Still skipping this chapter as per tradition. ;)

14

Damian held a metal bowl and a long white cloth shot through with silver threads—the handfasting material handed down through the Thorne family line from Isis.

“Are you ready, Summer?” he asked with a soft smile.

She nodded. “I am.”

Damian faced Coop. “Are you ready, Cooper?”

“I am,” Coop confirmed with a nod.

“Then let us proceed. Who has the rings?” the Aether asked.

Coop looked at Keaton, but his brother shrugged and shook his head. With a wild look at Autumn to see if perhaps she had them, Coop opened his mouth to profess his guilt and beg Summer’s forgiveness.

“That would be me.” Alastair climbed the steps and opened his fisted hand. Sitting in his palm were two rings, one sized for Summer’s hand and one for Coop’s. They looked identical to the two Knox had originally designed.

A wave of suspicion crashed over Coop, and he scowled at Alastair. “You had them all along?”

“Actually, we both did,” Damian said with an amused half smile. “Alastair wanted to have them blessed and a protection spell added with an inscription.”

All the horrible things Coop had ever thought about Alastair’s deception faded away as he accepted the jewelry. “So no replica needed,” he murmured with a shake of his head.

“No, son,” Alastair replied just as low. “No replica needed. I took them while the two of you were dressing, hoping to replace them before you noticed they were gone. I wasn’t quick enough.”

Summer bit her lip, and her eyes twinkled with the laughter she was barely holding back.

“Why do I have the feeling you knew and were letting me sweat it?” Coop narrowed his eyes.

“Well, initially, I was sweating it just as much, if not more, than you were. Dad showed up just as we were ready to murder Saul.”

“Too bad he wasn’t a few minutes later,” Coop quipped.

Summer’s eyes went wide as she focused on something behind his back, and Coop’s stomach dropped to his butthole, as it always did at the thought of pissing off that nutbag squirrel.

“He’s behind me, isn’t he?”

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