Page 88 of Rise of the Phoenix King (Crown and Crest 4)

I nod.

“All right.” She steps out, closes the door, and sets the lock with a key from the pocket of her gown. “Where?”

I stare at her. “Yes?”

She lifts her eyes to mine, smiling in a way that looks almost triumphant. “The thing is, while Iwillwait, I’d rather not. So if you show up at my door asking me to marry you, I’m going to say yes.”

“I’m not sure your father would agree to this.”

Clover shrugs, her eyes bright. “We won’t tell him.”

“We won’t…tell him…?”

She nods, liking the idea. “We’ll have a formal ceremony after…well.After.When things are normal again.”

She’s taking this better than expected, but it shouldn’t surprise me.

Looping her arm through mine, she looks up at me. “Who will marry us?”

I laugh, feeling like she pulled a rug out from under my feet. “This is really all right?”

“Are you trying to talk me out of it?” She tugs me forward. “Let’s go.”

* * *

We gather in the chapel once more, but this time, it’s only Lawrence, Audra, the bishop, Clover, and me. Denny is here as well, looking unsure but keeping his protests to himself. He hugs his sister before we begin, giving us his blessing.

Lawrence signs the marriage document in place of Count Flauret, his authority all that’s needed.

Clover carries a bouquet of white flowers Audra hastily picked from a nearby meadow. And they’re perfect. Clover was always the wildflower growing amongst Camellia’s hothouse blooms—a wild spirit, with a quick smile and mischief in her spring eyes.

“Henrik, do you take Lady Clover Aunalissa Flauret to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the bishop asks.

I hold Clover’s hand. “I do.”

“Do you, Clover, take Duke Henrik Arthur Solbane to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Clover nods, her eyes bright. “I do.”

“And do you have the rings?” he asks.

I look at Clover in horror, realizing we forgot that part.

“I can take care of it,” Audra says quietly. “Though it might sting a little.”

I raise my brows.

“Clasp your left hands,” the elf instructs. “Lace your fingers together and repeat the vows as one.”

She then nods for the bishop to continue. He studies her for a moment, baffled, and then says, “With this ring, I thee wed….”

I meet Clover’s eyes, and we repeat together, “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Suddenly, a sharp, searing pain encircles my ring finger. Judging from the way Clover’s hand tightens on mine, she’s experiencing it too.

Rings of light twine around our fingers, glowing for a moment until they fade to a simple black band, inked right onto our skin.

We look at Audra in question.

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