She hummed, unconvinced. “You love him.”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“And you will always do what’s best for him?”
I nodded.
“Then everything will be okay,” she said as she smiled at me in the mirror.
Seli rushed forward with a dozen glass bottles. “Hair oils, my lady.”
Leena had brushes in both hands. “We’ll braid some of it up, let the rest spill over her shoulders. It’s so long,” she said to Seli.
Cerilla stepped back to let them take over and sat in the chair next to me, pouring us both a cup of tea.
Leena’s fingers moved quickly, braiding thin sections of my hair with strands of woven silver thread. Seli massaged sweet-scented oils into the ends. Tamsin dusted shimmering powder along my collarbones.
They worked on me for what felt like forever, pinningmy hair, painting my lips, and pressing powder against my eyelids. The sky bathed in late afternoon gold through the large windows as they worked. My hair glowed like captured moonlight, braided intricately at the crown and falling in shimmering waves down my back. My skin held a soft sheen, my eerie blue eyes bright and sharp. And the Soul Relic crown lay nestled against the braids, making me look like something carved out of a myth.
The maids helped me step into my shimmering silver dress, pulling the boned bodice up into position and tying the ribbons at the back. I gasped at the new detailing Ronaldo had added. The neckline still plunged in a sharp, elegant V, but now it was edged with iridescent shellwork that matched the Soul Relic crown.
Cerilla’s eyes met mine in the reflection, her voice soft, almost regretful.
“You look like Maraveth.” A chill ran over my skin, and before I could ask how she knew what the goddess looked like, a gentle knock echoed through the room.
Solas cracked the door open only a fraction. His voice was low, reverent. “It’s time.”
Time.My heart stopped, then surged, beating like a bird trying to take flight. I smoothed my shaky hands over my dress, the material sparkling like spilled starlight as I stepped towards Solas. I knew the seed of doubt would die the moment I was in the Commander’s arms again.
Forty-Four
Vows
My heels clicked against the granite tiles like a countdown I welcomed. Each step echoed like a declaration of love that only he could answer.After all, my broken pieces fit perfectly against his.
Cerilla had left Solas and I to walk to the ceremony alone. She had given me a soft smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and insisted that she needed a moment before meeting us there.
Solas escorted me through halls lined with flickering tea candles, looking far removed from the warrior I had travelled with. He wore a dark green button-down shirt that fitted against the breadth of his chest before tucking neatly into black trousers. His usually wild auburn hair had been scraped into an elegant bun, a single silver band keeping it in place. I had never imagined he could look so formal.
“You look stunning, sweetheart.” Heat rose to my cheeks at his wide smile.
“Thank you, Solas. You look…” I trailed off.
“Unsettlingly handsome?” he offered.
“Sure.” I shrugged a shoulder and grinned. “For a vicious Fae warrior.”
Solas let out a low laugh, rich and unguarded, the sound warming the space between us and making my heart feel light.
“I am so proud of you for making a joke,” he said, smiling down at me.
Obsidian Castle seemed endless, as though it took up the entire mountain it was built into. I didn’t recognise the hallway we walked through, and it dawned on me that I was going to need a formal tour after all of this. Or perhaps a map. I knew so little about my new home, about Lumireth and its people.
“The ceremony,” I blurted, voice thinner than I’d intended. “I assume it’s different from Mortal weddings?”
Mortals had vows, rings and a kiss. Everything was simple. Predictable. I knew what was expected of me.
What if I make a fool of myself?
