Fletcher made a choking sound, his attempt to hide laughter. Both he and I knew Grandmother had probably crafted that necklace behind her back a second ago, but I wasn’t about to tell my…almost husband.
“Thank you,” I whispered as she placed it in my palm. The stone immediately began shifting from clear to a swirling blue-gray, responding to my magical signature.
I presented it to Raoul, who accepted it. His fingers brushed mine, and I was startled by their warmth. Weren’t dragon shifters supposed to be cold-blooded? But then, he wasn’t currently in dragon form.
“And do you, King Raoul, have a token to present?” the centaur asked.
Raoul reached into his pocket and withdrew a small box made of burnished copper. He opened it to reveal a ring of deep amber, set with what appeared to be a living flame dancing in its center.
“A dragonfiregem,” he stated. “It will never burn you, but it will warm you in the coldest conditions.”
I stared at the ring, forgetting my research as fascination took over. “The flame is actual fire, perpetually burning without fuel? How does it maintain combustion without consuming oxygen? Is it drawing energy from an external source, or is it?—”
“Adele.” Grandmother nudged my arm.
“Right. Sorry.” I extended my hand, and Raoul slid the ring onto my finger. The tiny flame inside the amber blinked, as if greeting me, and a pleasant warmth spread up my arm.
The centaur continued with the ceremony, but my attention drifted again as I noticed how the air currents in the garden were forming unusual patterns around Raoul. There was something different about how they moved near him, a subtle heat distortion that created miniature updrafts. If I could measure the exact thermal displacement, I might be able to calculate?—
“Do you, Lady Adele Thornwick, accept this marriage?” The centaur’s question penetrated my thoughts.
“Yes. I do.”
“And do you, King Raoul Emberforge, accept this marriage?”
“I do.” His voice came firm and clear, without a hint of hesitation.
“Then by the power vested in me by the Council of Magical Communities, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your union.”
I blinked, suddenly realizing what came next. A kiss. I hadn’t thought about that part.
Raoul stepped closer, his amber eyes searching mine. He bent and pressed his lips against mine in a formal,proper, and completely passionless kiss. It lasted two seconds before he straightened again.
The garden erupted in a shower of tiny snowflakes despite the warm evening air.
He frowned.
I tried to brush the flakes away, but they kept falling. “That, um, happens sometimes when I’m…surprised.”
Raoul’s expression remained inscrutable, but I’d swear I saw curiosity in his amber eyes.
“We must depart immediately,” he said, turning to Grandmother. “We have a considerable distance to cover, and I prefer to arrive before midnight.”
“Of course.” Grandmother looked entirely too pleased with herself. “Adele’s belongings will be sent along tomorrow.”
Sasha and Victoria stepped forward to say goodbye.
Sasha hugged me tightly, speaking by my ear. “Write to us and try not to accidentally freeze his entire kingdom.”
“I make no promises,” I whispered back, blinking away tears. Despite my casual acceptance of this arrangement, the reality of leaving home was hitting me.
Victoria squeezed my hands. “I’ll pack your research notes in a waterproof case. They’ll arrive with the rest of your things.” She smiled knowingly. “And I’ll include your weather calculation tables.”
“You’re the best.”
Grandmother approached last, her eyes twinkling. “Remember, dear one, sometimes the greatest discoveries come when we’re not looking for them.” She patted my cheek. “And do try not to get so lost in your thoughts that you forget you have a husband.”
Fletcher circled my feet, projecting worry.I’m coming too, right? He can’t separate us.
