“Oh, and on midsummer, we’ve all been invited to Eponine and Gia’s nuptials. Can you believe Giana’s going to be a royal?” Fallon snorts. “I do believe she wants a crown as much as you do.”
There goes my calm…
“So many weddings and births. Can life get any better, Dádhi?” She gives a happy sigh as we step out into a courtyard…notoverflowing with people.
Only three women and one man darken the sunset-lit sunstone—Meriam, Behati, Lorcan, and my mate.
I tried to keep it small, but you’re in possession of a surprisingly large number of friends, my love.Zendaya nods to the sky, to the swarm of Crows carrying riders. And even though my gaze isn’t done stroking over the magnificent body she’s cloaked in pleated bronze, I glance at the fiery sky and the familiar collection of faces—some in skin, some in feathers.
The twins, Enzo, Agrippina, Asha, Ceres, and Justus sit astride my people, hovering, waiting. As do Antoni and Abrax. Then again, both men are part of my mate’s den now. The only two souls Daya brought back to life with her magic.
Though I hadn’t enjoyed watching her tongue ribbon over their skin, I’d suppressed my jealousy by reminding myself that she was healing them, not pleasuring them. Nevertheless, I hadbegged her to entrust Serpent-making to Agrippina and Enzo. Agrippina had yet to add someone to their growing numbers, but Enzo had—he’d healed a human who’d wandered too close to the Chayagali and had lost her arm to a tendu.
“Could you walk any slower, Dádhi?” Fallon murmurs, towing my attention off the airborne gathering.
“I’m just taking it all in, ínon.”
As I penetrate underneath the circular arbor, I peer past the frolicking honeysuckle at the golden sky, and I picture Cian and my mother. I imagine them watching over me. Mórrígan, how I miss them…
I massage the skin over my heart as I finally join my mate beside the Mahananda.
She must sense my sorrow for she reaches out for my hand and squeezes.They watch.
I think she’s trying to dispel my pain until she gestures to the Cauldron. My lungs squeeze when I see my brother, my mother, and Bronwen. I don’t know whether it’s some generous illusion or if it truly carried them up from the underworld. I don’t care. I glut myself on their smiles and exultant stares until it plugs some of the fissures scarring my heart.
Ready?she asks.
I kiss her fingers before turning toward Behati and Meriam, who’ve decided to officiate our nuptials together.
I’m glad there are no strangers and that the only sounds are the wind twisting through feathers and the ocean lapping at the nearby cliff. Though I would’ve married Daya under any circumstance and in front of any crowd.
After I’ve sworn to protect her, the Cauldron, the land, and all of its people, she takes the crown she’s had designed for me—a simple band of blackened scales shot through with knife-sharp black feathers.
As she places it atop my head, she murmurs,When I kneel before you tonight, Cathal Báeinach, I want you in your crown and nothing else.
My heart damn near pops from the sudden influx of blood.
Aftersupper,she adds, with a taunting smile that makes my jaw tick.
Fine, but I require a drink before we sup.I add an evocative smile so the source of my tipple isn’t lost on her. “Are we almost done?”
“Almost.” Meriam nods to my palm.
“I don’t want blood-magic, Meriam.”
Zendaya winds her fingers through mine.I know but I want you to have access to it. It will make me feel safer.
I hate that she doesn’t already feel safe.
I do.
But clearly not enough.
It’s my gift to you for the gift you gave me.
What gift?I grumble.
She glances at Fallon before carrying our twined palms toward her abdomen, brushing my knuckles over the taut flesh with a secret smile. My eyelids twitch. Is she saying that…? Is she…?
