EPILOGUE
Two months Later
- KAILU -
I stand at the end of the aisle, pale pink and white rose petals leading from where I stand in the garden to the glass doors of the patio. Chairs are placed in evenly spaced rows, the hum of conversation doing nothing to calm the nerves ricocheting through my body. Malakai stands next to me, looking just as jittery. Staring out over the audience, my nerves grow worse. There are a lot of powerful people here.
Hannah saunters down the aisle, avoiding eye contact with everyone, but glances shyly at Ames.
What shocks me further is Ames’s stare at Hannah. His eyes are full of longing.
I glance at Siveral on the opposite side of the aisle, who grits his teeth in frustration.
What is going on there?
The music changes, and my heart thunders in my chest. Malakai grasps my shoulder, and I turn to him, smiling. His mother and father sit in the front row. His father’s health is declining rapidly. The king and queen were always more like parents to me than my own. Laylani is doing her best to find something that may help, but so far, we have had no luck.
The king and queen have been working alongside Malakai, myself, and Alanis, preparing us for the future. The people of the realm were hesitant of Alanis at first, since she is an outsider, even with her saving the realm. But slowly, people who truly knew her started stepping forward.
The woman who works at the apothecary spoke highly of her and her kindness to not only herself but also her children. Another woman spoke of how kind she was when she ran into her in the library. The woman was good friends with Maryanna, who always had something positive to say about my mate. The most shocking, though, was Helvin, who works in the florist shop. He is notorious for disliking everyone, but even he said she was always pleasant when she came in, and how during the battle with Iclas she saved not only him but also a boy who had lost his mother in the chaos. If she can make that old grump like her, anything is possible.
Everyone stands and Malakai’s intake of breath draws my attention to the beginning of the aisle.
There she is, Elion on one side, Viros on the other. Her satin white dress hugs her every curve. No one knows about her pregnancy save for those closest to us, but I swear I see a small bump, even though she assures me it is too soon to see anything.
She walks towards me, tears of happiness shining in her beautiful eyes.
The Shadow Vale Coven sits to my left, Alanis has slowly started building a relationship with them, and was there when they anointed a new matriarch. The Gods, Goddesses, and even the Fates sit to my right. Everyone who has helped us get to this point sits around us to celebrate. Even those who aren’t here in body are here in spirit.
Small glowing orbs hover over the ceremony. Alanis reaches out, delicately touching one that hovers by her shoulder. Her eyes brighten.
“Hi Mom,” she whispers.
The ceremony is intimate and over within ten minutes. We all say our vows down the bond, the moment strictly for us and no one else. Our friends and family cheer as I stare into the eyes of the woman who changed everything.
A commotion near the back draws our attention, gasps of surprise and horror as someone stumbles into the wedding. By the stampeding soldiers, I assume the new arrival is not invited. Malakai and I brace ourselves in front of Alanis. Not because she needs us to protect her, but so we can protect our unborn child.
Cries ring out. The unknown person falls to the ground, landing on hands and knees before looking up, his eyes wide and filled with terror.
Alanis pushes us aside and gasps. “Hendrix?”