The officiant—some Valorian elder who traveled with his family, all ceremonial robes and stern disapproval—begins speaking. Ancient words in High Valorian, formal and binding and utterly meaningless to me.
But when Rynn speaks his vows, looking into my eyes like we’re the only two people in the universe—
“I bind my house to yours, my blood to yours.” His voice rings through the hall, and I feel every word through the bond like a physical touch. “From this day until stars grow cold. My strength is your shelter. My heart is your home. Where you walk, I follow. Where you stand, I stand beside you.”
He lifts my hands, presses his lips to my knuckles.
“This I swear, before gods and stars and the witnesses of both our worlds. You are my mate. My choice. My future.”
I am not going to cry. I’mnotgoing to cry in front of his entire snooty family—
The officiant turns to me, and I realize with a jolt that it’s my turn.
I wrote my own vows. Mother tried to get me to use the traditional human ones, but they felt wrong. Too formal. Too much like someone else’s words.
I take a breath.
“I’m not great at formal,” I start, and somewhere behind me, I hear Suki snort. “So here’s what I know.”
I meet Rynn’s eyes. Hold them.
“You’re stubborn. And noble. And you can’t cook.”
Scattered laughter from the OOPS side. Lady Valorian looks like she’s swallowed a lemon.
“You almost got me killed about seventeen times. I counted.”
Rynn’s lips twitch. Through the bond:it was eighteen, actually.
“And I’d do every single one of them again.”
The laughter dies. The hall goes still.
“Because somewhere between the explosions and the pirates and that time you literally set water on fire—” More laughter, quickly stifled. “—I found home.”
I squeeze his hands.
“You’re my home, Rynn Valorian. Not the fancy house or the High House name or any of the stuff that’s supposed to matter.” My voice cracks, just a little. “Just you. The man who burns too hot and holds too tight and looks at me like I’m worth something.”
His eyes are bright. Gods, I’m going to make him cry in front of his parents.
“So I’m keeping you. Whether your family likes it or not. Whether the universe likes it or not.” I grin, and it feels like a challenge and a promise. “You’re stuck with me now, Lord Chaos. Hope you’re ready.”
The officiant, looking slightly scandalized, clears his throat and moves to the final portion of the ceremony.
“Clasp hands,” he intones. “And let the bond be witnessed.”
We clasp hands.
And the worldignites.
I’ve felt the bond before—the warm pulse of connection, the awareness of Rynn’s emotions layered over my own. But this is something else entirely. This is a supernova. A collision of stars. Every nerve in my body lights up as the mate marks on both our throats blaze brilliant gold.
Gasps from the Valorian side. Someone drops something—a glass, maybe.
Through the bond, I feel Rynn’s wonder matching my own.Is this normal?
I have no idea. Is it supposed to feel like being struck by lightning?
