Cassius met her stare. “Do you trust me?”
Thalia nodded without hesitation, even though the forest sent a chill down her spine. “Always.”
Cassius offered a small smile, although he seemed to fidget as Feryena was brought forward. “Good.”
But he didn’t say anything more as she mounted and he swung up behind her. He clicked his tongue, and Feryena set off, heading into the tree line.
Thalia grew tenser the deeper they went.
She could practically smell the smoke from the fire her mother had started, feel the heat of the flames as they licked at her and Cassius’s heels. As the poison from the creature slowly began driving him mad—
“Easy,” he murmured, his lips brushing against her temple. “Nothing bad is going to happen. I have you.”
Thalia swallowed, forcing herself to relax into him. “I wish you would just tell me what we’re doing here—”
Her words died as they broke through the trunks and Cassius pulled Feryena to a stop.
Five pools stretched before her. But instead of remaining dry patches of earth scorched from the burning of the creature’s eggs, they were full of glittering water. The incinerated trees had re-formed, either from the Mages’ help or the forest’s own pockets of wild magic. Flowers had bloomed, white and full petaled, each one nearly as big as her head. They hung from the branches of the trees like dewdrops, their fragrance tickling her nose.
“What the hell?” she got out as she realized they weren’t alone in the forest. Keegan appeared, as did Lord Damien and Camilla. They all stood around a pool whose surface sparkled like liquid starlight.
Cassius dismounted, grinning up. “You told me that you wanted to take the vow a few months ago. Seemed like a good enough time to do it.”
Thalia huffed out a laugh as Cassius helped her down, his fingers twining through hers. They moved toward the trio, a few petals falling from the trees, brushing against Thalia’s cheeks as though to caress her.
“You all knew about this?” Thalia said as they stopped before Keegan, Camilla, and Lord Damien.
The shifter rolled her eyes. “Of course. Who do you think suggested it?” Thalia laughed as Cassius faced her, still holding her hand.
“Are you ready?” Cassius asked. “Do you still want to do this?”
He looked nervous, as if he was afraid Thalia would suddenly refuse him. She softened, stepping into him, and planted a kiss on his lips. “I’m always ready for you.”
Cassius seemed to sag in relief, his lips firm against hers.
Keegan cleared his throat loudly and Thalia pulled away, laughing even as Cassius growled at him.
“Then step into the water,” Lord Damien said, the red-eyed Vampyr gesturing toward the pool before them.
Cassius’s fingers tightened on hers as they both stepped into the pool, the water surprisingly warm and light. She glanced around, her eyes lingering on a spot that stood out from the environment around them.
Just like the blooms in the trees, a bunch of flowers seemed to have sprouted from the ground in only one particular spot.
Thalia’s eyes burned, her throat tightening.
“Thalia?” Cassius’s words were soft.
She turned back to him, reading the concern in his eyes, but also the understanding … the love that not even the taint of the creature or the actions of her mother could dim.
“Let’s do this.”
He offered a small smile as Keegan stepped forward, wrapping their bound hands in a length of shimmering white ribbon.
“As your hands are bound together by this ribbon, may your souls be bound as one,” Keegan said, tying a knot. “May you share your lives as one, both bound in love and loyalty until the end.”
Camilla stepped forward with a jar of golden liquid. “May these hands always hold each other. May they have the strength to endure whatever darkness awaits them, or whatever light dares to shine upon them.” She tipped the jar, its contents spilling out over their joined hands, coating them with sticky residue. “May their love be as sweet as this honey, and their hands remain tender and gentle as they carry each other through this world.”
Thalia didn’t realize she was crying until her tears splashed onto their bound hands, Cassius’s own eyes bright.
