Page 75 of Enchanted Shadows
She thought on that a moment. “You have a way with words, anyone ever told you that? I was feeling calmed, up until that last bit.”
I laughed. “Now let’s hurry up and get married before you feel the urgent need to insult me again.”
John was taking us in, smirking. “Shall we?”
I gave him a nod.
He welcomed us and read from what he’d brought with him about the honor of what it was to bear witness to a marriage, and then we were on to doing our vows.
“Repeat after me, Owen.”
I looked to him and listened in, never having heard these words before in my life. What if I stumbled? Or messed it up and somehow ended up married to myself? That would be just my luck. At least it’d be a handsome marriage, though.
“I vow to be your light in the darkness,” John began.
I smirked as I looked at Kessara and repeated, “I vow to be your light in the darkness.” I continued repeating the lines John fed me. “Your warmth in the cold, and a shoulder to lean on when life is too much to bear on your own. I will protect you, honor you, and respect you. In light and darkness, silence and laughter, I will be by your side.”
There were no romantic declarations of love, and for that I was grateful. It made all this easier.
I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out the ring Keir had helped me pick out. He was better at jewelry stuff than I was, but a perk of marrying the brother king’s half-sister was that I got access to the royal jewelers and didn’t have to pay with my own coin for the ring. It was oval cut and huge, sparkling even in the night.
Her gasp was the only indication she gave of liking it.
It was then Kessara’s turn. She said the same words back to me, squeezing my hands hard enough that it was beginning to hurt, but I allowed it all the same. Amos handed over her ring for me, a simple silver band. I was surprised she had one at all. I was even more surprised to find it fit. How did she know what size to get?
John stated, “By the power vested in me, honorary Prince Owen Gerald Raikes, and Princess Kessara Astra Zavatari, you are now husband and wife.” John didn’t even require us to seal it with a kiss, as was the Wylan tradition. He was being as gracious as possible given the circumstances. I loved him for it. This was why I had insisted it be him. He had a way with people.
But then Amos spoke up, “Could the two of you at least peck a kiss? It wouldn’t surprise me if her mother demands you kiss in front of her as a test. Might as well get some practice on your wedding night.”
Kessara turned to argue, “Amos, you cannot just spring that on him.”
I squeezed her hands gently. “I can assure you, I will endure.”
She looked to me, eyes wide. “We do not have to do that.”
“Kessara, it’s just a kiss,” I told her. And then before she could apologize again for me having to kiss my own damn wife, I kissed her. My lips brushed against hers gently, and I took just one moment to take in the feel of them on mine, the softness of her lips, and the smell of her amber perfume, before I pulled back.
Kessara’s eyes went to my mouth quickly, before popping back up to my eyes. “I?—”
“Don’t,” I snapped. “Stop apologizing to me.” I looked to Amos. “Was that good enough?”
“For now,” he said with a nod. “I suggest the two of you take the extra time together in the evenings to get used to being around one another. And don’t take off those rings.”
She turned to glare at him, and the way in which she did was all princess. “We spend every day together.”
“You know what I mean,” he told her.
“Not even five minutes into my marriage before you start making demands, Amos.”
Amos gestured with his head toward me. “He knew what he was doing when he offered to marry you, Z. And he still did it.”
Before she murdered the man in cold blood, I grabbed her hand and wrapped it around my bicep. “What’s done is done. Let’s get back to our cabin, shall we?”
She was still shaking her head as she began walking with me. “Unbelievable.”
By the time we made it to the cabin, she was relaxed, until we made it to the few steps up to the door, then she tensed from her shoulders all the way to her feet.
“Kessara, nothing is going to happen. The peck was it. I’m sleeping on the couch. There’s a bathroom for you to change in, and Wren brought your clothes over. We get one night and then you’ll be back at the barracks until training ends, other than our planned alone time in the evenings. Come on in and I’ll pour you a whiskey.”
