Page 181 of House of Embers
She laughed; she couldn’t help it. “You’re an ass.”
“Is that how you speak to a council member?”
“I’ma council member too,” she chided.
“Well, we’re both lucky then, princess.” The doors creaked open. “Let’s go make you a queen.”
Kerrigan stepped out of the house to the audience rising to their feet. Her eyes locked on Fordham’s, and for a moment, she was lost to him. Her love, her mate, her groom. She wanted nothing more than this moment in all these long months of turmoil, and now it was here, and it was too good to be true.
He did a double take at Dozan on her arm, but Wynter puther hand on Fordham at his side. And anyway, what did it matter? Kerrigan and Dozan were nothing in the grand scheme of things.
She and Fordham were the world.
Kerrigan passed a blur of familiar faces. She could hardly keep up with who all was in attendance, watching her with tear-streaked faces as she walked to Fordham. She couldn’t help but notice the seats that weren’t filled, the people they had lost along the way. It was a solemn moment in an otherwise happy occasion.
But everyone who was still alive and could be here was here. It helped that she had opened up a door straight to her estate for the few days leading up to the wedding, letting everyone travel there with ease rather than risking the trip in the snow.
Luckily, the snow had held off nearly to Geivhrea, but a chill still whipped through the estate.
Or perhaps that was just Titania’s influence. As promised, Kerrigan had allowed Titania to host their wedding. She had taken full control of Waisley and transformed the premises into a festive winter wonderland, save for this singular meadow that seemed to stretch on farther than reasonably possible.
The weather here was balmy compared to the winter frost that was threatening to roll in from the north. Her dress would have been entirely impractical if not for Titania’s magic. More flowers were in bloom than Kerrigan could possibly name, as if she were walking to her groom in a verdant garden perfumed with flowers and their guests in festooned, white-backed chairs. Titania hadn’t even blinked when Kerrigan had confessed that she refused to wait for a spring wedding.
Kerrigan stepped up to Titania, who was seated for all to see and marvel over—andmarvelthey did—in the front row. The mother of the Fae put her hand on Kerrigan’s brow, a blessing for the union.
“Thank you,” Kerrigan breathed.
Titania nodded. “No, thankyou.”
A gasp rang out across the room. Thanks were commonplace now, but from the first Fae, it meant a debt owed.
“Not between us,” Kerrigan told her. “This is the end of that debt. We’re glad you’re here.”
Titania acknowledged it as regally as possible. “Go then, daughter.”
Kerrigan smiled gratefully and then continued to her waiting groom.
Dozan offered his hand to Fordham, who took it with a firm shake. Neither of them would have guessed they’d end up brothers. Dozan, instead of taking a seat, took the spot behind Wynter at Fordham’s side, his approval evident for all to see.
Then Kerrigan moved to Fordham’s side and stared up at him in shock and awe. The magic of the wedding seemed to move at lightning speed. Rings were exchanged. The precious vows they had shared in Ravinia Mountain were spoken aloud to the world.
And then the final questions were asked of them, and they both said, “I do.”
“I now pronounce you joined in an unbreakable union,” the female officiant said. “You may kiss your bride.”
Fordham pulled her against him and pressed their lips together. The rest of the party cheered, but they seemed to disappear into the moment. It was as if Kerrigan and Fordham were in a pocket of the universe where only they existed. Nothing and no one else. Just like they had always dreamed it would be.
“My husband,” Kerrigan said, her hand on his jaw.
“My wife,” Fordham said.
Then they lifted their joined hands over their heads to another roar of applause.
This was what it was all about.
This was what made it all worth it.
This was living.
