Page 85 of The Echo of Forever
A figure in a white robe entered, face hidden behind an ornate golden mask. They moved with a grace that seemed almost otherworldly.
“Congratulations,” the figure said, voice a deep rumble meant for late-night radio. “You have passed the trials of truth. Few couples make it this far.”
I frowned.
“Trials?” I questioned.
The masked face dripped in response.
“The communion tested your trust. The garden tested your bond. The cabin tested your honesty.” The figure approached slowly, hands clasped in front of them. “Your ceremony is complete. Please secure your robes and follow me. The prayer is about to begin.”
What had we gotten ourselves into?
CHAPTER 20
ECHO
THE RITUAL - PART TWO
My mother toldthis story before; except Solei viewed it, even now, as an unfinished fairy tale, one where the bond of two souls is tested before their union is made official.
In her version, the two characters only made it through the first trial. What happened after had never been told, but something inside of me said it was being written right now.
The feeling was too strong to shake.
“What kind of ceremony did we complete?” I asked as we followed behind the man cloaked in white and gold.
If this was what I thought it was, Forever and I needed to have a talk before moving forward.
There was still time to back out. To save her from whatever the fuck my ma’s family was up to.
“Your marriage has been approved,” he said, leaving his response at that.
I stopped walking and stepped in front of Forever.
“This ain’t what I came here for,” I told her, slipping two fingers under her chin. “We can turn around and find another way.”
She shook her head.
“You said I belong to you, right?”
I nodded, but this was a blind sacrifice. We didn’t know what we were aligning ourselves with. And I had more than just my wife to care for, but a whole compound of people.
Doing this alone was different; dragging my baby down with me was a nonnegotiable.
“And now I know it’s true,” she went on, looking over my shoulder, then back at me. “Do you trust me? Because if you do, then I say let’s gamble on the outcome being in our favor.”
I thought about all I’d been working toward, how it never had to do with my ma to begin with. For me, my life was complete with Forever in it.
That fire inside me, wanting to know if my mother was alive or dead, wasn’t lit anymore. She wasn’t as important as the person standing in front of me.
“We’ve had this conversation before,” Forever said, laughing. “I remember. You didn’t want us searching for your mom, but I convinced you.”
I lifted my gaze to the sky.
“You picked a fine time to start remembering shit…” Our eyes met as I lowered mine. “Listen to me this time, baby. Please.”
If begging was what I had to do, then so be it.
