EPILOGUE #2
They’d tried to offer contracts to as many small venders in town as possible, and after passing extensive grilling by Evan, a string quartet made up of two of Ava’s teachers and their friends was playing for the ceremony.
The ballroom had been appointed with garlands of fir tied with cheery red velvet bows.
One of Lara Cavalieri’s media surrogates had called the designs so gauche when they’d leaked.
I mean really, a Christmas wedding in January?
They hadn’t seen the last of Lara. Of that, she felt certain. But the wards surrounding the castle were holding. She was marrying the vampire of her dreams. And for tonight, that was enough.
Dani lifted the front of her dress, carefully making her way to the back of the room. Evan, Sera and Ava were huddled together, waiting for the music to begin so they could walk down the aisle ahead of her.
“What’s going on?” she whispered when she reached them.
Evan leaned in. “Apparently, Your Prince of Fangs and Frying Pans decided while he had a captive audience, it would be an excellent time to talk to the press and address the issue of the riots we’ve been having for the last month.” She made a face. “Except, now I have to pee.”
“Shh.” Sera shot her a look.
“I’m just saying, if men had to wear poofy dresses and stockings, they would consider these things.”
Slipping an arm around her sister’s waist, Dani leaned in to listen.
“Our world has changed many times over in the past hundred years,” Alexander said to their assembled guests.
“Sometimes that change has been for the better. At other points, we have found ourselves at a crossroads in history that tests the strength of our character. I think we would all agree, this is one such moment.”
Dani looked out across the rows of seated guests.
Kayra and her parents were there. Eunice and some of the other survivors Alex and Henri had pulled from the distribution center fire had come as well, along with Lara’s former press team.
Alex had brought them on as Dani’s new media team after Lara had fired them and so far, they were doing a lovely job.
Brigitte, who had so bravely talked to her down in the resistance stronghold in the Borderlands, looked lovely in her pale green dress. They nodded silently as Alex continued.
“None of us asked for the changes that were wrought upon the world by forces beyond our control. Our choice now is how we will move forward. How do we work together to ensure everyone not only has enough to get by, but that we don’t lose the small comforts that just a few generations ago, we took for granted? ”
It felt like he held the eyes of every person in the room as he spoke.
“The safety to walk down a quiet street and throw a ball after dark. The promise that there would be enough food, enough medicine. That there wouldn’t be attacks from across the border at dusk. That the worst thing you had to worry about that day was failing a math test in school.”
He stared down at his notes. Dani pressed a hand to her heart, thinking how much she loved him, how fiercely proud she was of the man he had always been, and of the king he would become.
“Don’t stop now,” she whispered. “You’ve got this.”
As if he’d heard her, Alex glanced up, mouth creasing in a slight smile as their eyes met.
“Prosperity means ensuring everyone lives a comfortable life, not just those with the most. None of us can survive without community, without family. I vow to work for everyone in this sector and the kingdom beyond, that we may all know better days ahead.”
He paused, smiling as he looked down. “Many of you know that I first met my wife, Daniela, when she used to come into the legal aid center where I volunteered. Like many families in this sector, she and her sisters know what it is like to go to bed hungry. They know what it is like to have a family member who desperately needs medication that our broken system says should cost more than you make in a month. She has had to make the desperate choice between paying rent or buying heating oil.”
Alex met her eyes and touched his hand to his heart.
“This will not be easy. Our challenges will not be solved overnight. But know that your queen and I are working tirelessly every day to make your lives better because she has been where you are. You have not been forgotten, and we will not rest until our kingdom is made whole.”
“Your speech was ambitious,” Dante said as they stood with Henri, watching the guests move back towards the ballroom after dinner.
“We’ve seen terrible hardships the past ten years especially,” Henri murmured. “I want to think we may be at a point where we’re ready to come to the table and work together.”
“As do I.” Alex squeezed his friend’s shoulder.
He’d appointed Henri to Head of the Palace Guard. While he would miss their late nights sneaking out of the castle, the promotion was well deserved and there was no one he trusted more to protect his family.
“Every time we think things will get better, they only seem to get worse.” Dante swirled his wine.
He’d been quiet the past few weeks. Part of that was due to Isabella’s absence, and part of it, Alex sensed, was something his brother was putting off telling him.
Alex smirked. “But since according to the Cavalieri-controlled media, I’m hands-down the least-qualified, shameful embarrassment of a playboy prince to ever ascend the throne, there’s really nowhere for my polling numbers to go but up.”
Henri snorted. “Lara’s really handling this with a lot of dignity, isn’t she?”
“Surely you couldn’t have missed the weepy interview tour she did on the morning show circuit? I think the tissue industry is making a surprising comeback. Evan does a rather good imitation, when you give her enough wine.”
“Now that I need to see.”
When Dante shifted in place, tugging at the collar of his tux, Henri squeezed his arm. “I’m going to go make one last check of the ballroom. See you and Dani in there.”
“Thanks, Henri.” As his former bodyguard walked away, Alex turned to his brother. “Out with it. You’ve been avoiding me for days.”
“Sorry. This isn’t easy.” Dante blew out a breath. “I’ve been trying to figure out a way to tell you.”
“You’re leaving, then?”
“It’s complicated. But if it matters, I agree with what you said. We have a responsibility to try to make right thirty years of oppression carried out by the vampire aristocracy.”
Alex understood, even if he hated it. “We both know you would never be able to stay here, safe within these walls, enjoying life as a prince while the rest of the world burns. Where will you go?”
“I don’t know yet. Probably working with the resistance, maybe to another sector. Wherever I can do the most good.”
He squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “Stay safe. And know this will always be your home.”
Dante’s expression sobered. “You have to get Isabella to listen to reason before it’s too late.”
Alex sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. “She’s made her choice. I’ve tried contacting her. Numerous times. She isn’t answering any of my texts.”
Dante swore under his breath. “Sera never should have made that promise.”
“She feels terrible,” Alex said quietly.
“She’s barely been eating. She won’t feed.
She’s never learned to control her power out of fear that she might kill someone if she unleashes it, even a little.
For years, she’s kept herself covered, using gloves and long sleeves to make sure no one accidentally comes in contact with her skin. ”
“So what happened?”
“It’s hard to say. I think when Father was twisting her arm behind her back, trying to drain her, her glove must have slipped.
Sera wasn’t trying to kill him. I’ll never believe that.
He had no idea that her power matched his, and that by expending so much energy trying to harvest her life force, he could destroy himself. ”
“And now that the video has leaked, she can’t leave the castle.” Dante glanced over. “What are you going to do?”
Alex sighed. “That is a complicated question, and one for another night. For now, I’m going to dance with my wife.”
He found Dani laughing with a circle of her friends.
He softly traced the mating mark at the inside of his wrist as he approached, watching as her cheeks flushed pink.
Though the mark he bore was now scarred from the burns Lara had inflicted, his connection to Dani had only grown with every passing day.
Her eyes twinkled as he bent to kiss her hand. “I was under the impression that kings did not bow, sire.”
“Ah, but one must make exceptions for one’s wife.” He twirled her in a slow circle. “Especially if she wields a formidable saucepan.”
“That was once,” she scolded, eyes narrowing as Ava and her friends burst into giggles.
Alexander nodded solemnly as he led her out onto the dance floor. “And yet, I still tremble sometimes at the sight of my morning omelets.”
“You are going to make me step on your toes, Your Highness.” Dani began to laugh, wiping at her eyes. “And then all the press will write about is what a dreadful dancer I am.”
“If you step on my toes, they should fairly write that I am an ineffectual lead.”
“Which we all know will never happen. The public is very enamored with you, as am I.”
Alex slid an arm around her waist and cupped her cheek. “We mustn’t tell them your cat still hasn’t decided if I am friend or foe.”
“I’ve forgotten you’ve never had a cat. This is the way of things. Give her another five to ten years. She might stop stealing your pillow.”
“I can see restoring peace to the kingdom will be the easier of the tasks before me.” He nuzzled her nose. “I love you, Daniela. Forever.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “A thousand times, yes.”
As his lips closed over hers, applause broke out across the dance floor from their family and closest friends. Alex knew they still faced great challenges in the days ahead. But they would stand together against the coming storm, and find a way to remake their world for the better.