“I love you too, thanks for explaining. Gramlithyn and I wanted to start our future by settling the past, and now I feel like we can.”
“If you have any questions about your mother, please ask. I will do my best to be as honest as I can,” Kalthekor promised.
“Thanks, Dad. But you’ve given me everything I need to know.”
Pyxlevir supposed he could mourn the fact that his mother hadn’t had much interest in him or be angry that she’d kept Kalthekor from being there as his life started, but the woman was gone, so those things no longer mattered.
The second his father released him, Pyxlevir coaxed Aristos to his feet and was crushed against the centaur’s chest.
“Thanks for being my dad and making sure Gramlithyn didn’t wind up with a grubby little elf,” Pyxlevir said. “I love you.”
“Gramlithyn really should thank Kal and me for getting you through your bath-hating phase,” Aristos teased. “I love you too, Pyx.”
To complete the circle and ensure Gramlithyn’s parents felt included, Pyxlevir embraced them too. Then he clung to Gramlithyn and sighed as his mate dropped a kiss on his head.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Gramlithyn whispered.
Pyxlevir grinned up at him. “I appreciate your encouragement. As it turns out, things aren’t nearly as scary when you have someone at your side you can trust.”
Gramlithyn returned his smile and brushed their lips together. “I understand completely. Thank Fate, my mate is also my best friend, and I can count on you for everything. I know you won’t let me down.”
“No, I won’t, and you’ll be there for me no matter what. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Chapter 32
In a stunning tunic and pants handcrafted by Evlithar and Cadlyr, Pyxlevir studied himself in the mirror. The fabric was a bold zebra stripe, but only hints of it were revealed through the heavy beading in a gorgeous ombre of blues. A matching cloak was still on its hanger, so Pyxlevir forced himself to stop fawning over his gorgeous outfit to don it.
The weight of the cloak was no small thing, and Pyxlevir wondered how many hours it’d taken Cadlyr and Evlithar to sew on the beads. There was a knock on the door, and Pyxlevir raced to answer it. Framed in the doorway was a sexy zebra-elf in a black suit, barely visible under a perfect replica of Pyxlevir’s cloak. A coordinating tie and vest completed Gramlithyn’s look, and Pyxlevir didn’t think he’d ever looked better. At least while dressed.
“Are you ready?”
Pyxlevir nodded. “Kiss.”
Dutifully, Gramlithyn bent to brush their lips together, and Pyxlevir took his hand. The house was quiet, and Pyxlevir imagined everyone was finishing dressing or already outside finding a seat for the upcoming matebond ceremony. Gramlithyn and Pyxlevir headed straight through the back doorand went directly to the memorial garden where they found their families already waiting for them.
Kalthekor was the first to walk forward. He draped a necklace over Pyxlevir’s neck with beads the same color as their summer sky skin.
“You were nine months old when your mother crossed the veil, so no one offered you mourning necklaces. Today you will get several, but I thought the one from me could be for Tamlisyr. You bear her finest features in your positivity and beautiful smile. Even your name reflects hers. I imagine she is watching you today and is proud of the man you have become. Your father and I certainly are,” Kalthekor said.
Pyxlevir ignored his tears as he hugged his dad. “Thank you, I’ll cherish it. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Pulling himself together, Pyxlevir faced Aristos, and the centaur added a second necklace in a mixture of Pyxlevir’s favored shades of blue and purple. “This necklace is for the other Valzadari who came before you and lost their lives. You come from an ancient line of leaders, but you are one of the finest examples of what it means to be Valzadari.”
“That’s because I was raised by Chieftain Valzadari and Chieftain-mate Centaurus-Valzadari,” Pyxlevir replied. “Thanks, I love you.”
“Love you too, Pyx.”
In a flurry of joy and hugs, Pyxlevir accepted necklaces from Cadlyr and Evlithar while thanking them profusely for the gorgeous outfits. Semira and Laconifel gave Pyxlevir lovely beads in green and revealed that Gramlithyn’s mother had fashioned a ceramic bowl to hold the necklaces everyone gave them on their mating day.
By the time Gramlithyn and Pyxlevir were ready to have a moment of silence, they both had to take several minutes togather their emotions. They were lucky to have such a fantastic family. With his hand locked in Gramlithyn’s, Pyxlevir closed his eyes and wished his mother well. He thanked her for life and refused to think about the way her parents had once tried to manipulate him to learn more about Kalthekor and Aristos.
Surrounded by the expansive monuments left by D’Vaires who’d lost loved ones, including several tributes to elves and their tribes, Pyxlevir sent waves of happiness to every pointy-eared being that had crossed the veil. He took a moment to recall the beloved dogs that were such an integral part of his youth and mentally blew them kisses. It wasn’t traditional, but he also thanked Fate for his family and the hybrid he was about to bind himself to for eternity.
Satisfied, Pyxlevir glanced at Gramlithyn to find the hybrid smiling at him.
