Chapter 430 Before the Wedding
They did not marry immediately.
The peace accord required months of negotiations, the passages between Earth and the Divine World had to be stabilized, and Zara wanted to make sure Soraya's spirit had fully merged before the ceremony.
During that time, Soraya remained in the Mistveil Expanse with Cyranth.
Her body gradually changed as her spirit recovered. She grew from the form of a three-year-old child into that of a young woman, though the process did not erase the years she had spent with Zara.
When Zara visited, Soraya still called her Mom just to watch her complain.
Cyranth never demanded that Soraya return to the relationship they once had.
He stayed beside her while she recovered her memories, showed her the rebuilt regions of Moonveil, and allowed her to decide what she wanted.
One evening, Soraya told Zara, "I remember loving him."
"And now?"
Soraya looked toward Cyranth, who was waiting at the edge of the sea.
"Now I want to know him again."
That was enough.
They chose to remain together in the Mistveil Expanse, not because an ancient marriage obligated them, but because they both wanted a new beginning.
Enoch also settled into ordinary life.
He returned to school, attended regular examinations, and complained about assignments like any other teenager.
Vivian learned how to be his mother without fear.
Spencer visited more often than he admitted and continued buying gifts Enoch rarely used.
The peace between worlds held.
Valerius surrendered the last of his covert networks and formally recognized the Earth-Divine World council. He was forbidden from commanding cross-world military operations and remained under observation.
He hated the arrangement.
Zara considered that an additional benefit.
As the wedding approached, Lucian became increasingly busy.
He personally reviewed the venue, security, transportation, and guest list.
Zara contributed by approving the most expensive food options and rejecting anything that seemed unnecessarily cheap.
"You told me not to waste money," Lucian reminded her.
"Food isn't a waste."
"Flowers are?"
"They die."
"So do people."
"That's why spending money on food makes more sense. At least someone eats it."
The wedding would take place on Lucian's private island on Earth.
Guests from both worlds would attend, though the ancient mystic beasts agreed to remain in human form to avoid causing international panic.
The ceremony itself would follow Earth customs.
A few days before the wedding, Lucian found Zara alone on the beach.
She was barefoot, holding her shoes in one hand while the waves washed over her feet.
He stood beside her.
"You're unusually quiet."
"I'm thinking."
"That is unusual."
Zara kicked water at him.
Lucian stepped aside.
After a while, she said, "You'll still age."
They had discussed the difference in their lifespans before, but neither had resolved it.
Lucian looked toward the horizon. "Yes."
"I can divide part of my source essence and give it to you."
"I know."
"It would let you live almost as long as I do."
"And shorten your life."
"Only by half."
"Only?"
"I've already lived longer than most civilizations. Three thousand years instead of six thousand isn't exactly tragic."
Lucian turned toward her.
"Don't give it to me because you think you owe me."
"I don't owe you anything."
"Good."
"I want someone to manage the money."
Lucian sighed.
Zara smiled faintly.
Then her expression became serious.
"I don't want to watch you die."
The wind moved through her hair.
"I watched too many people disappear before. That's why I chose to sleep. I thought if I stopped caring, nothing would matter."
Lucian listened without interrupting.
"But Earth changed that," she continued. "My family changed it. Soraya, Enoch... even Allen and all his annoying paperwork."
"And me?"
Zara glanced at him.
"You're included somewhere."
"Somewhere?"
"Near the top."
Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"Above money?"
"Don't push it."
He laughed quietly.
Zara held out her hand.
A point of starlight appeared above her palm.
"This isn't the same as giving you my power. Source essence will connect our lives. If you betray me, I can still take it back."
"Comforting."
"But I won't give it to you before the wedding."
"Why not?"
"You might run."
Lucian looked at her in disbelief.
"You believe I arranged an international wedding so I could run away the night before?"
"People have done stranger things."
He closed her fingers over the light.
"Give it to me after we're married."
Zara searched his face.
"You're sure?"
"No."
She frowned.
Lucian continued, "I don't know what it means to live for thousands of years. I don't know whether either of us will still want the same things after centuries."
"Then why accept?"
"Because I'd rather face that uncertainty with you than accept a future where I lose you after a few decades."
Zara's thoughts went silent.
That happened so rarely that Lucian almost worried.
Then she leaned against his shoulder.
The movement was small, but entirely voluntary.
"Fine," she said. "We'll try it."
On the morning before the wedding, they completed their legal marriage registration.
Zara examined the certificate three times.
"So now I'm definitely the legal heir?"
Lucian took it from her.
"Now you're definitely my wife."
"Same thing."
"It really isn't."
They left the building arguing.
But Zara held his hand the entire way back.