SERENA
9 DAYS
Ding, ding, ding.
A hush settles over the diamond-encrusted hall as Eaton stands, champagne flute in hand. Sorscha beams up at him, sunlight pouring from her eyes.
“I’m not one for speeches—especially long, sappy ones—so I’ll keep this brief. I know this wasn’t in the cards. Quite frankly, I’m just as surprised as all of you.” Eaton’s blue-eyed gaze bounces around the room, earning him a few light chuckles.
“But I have waited a long time to feel something real. And now that I’ve found it, there’s no way I’m letting it go. Sorscha, I vow to be the kind of male you deserve. To be a husband and partner you are proud of, and to be a king worthy of a land such as this one. Everyone, raise a glass to the angel seated beside me. You are proof that perfection exists and that the gods are good. Cheers.”
Tears well in Sorscha’s eyes, her smile quivering as Eaton takes her hand and sweeps her up into a deep kiss. Thunderous applause shakes the chandeliers and crystal glasses dressing the tables.
I watch them, heads pressed together, Sorscha grinning for the first time in months. They’re beautiful. Their bond is beautiful. So simple and easy.
I’m happy for them. So why does seeing their smiles, their joy, make me sad?
I swirl my glass, the bubbles inside popping and fizzing before I toss them back. Something grazes my arm from elbow to wrist, whisking away my empty glass and replacing it with a warm hand.
“That isn’t allowed,” Zadyn says, dropping my flute onto a silver tray and leading me to the dance floor.
“I’m sorry?”
“You standing there alone, looking that pretty. Not dancing,” he explains, pulling me into his arms. I suppress a smirk.
“I’m going to look a lot less pretty when I’m tripping over your feet.”
“Lucky for you, I’m an excellent dancer.” He sends me spinning to prove his point. “And I promise I’ll catch you every time.”
He holds me close, and we dance, cheek to cheek. Over his shoulder, I see Eaton and Sorscha, locked inside their own little bubble. She tips her head back and laughs at something he said, the sound like twinkling bells.
“They make perfect sense.”
Zadyn pulls back, following my gaze. “Don’t they? I mean, I wanted to kill him at first, but look at them. They’re two sides of the same coin.”
Twin flames. Two matching rays of sunshine—pure warmth cut with a surprising degree of ferocity.
There’s a soft smile on Zadyn’s face as he watches his friend. “You’re in a good mood tonight.”
“What can I say? I love weddings. Especially when you’re not being forced into them.”
I chuckle. “Sucker for a happy ending?”
“Does that surprise you?” he scoffs.
“I just didn’t realize you were such a romantic.”
“Then you haven’t been paying attention.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Hey, can I ask you something? About...mates?”
The levity in his eyes evaporates as they snap to mine. His swallow looks strained. “What about them?”
“How does it work? Sorscha said she just knew. Is it like love at first sight?”
“It can be, but not always. Sometimes there’s a moment when it all clicks. Other times, it’s more of a slow burn.”
A slow burn. Like Zadyn.
