Fateful Magic (The Star-Crossed Series Book 8) (5 page)

My body was still healing in most ways. My mind felt
tattered and frayed at the edges. I found it almost impossible to sleep because
that would only bring nightmares of the horror I’d been through. There were
many things about me that were still broken and sick. But Talbott was with me
and like usual, whenever everything went to hell around
me,
he was the one thing I could count on.

The one thing that was always right.

And today felt
so
right, more than it ever had before.

I reached out and squeezed Eden’s hand. “I’m glad you
could make it.”

She started crying again and then waved at her large
belly as if that explained everything. “I’m glad I could be here.”

“Don’t cry,” Seraphina barked at me. “Don’t you dare
cry.
” A few seconds passed. “Oh, damn you, Woman!”

Obviously, I couldn’t help but cry.

“It’s really happening,” I whispered through a shaky
voice.

“Finally,” Seraphina groaned and then winked at me.

“I don’t think anything can stop it,
Lills
.” Eden smiled. “Not even you. Your husband-to-be is
pretty determined.”

“He thinks if he marries me, he won’t ever lose me
again.” Those words were hard for me to say.
Partly because I
knew that even if we were married, he couldn’t be with me every second of every
day and partly because I didn’t know if my bad luck was over yet.
My
nerves were still jumpy with the possibility of something evil swooping in and
carrying me off. Forever the damsel-in-distress, I was sick and tired of being
kidnapped and caged.

“He won’t,” Eden promised. “I’ve seen the look in his
eyes. Nothing bad will ever get close to you again.”

I started to argue with her, but Seraphina interrupted.
“I had to sign a contract to get back here.
In blood.
The man is not to be trifled with,
Lills
. He means
business.”

“You did not,” I laughed.

She held up her palm with a fading white scar and
repeated, “I Seraphina Daphne Van
Curen
swear to
never hurt a single hair on Lillian-”

“I believe you!” My cheeks heated with embarrassment.
I couldn’t believe Talbott made her sign a blood oath! What had he been
thinking?

Her eyes softened as she applied some blush to my
already red face. “He’s protecting you, Lilly. I think it’s sweet.”

“And I think it’s necessary,” Eden put in.

I cleared my throat and decided not to argue with
them.

By the time Seraphina finished with me, I hardly
recognized myself. I stood up and walked to the full-length mirror in the small
studio apartment
Talbott
and I had been staying in.

The small space boasted rustic, Tuscan decor and sat
over the workshop the owner used to bottle his wine. The windows were always
open and let in the soft summer breeze. The air smelled fragrant and rich and
just at dusk the lighting glowed with the epitome of romance.

I swayed nervously in front of the mirror and tried to
find the fragile bird that I’d been acting like the last couple days under
Seraphina’s talented handiwork. She was nowhere to be found.

The black circles under my eyes were camouflaged, but
she’d managed to keep the rest of my makeup light and natural. My long red hair
settled around my shoulders in pretty curls. My dress fit me perfectly. I had
no idea how my mom had done that since I’d lost a considerable amount of weight
over the last year.

Even so, this exquisite dress managed to give me a
figure despite my body working in direct contradiction. The antique, ivory lace
wrapped around me from strapless top to mermaid-style bottom. There was a cream
sash that tied at my waist and clasped with a silver pin. The brooch was from
my grandmother; my mom had brought it with her and offered it as my something
old.

My something borrowed came from Eden. She held out her
low-heeled, vintage Mary Jane pumps for my feet. And my something blue came
from my dad. A peacock feather hair pin that blended blues, greens and rich
browns together in an exotic barrette that set off my gorgeous dress. It
blended into my hair and pinned my long bangs out of my face.

My something new would be my wedding ring. I’d lost
the original one that
Talbott
gave me some time
during my captivity. I mourned the loss of such a valuable memento, but I
looked forward to the new ring too. This entire ceremony felt like starting
over to me, marking a new milestone in my volatile life. I was excited to begin
this new adventure with the man I loved.

I couldn’t stop staring at myself in the mirror. I
didn’t just look healthy, I looked like a bride.

A beautiful bride.

“They’re ready for you, Lilly,” my mother stood in the
doorway.

I spun around and ran to her arms. We’d already had
our tearful reunion days ago, but the flood threatened again when I caught the
look of utter pride on her face.

“You’re striking,” she murmured against my head.
“You’re the loveliest woman I’ve ever seen. I’m so happy for you.”

Words failed me so I hugged her tighter. I wanted to
say thank you, but I couldn’t get anything out. I hoped I got over this
speechlessness before I had to say my vows. I wasn’t strong enough to use Magic
yet and just staring at Talbott while I he waited for me to say something would
probably kill him.

Nerves fluttered in my stomach and threatened to start
their own rebellion inside me. I couldn’t believe I had agreed to have any kind
of audience at all. I wanted my loved ones to be here, but the thought of going
out there and having to stand in front of them all made me dizzy.

I swayed in my mother’s arms and she caught me. “Are
you alright?” Her expression turned from elation to fear in the half-second it
took for me to tip sideways.

“I’m just nervous,” I told her.
“So
terribly nervous.”

Her expression softened and I felt more hands at my
back.

“
There’s only a small number of
people
here,” Eden promised. She’d finished getting herself ready for
the big event too and looked gorgeous in a cream tea-length dress with soft
pink accents on the waist and hem.
“Less than a hundred.”

“A hundred people?”
I
squeaked.

“Look at it this way,” Seraphina put in. “
Terletov
did you a favor. Avalon wanted you to get married
in front of the entire Kingdom.
In front of
thousands
of people.
Thanks to
Terletov
, you get to have it your way.”

“Seraphina!”
Eden gasped. I
heard the smack of Eden’s hand hit Seraphina’s bicep and I couldn’t help but
laugh.

“Too soon?”
Seraphina
snickered.

Sylvia stepped in the room next and I moved to hug her
too. We had already seen each other today when she stopped by to give me a
checkup. I had been thrilled to hear that I was cleared for all wedding
festivities.
Even the wedding night.

Ahem.

She held bouquets for Eden and me to carry- white
calla lilies. I hadn’t had a hand in decorating any of this and probably would
have never chosen flowers that shared the same name as me. It seemed a little…
vain. But the simple arrangement was breathtaking and I loved the flowers
instantly.

I could get over my anxiety. I didn’t want to stand in
front of a bunch of people, but these were people that I loved. And that loved
me back.

My friends and mom surrounded me and we made our way
down the outside staircase to the ground below.

I sucked in a sharp breath and stared in awe at the
path in front of me. Twinkle lights lit up the darkening sky and made an aisle
from the edge of the vineyard to the middle of it, where I could see a hundred
more sparkling lights hung from posts.

My dad waited for me at the beginning of the path. He
couldn’t even speak when he saw me. He struggled with his emotion and beamed
with sheer happiness and pride. I felt so loved by my parents, more so than I
ever had in my entire life. We hugged tightly and both fought the onslaught of
tears that wanted to break free.

A sheer, ivory runner had been laid down over the
rough ground for us to walk on. Soft pink lily petals had been strewn prettily
along the path, every once in a while landing on a purple stain from where a
wayward grape had marked the runner. The purple stains spread out in
poke-a-dots all over the pretty cream from the foot traffic that had walked from
here to the ceremony spot.

I loved those imperfect spots. I loved that something
so accidental and some might say ruined, could still be so beautiful.

Seraphina and Sylvia left us to find their seats and
Avalon appeared out of nowhere.

“Lilly,” he said gently. “Thank you for doing your
duty for the Kingdom by marrying Talbott. I know how horrible it must be for
you. I will forever be in your debt.”

I suppressed a smile. “You know that I’m marrying
Talbott because I love him, right?”

His eyebrows squished together.
“Really?
Talbott
?
You
could do a lot better than-” He suddenly pressed two fingers to his forehead
and flinched in pain.
“Alright, alright!”
He turned
back to me while Eden smiled innocently and serenely behind him.
Those two.
“You look lovely,
Lills
.
I couldn’t be happier for you.”

I got choked up all over again but managed to say,
“Thank you.”

“And I’m very happy for me too,” he went on. “Now
Talbott
can finally pull the giant stick out of his-”

“Take me to my seat now, Your Highness,” my mother
demanded. She yanked on his arm while he grinned at me.

With one more over-the-top wink, he escorted my mother
to her seat. I heard the music start up in the distance. Sounds from a pretty
string quartet floated in the summer breeze. My heart swelled with the moment
and I stopped worrying about other people and the future and anything else.

I was going to marry the man I loved now. Nothing else
mattered.

“Ready?” my dad asked.

“Yes,” I replied. And I meant it.

Eden gave me another quick hug and then my father
hugged me again and kissed my cheek. He told me how beautiful I was until Eden
cleared her throat and started her walk down the aisle.

My dad and I followed a little ways behind. We walked
by rows and rows of vines while the sultry breeze caressed my skin and the
music filled in the perfect soundtrack. Crickets joined the symphony, and the
stars peeked out to shine in the clear sky.

Perfection.

The small space designated for the ceremony came into
view. Several rows of folding chairs had been covered with ivory covers and
wrapped with big bows. They were filled with the people I cared about most in
the world. Friends from my Resistance days, a few co-workers from the Citadel
that had managed to escape
Terletov’s
invasion.
Titus,
Xander
, Xavier and Roxie sat near the front on
my side.
Most of the Titans that looked to
Talbott
as their leader.
Family
members that represented both sides.
Jericho and his girlfriend that I
hadn’t met yet, only heard about.
And so many more.

Avalon stood at the front under a hand-carved trellis,
wrapped with more lilies.
Kiran
stood up there as
well, acting as
Talbott’s
best man. Eden had made it
to her spot by now and smiled back at me.

When I’d taken everything in, I finally allowed my
gaze to drift to the man that had brought me here, the man I was going to
marry.

He looked… he looked stunning. His dark hair had been
cut shorter and combed stylishly. It hung over his forehead just a little bit
and contrasted nicely with his tanned skin. He was cleanly shaven and his
perfect skin seemed to glow in the fading light. His tux fit him like a glove
and molded to all his toned muscle in a way that made me want to mold
myself
to him.

I blushed hotly and tried to banish my lusty thoughts.

For now anyway.

The most-attractive part of him though was the
expression on his face. I had never seen him more at peace or more excited. His
eyes sparkled at me, even from this distance, and his lips formed the
most-perfect smile.

He looked like a god up there, something out of
fiction.

But he wasn’t. He was very real. And he was going to
be my husband.

I felt a surge of Magic at that thought. The dormant
life-force in me suddenly burst to life and I picked up my pace, anxious to
bind myself to this man I loved so incredibly.

My father gave us away and Avalon started the service.
Talbott didn’t say a word to me, almost like he couldn’t. Instead, he took my
hands and gazed at me with a look of pure adoration, one that I would never
forget.

I didn’t listen to a single word Avalon spoke the
entire time. I was too busy staring into
Talbott’s
eyes and getting lost in those chocolate depths.

A thousand thoughts swirled around in my head.
Grateful ones that we’d been able to get to this point in our relationship
and our lives.
Fearful ones for the things that were
yet to come.
Excited ones for the future I planned on sharing with this
man.
And happy ones.
So many happy
ones.

“Lilly.” Avalon broke through my blissful haze.
“Repeat after me.”

And I somehow did. Through some kind of miracle, I was
able to hold
Talbott’s
searing gaze and repeat the
old-fashioned vows Avalon gave me.

“In the presence of God and these our family and
friends, I take you to be my husband, promising with Divine assistance to be unto
you a loving and faithful wife so long as we both shall live.” Talbott beamed
with pride, especially when I continued, “I commit to never leave you, to
follow you. For where you go, I shall go, and where you remain, I shall remain.
Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I
shall die and be buried beside you.”