Page 19 of The Long Night of the Radiant Star

“That’s the lens of nostalgia speaking,” Lena said with some asperity.

“You only say that because you were in the bitter throes of fighting with Rhy at the time,” Zeph noted.

“And because we were all afraid for our lives,” Lena argued. “Not knowing if any of us would survive that final conflict.”

“But wedidsurvive,” Zeph argued, throwing up her hands in an all-encompassing gesture.

“Exactly!” Lena thrust a finger at her. “Which is why Stella remembers it as a perfect event, because it’s shaded with all the warm feelings of the happy outcome.”

“Mostly I liked all the flowers,” Stella put in mildly. “And that it was small and intimate, and just us.”

Lena patted Stella’s foot sympathetically. “You could still elope and avoid this massive pageant.”

“In this blizzard?” Stella asked incredulously.

“Zeph would smuggle you out.”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Zeph objected. “First of all, I have no intention of weathering the wrath of Queen Amelia in full thwarted goddess mode and, second, if I have to endure an enormous state wedding next summer, then it’s only fair you have to stick this one out.”

“So much for the solidarity of friendship,” Lena observed drily.

Zeph flounced herself into a chair and pointed a finger at Lena. “Exactly,” she said in ruthless mimicry.

“I love you both so much,” Stella said, and both of her friends looked at her in alarm.

“Don’t cry,” Lena warned. “You promised.”

“That’s right,” Zeph agreed. “Besides, your mother will have a fit if your eyes are all swollen tonight and—” Her gaze went to the sky beyond the stone ceiling. “Huh.”

Stella felt it at the same moment, sitting bolt upright in disbelieving hope.

“What?” Lena demanded. “What do you two sense?”

“Is it…?” Stella’s gaze went to Zeph who grinned, sapphire eyes bright. At that same moment, Gen mind-spoke Stella.

“Is there anywhere on this Moranu-forsaken castle for a dragon to land?”she complained.“It’s a white-out up here and Isyn is about half frozen.”

With a shriek of joy, Stella leapt up. “Gen and Isyn are here. Lena, go tell the guys. Zeph, get the servants ready with warm blankets and hot broth.” At the same time, she answered Gen.“How are you even here? Land on the seaward side of the south tower. It was big enough for Zynda.”

“Did you really think we’d miss your wedding?”Gen retorted with smug satisfaction.“Surprise!”

The three of them pelted down the spiraling stairs of Stella’s tower, Zeph and Lena continuing downward on their gleefully accepted errands, while Stella peeled off to the hall leading to the ramparts. Belatedly she realized she was barefoot and still in her dressing robe, but she remembered to act like a sorceress and built a bubble of warmth around herself as she raced out past the snowy parapets, the guards wheeling in shock, reflexively lifting their weapons.

“Incoming dragon,” she shouted, her bare feet leaving melted prints in the snow. “More wedding guests—don’t shoot!”

Gen’s white form wasn’t visible yet in the swirling snow and low clouds that scudded around the towers, obscuring their heights from view as they eddied. Then, white on white, huge wings sent the mists and snowflakes spinning in giddy vortexes. In dragon form, Gen landed, Isyn stiffly climbing down her great shoulder. Stella raced to him, pushing her magic ahead to envelope him in warmth. The white-haired, green-eyed mage-king gave her a radiant smile, and opened his arms to her flying embrace.

“What a vision you are, Nilly,” he murmured, carefully not touching her skin and pressing a kiss to her hair. “Flying toward me with your dark hair like a banner and your magic shimmering like the moon on the darkest of nights.”

She laughed with pure joy, adding a bit of healing energy to her embrace to help thaw him out. “You with your glib tongue. Gen!” she squealed, launching herself at the tall brunette, now that Gen was back in human form. “Icannotbelieve you’re here.”

“There’s no way we’d miss your and Jak’s wedding,” Gen chided, her warm smile lighting her intelligent face. “Especially when I can do dragon form now,” she added archly.

“Brag, brag, brag,” Zeph called out, diving in to embrace Gen also. “Eventually you’ll get tired of throwing that in our faces. Hi Isyn, darling, I’ve brought you hot tea with whiskey, courtesy of Jak.”

She handed the mug to Isyn and made way for Astar, Lena, and Rhy to take turns hugging the new arrivals, everyone chattering happily.

“WhereisJak?” Isyn asked with a frown.

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