Deep breath.You can do this.
I stepped into the swirling light.
The journey was easier now. I’d made this trip dozens of times over the past few months. My body had adjusted. The nausea was minimal. I landed on the other side without stumbling.
Sorcha was waiting for me. She looked stunning in a formal gown of deep blue. Her hair was styled elaborately. But her eyes were what got me. They were shining with unshed tears as she looked at me.
“Oh, Gwendolyn,” she breathed. “You are absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I smoothed down the front of my dress self-consciously. “I feel like I’m about to burst out of this thing.”
“Nonsense. You look radiant.” She took my hands and squeezed. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
She linked her arm through mine and we started walking through the corridors toward the throne room. I could hear music playing. An orchestra. Mal had asked me to explain how human weddings worked and had apparently molded the entire ceremony to be familiar to me.
It was a sweet gesture. One that made my stupid pregnant heart squeeze painfully.
We reached the massive doors to the throne room and I could hear the music change. The wedding march. My cue.
The doors swung open.
The room was filled to capacity. Noblemen and councilmen lined the walls. But these were the good ones. The ones loyal to Mal who’d supported him through the Andreas situation. And there were others too. Kings and queens from other allied territories dressed in formal regalia that made my simple dress seem plain by comparison.
I’d learned over the past few months that Aurion and Mal were part of one of the most powerful families in Lytopia. The Ashborne family ruled two kingdoms, which apparently was a big deal. Families that held thrones were the most powerful in their world.
Mal had explained the seven allied kingdoms and the six ruling families to me multiple times. I’d tried to pay attention but pregnancy brain was real and I kept forgetting details.
Now I was regretting not taking better notes.
I didn’t know who half these people were. But I remembered the basics. They were all part of a peaceful alliance. The Valoryn Kingdom in the southwest was ruled by the Crescentborn family. Moonhaven in the south belonged to the Briarfields. The Wynter Kingdom in the northeast was controlled by the Silvermanes. Duskmere in the northwest had the Goldridges in charge. And Ebonvale Kingdom in the southeast was run by the Aurelius family. He hadn’t explained what lay beyond those territories, though. Only that there were more kingdoms, just not so peaceful. I hoped I’d never have to find out.
Five royal families watching me waddle down the aisle in a wedding dress. No pressure or anything.
My anxiety spiked as I took in all the eyes on me. All the scrutiny. These people were judging whether I was worthy of being Mal’s queen. Whether a human could possibly be fit to rule.
But then I sawhim.
Mal stood at the front of the room wearing formal black clothing that made him look every inch the king he was. I’d gotten used to his shorter hair over the past months and god, he looked so handsome it made my breath catch. His tattoos were covered by the formal jacket except for one. The one on his neck. My name. “Wen” in elegant script that was plainly visible for everyone to see.
His eyes were locked on me with an intensity that made everything else fade into the background.
The way he was looking at me. Like I was the only person in the room. Like I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
My heart did that annoying flutter thing that it always did when he looked at me like that.
Sorcha walked me down the aisle slowly. My feet were killing me in these shoes but I forced myself to keep moving. To keep my head up. To not trip over my dress and embarrass myself in front of five royal families.
When we reached the front, Sorcha placed my hand in Mal’s and his fingers closed around mine immediately with warmth and strength that steadied me.
“Hi,” I whispered.
“Hi, little mate,” he whispered back. His smile was soft and private, meant just for me. “You look stunning.”
“I look like a pregnant whale in a fancy dress.”
“You look perfect.”
