*Lena*
“What now?” I asked, my arms wrapped around Xander’s neck.
It was closing in on 10:00 p.m., and most of the guests had left the wedding, at least those who weren’t staying the night in the castle. All around us, people were dancing to a slow, romantic song, just like we were.
I hadn’t seen Elaine and Oliver since shortly after Oliver arrived. He’d simply taken her hand, and the two of them walked away. Dad was stunned but was able to hastily finish his toast to us before he walked back into the crowd in search of Troy and Maeve.
I was happy for them, especially Oliver, even if he had missed most of my wedding day.
I looked around the dancefloor, watching as people began to take their leave in search of refreshnts or a quiet place to sit and talk. I felt a pang of guilt, and maybe even regret at the fact that all of this may not have been possible if we hadn’t won the war that had torn through our realm.
Our realm was still rebuilding, and likely would be for a while, maybe even years to co.
“Well, we have a week before we leave for Egoren,” he said. “I talked to Will about spending a few days in Avondale before we head through the southern pass, a little honeymoon. There are not many beaches in Egoren, at least not like in the Isles.”
“I wouldn’t mind that,” I said, smiling against his chest. But then I rembered sothing. “I have sothing for you!”
“I have sothing for you too, but I thought said you didn’t get anything for our–”
“It’s not sothing I can give you. But I want–can we go sowhere in private, for a mont?”
He gave a sly glance, and I narrowed my eyes playfully at him.
“Not like that. It’s sothing else!”
“Okay, co on. The rose garden’s empty.”
We left the dance floor and walked hand in hand toward the garden. Guests mingled in small groups, so even sprawled out in the grass, their faces lifted toward the stars.
We reached the garden, and I turned to him, taking his hands in mine.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long ti. I want to... I want to offer you sothing, offer your people... our people, sothing.”
“What–”
“I want to keep the portal between our realms open, permanently. I want our lands to be as one, with no need for magic or moonstones. I know it’s... it’s going to be your decision. I know there will be politics involved–”
“We’ve already elected a high elder to your realm’s council, and started talks about trade–”
“Is this what you want?” I asked, feeling sowhat sheepish. It didn’t feel like much of a wedding gift, but I felt in my heart that this was sothing that needed to happen. A line in that poem from Lycaon’s book had stuck with over the past several weeks–two lines into one, land of the eternal sun.
What if Xander had interpreted the poem incorrectly? It wasn’t about at all. It was about our realms.
It was about repairing the split Lycaon had caused between our kind.
“Can you do it?” he asked in a low whisper.
I reached up to grasp the sunstone necklace.
“Yes,” I whispered.
He held my gaze for a mont, then nodded once.
I ran my thumb over the surface of the stone, feeling it warm against my skin. I closed my eyes, the corners of my mouth twitching into a smile as I asked the Night God for a little... help.
Gasps of surprise, then applause, rang through the air. Xander grasped my arms, going rigid as I opened my eyes and looked up. A shimr of lights washed across the sky, like the stars were moving in a gentle, snaking rhythm. My body felt hot, burning with energy for a long mont. I found it hard to breathe for several seconds, and a jolt of electricity ran up the length of my spine. I stepped away from Xander, afraid my powers would spring forth. But then a feeling of calm swept over , of peace.
Then, nothing.
‘Congratulations on your nuptials, Selene,’ the Night God said, his voice a gentle whisper in my mind.
Xander t my gaze again, looking a little shocked. He stepped toward , his hand running down the length of my back.
“Now, what did you have for ?” I said a little breathlessly, reaching up to brush a lock of hair from my eyes.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” I said honestly. “I’m just fine.”
Xander looked a little skeptical but cleared his throat, shifting his weight before he gingerly reached out to touch the sunstone that hung from my neck.
“I had a ring made to hold the stone,” he whispered. “I worry Alexis is going to rip it off of you one of these days.”
“She already likes to play with it,” I bead, leaning into him as she wrapped his arms around .
“I can’t believe–I can’t believe I married the Moon Goddess,” he said with a little laugh, then kissed on top of the head.
“I’d say you’re pretty lucky,” I teased, and he snorted with laughter before turning to walk us back to our wedding reception.
I was the lucky one. I was the one who was blessed, and in more ways than one.
“Was that light show–was that you?” my father asked.
“The portal is open,” I breathed, knitting my fingers around his. “Our lands are unified, forever.”
***
*Xander*
The library had beco a haven for the n who’d attended my wedding to hide from their wives and daughters, who were all giddy and hyped up on champagne. The air in the library was spiced with scotch and whiskey as I settled into one of the leather couches. Rowan was splayed out in an armchair on the other side of the room, his legs propped up on a foot rest. Alexis was fast asleep on his chest, her head tucked beneath his chin. I smiled into my scotch, praying to whoever was listening that she never lost those perfectly round chubby cheeks.
Rowan had barely put Alexis down since the ceremony. He seed perfectly content, however. He spoke in a low voice to two n as he patted Alexis’s back.
The wedding had wound down significantly as the hour neared midnight. Lena was still outside in the rose garden, chatting with her friends as she sipped sparkling cider and nibbled on whatever food was leftover. I had finally had an opportunity to try the food and drinks an hour ago, and it hadn’t been enough. I was still sober–and starving.
As much fun as this had been, I was ready to crawl into bed beside my wife and close my eyes.
Troy plopped down on the couch opposite the one I was sitting on, crossing his ankle over his opposite knee. He motioned to Charlie, who filled Troy’s glass with two fingers of the incredibly expensive scotch Ethan had insisted on buying for the wedding, even though I’d argued against it.
“I just got stuck talking to your great aunt Georgia for the last hour,” he said to Charlie, then drank deeply from his scotch.
“My sister has always been insufferable, but it’s only gotten worse in her old age,” Ethan gruffed as he walked over and sat down next to .
I leaned forward and grabbed the bottle of scotch off the coffee table, pouring him a dram. He nodded his thanks as he settled back against the leather.
But we almost spilled our drinks when Oliver jumped over the back of the couch and sat on the other side of , looking more than slightly disheveled. Troy arched his brow as Oliver adjusted his wrinkled clothes, and I noticed he’d missed buttons when he hastily dressed.
Ethan pursed his lips and eyed his favorite grandchild skeptically for a mont, then shook his head and sipped his scotch, eting Troy’s eye with a smirk.
“Things going well with Elaine?” I asked.
Oliver didn’t even try to hide the smile that spread over his face.
“She’s definitely my mate,” he said slyly, his cheeks a little red and his hair sticking up all over his head.
There was a very serious conversation I needed to have with him, but that could wait. I’m sure Adrian, Charlie, and I would have it out with Oliver over his abandonnt once the rest of the guests had left, or at least gone to sleep.
For now, I couldn’t have been happier for him.
“There you are, you old bastard. I thought you died,” Ethan grumbled as Soren rounded the couches and took a seat between Troy and Charlie.
Soren gave him a dirty look and rolled his eyes. “What a rcy that would be,” he murmured, taking Charlie’s scotch right out of his hands and draining it. Charlie blinked in surprise, and Troy chuckled as the two patriarchs began to grumble incessantly back and forth.
“Uncle Soren,” Oliver said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
“What?” Soren asked, eting his eye.
“What’s your story?” Oliver replied, narrowing his eyes at the man.
“There’s not much to say–”
“Oh, that’s bullshit,” Troy laughed, his eyes glimring with so distant mory. “I used to tell the boys stories from the year you lived on the Persephone when I was putting them to bed.”
Soren raised his brows, pursing his lips.
“Hopefully only the good ones,” he replied, a soft smile touching his cheeks.
I noticed Ethan’s contemplative expression as he crossed his ankles. He rested his elbow on the seat rest and looked at his brother, his eyes laser focused on Soren’s face.
I wondered how much Ethan knew about the last half of Soren’s life. I realized at that mont it was likely very little.
“How did you end up in the Dark Realm?” I asked.
Soren turned to , and I felt suddenly unsure whether I should have asked that. A darkness flashed behind his eyes, but only for a mont. Other mories lingered there, so good... so not so good at all.
“Yeah, how did that happen?” Charlie asked.
“How did you find your mate?” Oliver added, leaning forward to pour himself a glass of whiskey. I glanced at Rowan, who was still seated in the armchair, but his eyes were narrowed on our conversation. Alexis was still sleeping soundly on his chest.
“I already said it’s not much of a story,” Soren protested, but none of us were having it.
Finally, after much coaxing, he rose from the sofa with a groan and filled another glass of scotch before walking to the front of the couches and clearing his throat.
“I guess... I should start at the beginning.”
The End
#
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