Epilogue
vera
I suppose wedding day nerves were to be expected. But nonetheless, Petra snorted, leaning against the wall, rolling her eyes at me in the mirror.
“Look at you,” she said. “Getting all nervous and emotional about marrying your wife.”
“I don’t see any reason not to push you out the window right now,” I said. She sighed.
“Not really fair saying something like that. I can’t fight you on your wedding day. Even if you’re already married to the bride.”
“Maybe one day you’ll understand, if you’re able to find someone who can stand you,” I said, adjusting my suit jacket one more time. The door swung open behind me, and Caitlyn came in with her hair done up in an elegant bun, soft makeup around her eyes that crinkled as she laughed at me.
“Oh, look at you,” she said. “I’ve never seen you look nervous before. Over marrying your wife?”
Petra threw her hands up. “That’s what I was saying!”
Caitlyn wrinkled her nose. “Oh. I take it back then.”
“Hey?” Petra gestured wildly. “First a bride on her wedding day and now a woman in a wheelchair? Why do I keep getting attacked by people I can’t fight back?”
“You’ll live,” I said, turning back to the mirror.
I looked fine. I wasn’t the type to care about my appearance, and this was no exception. Fussing with my suit was just a pretense for what I was really nervous about.
I didn’t know how to be a wife, how to devote myself to a woman in the way I wanted to for Elaine.
But then again, I already had been.
We’d been married for months now, as the manor became home and we’d established our presence in Merona. Elaine had taken quickly to her role, representing the family alongside me, and we’d had our fair share of challenges both public and private.
All in all, it was smooth. I’d only had to kill one person who made the mistake of attacking Elaine. I made enough of an example of the poor fool that nobody else was likely to try it any time soon.
And everyone knew we were married. Those rings we’d picked up the day after we’d met, just to wear to look like we were married, fast became symbols.
But the first wedding had been a weapon I’d been using, trying to kill her. This one legally meant nothing, and emotionally, it meant everything.
I adjusted my tie again. Petra laughed.
“You look fine,” she said. “Elaine’s gonna be happy.”
Caitlyn wheeled her chair up next to me. “She will,” she said. “She’s loved everything you’ve been so far.”
“Please. I don’t need reassurance.”
“There’s tough-guy Vera Farkas again,” Petra snorted, just as the door opened, an attendant knocking on it.
“Vera?” the attendant said. “Your party is ready for you in the lobby.”
“Coming,” I said, turning away from the mirror. Petra caught me, a hand on my arm, and when I looked at her, she grinned.
“Proud of you,” she said. “You’ve come a long way. I’ll beat you up another day.”
I stared at her a minute before I broke out into a smile. “You’re welcome to try it, small fry.”
She slapped my back good-naturedly. “Once it’s not your wedding day, I’ll remember you said that.”
I chuckled as I turned back to the door, striding over the wood floor, off to see my wife.
Off to live a life with her.
And to be happy.
elaine
It wasn’t like I’d married Vera for the money. I mean, I’d married her to not get murdered, but it wasn’t like I’d stayed with her for the money.
But admittedly, I didn’t mind getting flown to Paris for a wedding.
The hotel was beautiful and luxurious, and I’d had an incredible morning waking up next to Vera—the woman I was going to profess my love to and reaffirm my love for in a proper wedding this time—in the most stunning hotel room I’d ever seen, with a classical Parisian balcony wrapped in ivy with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
We went out to have a luxurious breakfast at a restaurant across from the hotel, and then the next thing I knew, I was getting whisked through the wedding preparations, a team bigger than I’d ever imagined gathered to make me beautiful for my wife.
I teared up seeing myself in the wedding dress—the dress Vera had bought me back when we’d first met, fitted with more fabric and beautifully shaped to make the most stunning vintage-style wedding dress. And Caitlyn, there with me for the fitting, smiled sweetly at me in the mirror.
“You look beautiful,” she said.
“I don’t know what to say,” I whispered. “I can’t believe…”
“That you’ve come this far?”
I nodded. She squeezed my arm.
“You’ve always had this in you. I know you have.”
I wiped my eyes. “Caitlyn… you know better than anyone how it feels like everything’s changed so quickly.”
She laughed, eyes misting. “The thing that changed was that now you have a family that appreciates you.”
“It’s so strange that… I don’t want her here, but to know Mom isn’t attending my wedding…”
She nodded, looking down. “I know. But…”
“And that I have to find a way to explain to Matt why this is so luxurious without admitting I’ve married an assassin.”
She laughed. “I already had the chat. He thinks Vera runs an investment banking firm.”
“I think that’s worse. But at least it’s legal.” I wiped my eyes again, turning back to the mirror. “I don’t know how I’ve gotten here. But this is where I want to be.”
“Then let’s go,” she said, squeezing my hand. “I’m glad I get to see you marry the woman you love.”
“I’m glad… I get to have my family here for it.
You and everyone else.” I took a long breath, and I turned to her.
“Speaking of which, I meant to ask you something. When I asked her why she’d suddenly made a huge donation to my old library in the middle of all the wedding preparation, she just told me to ask you… ”
She laughed, shrugging. “Who knows?” she said, a gleam in her eyes. “I can’t quite figure out your wife.”
She definitely knew something she wasn’t letting on.
But I didn’t get to question her any longer before we were both whisked along to finish getting ready, and before I knew it, I was waiting in the wings with my heart pounding.
The hotel terrace, a stunning space full of flowers and drapery and a close-up view of the Eiffel Tower, was alive with activity, and it didn’t make sense how nervous I was for a ceremony to marry the woman I was already married to.
“Ms. Whitner,” a voice said, cutting through the nerves, and I looked back at where Yulia strode into the room, smiling slyly at me. “Pleasure to see you here.”
I stood up taller. “Yulia—I thought you couldn’t make it to this.”
“I convinced my patrons to see reason. This is an important diplomatic event. And it won’t do to neglect the patronage between Whitecliff and Penumbra. To that end, I’ve brought you a gift.”
She produced a small box in red velvet. I blinked. “Oh… those are typically at the reception.”
“I won’t have you open it in front of the crowd. I’ll see it delivered to your room. But I thought it best to make sure you see it.”
I took the box, opening it carefully, and my chest tightened. A knife, blade gleaming in the overhead lights, a beautifully ornate hilt etched with roses in red and black.
“You may recognize it,” Yulia said.
“You… drastically overestimate my read on knives.”
“Hm. You’ll learn. This is the knife I threw at you at your last wedding.”
“Oh…” I brushed my fingers over the hilt. The knife Vera had caught by the blade, as her blood spilled and consecrated our pact.
“Let this symbolize that this time is different. This time, we present it as a peace offering. This time, it’s yours to wield.”
“Thank you.” I closed the box carefully. “A symbol of our cooperation. Yulia…”
She raised an eyebrow. “Speak, then.”
“What are you doing now? I know things are difficult with you in the Whitecliffs…”
She laughed. “That’s so like you, Whitner. On your own wedding day, you’re concerned with the wellbeing of the woman who tried to kill you.”
“You’re a friend, first and foremost. Just because Horizon is gone doesn’t mean that’s changed.”
She stifled a quick smile, turning away.
“Perhaps I can tell you. Certainly. After our interactions, I’ve decided not to let myself be a drone for the Whitecliffs.
Instead… I intend to lead the clan. And when that happens, Merona will fall into order under our command…
but Penumbra will remain an ally. Even I wouldn’t dream of making an enemy of you and Vera. ”
“Yulia…” I looked down at the knife, at the symbol of steel resolution, and I nodded, handing the box back. “I know ambition is dangerous. I’ll keep it secret. But if you ever need a place to be something other than a drone or a leader… that’s what friends are here for.”
She let out a short laugh, taking the box back. “It’s good to see the power hasn’t changed you,” she said. “I’ll have this delivered to your room. And I had best take my seat for the ceremony, before I get in trouble. Ciao.”
The ceremony was breathtaking as I waited in the wings, and the music rose through the terrace as I worked not to cry.
But finally, it was my turn to walk, and I felt the eyes of everyone around me as I stepped out onto the terrace and walked down the aisle, my eyes fixed on Vera at the altar, so beautiful there in her suit and that look in her eyes like I was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
Caitlyn, Petra, Jenna, Yulia, even Rail who had almost seemed to take to me like a surrogate daughter since we’d started working together—all of them together with the rest of our family, gathered here watching as I walked to Vera, my chest heaving with emotion as I took her hands.
“Elaine,” she whispered.
“Vera,” I whispered back. It was quiet enough it was just for the two of us, but it was all that needed to be said.
I’d already married her once before. But this time, my heart was ready.
To love her, to spend the rest of my life with her, and as the minister started, I lost myself in Vera’s eyes, still as smoldering and powerful as the first time I’d met them in the lot next to my apartment, but at the same time, so different.
The eyes of a woman who was loved. Who had a home. A family.
Of a woman who wasn’t just a killer, but a human. A woman with a beating heart that she’d promised to me.
“Do you,” the minister said, “Vera, take Elaine to be your wife, in sickness and in health, to love her, to hold her, to cherish her, till death do you part?”
Vera spoke like a dream. “I do.”
“Do you,” the minister said, and I worked no to cry as my chest heaved, “Elaine, take Vera to be your wife, in sickness and in health, to love her, to hold her, to cherish her, till death do you part?”
I swallowed once to find the words. One glance to the side, at my friends and family, all gathered with adoring eyes, watching as I promised myself to the woman I loved.
“I do,” I whispered.
“Then by the power vested in me,” the minister said, “I declare you wed.”
Applause started out over the terrace. The minister spoke louder over the sound.
“You may kiss.”
I stepped closer to Vera, I held her, and I kissed her.
To love her. To hold her. To cherish her.
Till death did us part.