When they reached the arch, Jade stepped to the left and Rell took her place beside Siban. Instead of standing side by side, he faced her and removed the flowers from her grip, handing them to Jade. He twined his fingers with Rell’s, drawing her against him and kissed her.
“We’re not to that part yet,” Malachi said.
Laughter rippled through the crowd. After another second, Siban broke the kiss. “Life is too short to put off the best things.”
A murmur of approval flowed through the crowd. After all, most of them had narrowly escaped death and very soon would face more perils.
Gregory’s voice rose above the din. “Today we come together to celebrate the union between Esmeralda Kendal and Siban Gaspar.”
Rell lifted her eyebrows in surprise. “Gaspar?” she mouthed.
He winked at her.
She supposed she should have learned his last name, but it had never seemed important. Lady Gaspar? Rolling the name around in her head, she decided she liked the new title very much.
“In the eyes of the Saints,” Malachi said.
“And in the hearts of the Bringers,” Gregory added, “do we join these two people in the most sacred of unions.”
“As the Saints bestow their blessing on us,” Malachi’s normally watery eyes sparkled as he spoke the words. “So do we, with great joy, bless the union between Esmeralda and Siban.”
“Do you both,” Gregory said, “vow to honor each other, to pledge your hearts to each other through life, no matter what may lie ahead?”
“We do.” Together they answered, Siban’s fingers tightening around hers.
“Do you promise to keep faith in each other during times of trouble and to not stray,” Malachi added.
“We do.”
Though the monk’s words were necessary to bind them, Rell couldn’t imagine ever straying from Siban. He was her life, her heart, and if need be, she would die to make sure they had a future together.
Gregory spoke again. “Through the pressures of the present and the uncertainties of the future, do you promise to guide and protect each other?”
“We do.”
Malachi folded his hands in front of him. “Then by the power of the church, do I pronounce this couple wed.”
“And,” Gregory said, before anybody cheered, “do I, with rights bestowed upon me as a member of the royal house of James, also declare this couple wed.”
Cheers erupted from their friends and family. Once again, Siban pulled her to him and kissed her, this time with no restraint.
Two months ago, Rell’s existence had been consumed by revenge and darkness. Now, even though her life still held countless dangers, it bore untold happiness. She had more family than one person deserved and had a husband who loved her for who she was, be that Bane or Bringer. No matter what the fate of the world, on this day, all her prayers had been answered.
Acknowledgements
I want to thank Erin Molta for being an awesome editor with an eye for what I could no longer see the story needed. Thank you for your patience.
I also want to thank my alpha readers who suffer through the first draft of my stories and give me sage advice on what does and doesn’t work. I appreciate you so much!
About the Author
Boone Brux is a bestselling author. Her books range from high fantasy to humorous paranormal.
A former nanny, Boone has lived all over the world, finally settling in the icy region of Alaska, where she writes full time. Always looking for the next adventure, it’s not unusual to find her traversing the remotest parts of the Alaskan bush. No person or escapade is off-limits when it comes to weaving real-life experiences into her books or blogs.
To read more about Boone, find her at www.boonebrux.com.
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