Page 16 of When the Moon Met the Sun

“What do you think?” Teagan asked, and this time the soft smile on her face seemed genuine as she backed up and settled her gaze on me, proud of her work, no doubt. I turned to the side and looked at myself across the room in the floor to ceiling mirror.

The dress hadn’t been crafted for wings, so we’d had to make cuts in it to allow them out. I had them tucked in, like I seemed to a lot recently, and they peaked over my shoulders. I longed to stretch them and soar in the sky again, but I pushed those thoughts away and focused on what I saw instead.

I looked pretty, even if I wasn’t used to any of these customs with the slit gown and gold adornments. Teagan had styled me to look like a queen, and she was successful. But I didn’t feel as though I looked likeme, and something in my chest ached at the sight.

“It looks great. Thank you for all your help,” I lied easily, turning back to face her.

Teagan smiled, and then in the same moment, both of our heads snapped towards the doors leading out to the hallway at what we heard. In the distance, somber music began playing on what I believed was piano.

“We’re late!” Teagan gasped, then grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door.

Acting on instinct, I ripped my hand back to my body, startling Teagan.

“I’m sorry—" Teagan began, but I quickly interrupted her.

“Let’s get this over with,” I said, the tone between us shifting from smiles back to being tense and stressed.

Teagan nodded, then headed out the doors and down the hallway. I followed behind, not exactly knowing what to expect from this point on.

Chapter Seven

After a confusing bout of twists and turns through the unfamiliar hallways of The Haven, Teagan and I finally arrived in front of a pair of tall, honey-colored doors with large golden handles. There were two guards beside each door, all of them at attention and not moving a muscle, even to look at us as we walked up. The music had gotten increasingly louder the closer we got to our destination, and now I could tell it was playing just beyond these doors.

“You ready, Princess?” Teagan asked as she motioned for me to stand right in front of the doors, facing them.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I stated, not knowing how else to reply. She didn’t answer, just moved to stand behind me and lifted my lace train off of the ground so it wouldn’t snag as I walked down the aisle.

I’m actually about to do this, I thought suddenly, and had to suppress the surge of emotions back behind that mental barricade in my mind.

I’d been doing that a lot these past couple of days.

Teagan must have nodded to the guards, because before I could even be warned, the two closest guards moved and pulled open both doors, standing to hold them open with their bodies.

Spine straight as a rod, I took a step into the room, and slowly began walking. The soft music of a harp swept over me, and it sounded like whoever was playing had constructed this song just for this moment. They likely had, as royal weddings were generally quite the event. The room I stepped into was huge, and I realized this was what I believed to be their throne room. It doubled as a spacious courtyard in what I imagined was the middle of the castle.

There was a large wooden platform in the middle of the room where I could see a large throne made out of a tree. The throne looked like it had been crafted while the tree was still alive, the branches bent and shaped into perfection. It had a high back, and some vines had begun to grow on it.

It wasn’t until I walked through the arch above that I realized only half of the space was filled with fae, specifically the right side.The groom’s side, I realized. My side of the audience was completely empty. A pang of sadness and bitter surprise rang through my chest.

I had never imagined my own wedding being like this. I had always imagined having Father walk me down the aisle, not having to walk myself. I’d imagined Aurora and Dimitri by my side, supporting and encouraging me. I imagined my people attending, those who have seen me grow up from afar.

Never did I imagine thisemptinesson my side of the aisle, and in my heart.

Caught up in my own thoughts, I didn’t see the small dip in the ground in front of me until I’d already stumbled into it. I didn’t fall, and quickly recovered, but with every pair of eyes in the room on me, my pale cheeks flushed, embarrassed.

For the first time since entering the room, I dared to look towards the altar in the middle of the platform ahead of me, towards the groom. Suddenly, I stopped dead in my tracks, right in the middle of the aisle.

Up at the front of the room, standing in a forest green suit with gold accents and wearing a similar circlet to Teagan’s, stood Byn.

There was a tiny pink line on his throat, likely new skin and mostly healed by now, where my dagger had been just a few nights before.

My eyes locked with his and my breathing started to increase as I began to panic.

I’d held a dagger to the throat of the King of the South. He was the one that rode with me all the way from Gatlyn Castle. He was the only Southerner to ever see me shed a tear. He was the one who warned me he’d be a powerful ally here in the South.

I guess he was right.

Behind me, I heard Teagan clear her throat, signaling for me to continue walking, but my feet were frozen in place. Suddenly, I didn’t feel like I could go through with this, didn’t know if I was strong enough.

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