44. SEALED IN STONE AND BLOOD
Remic and I materialized in The Elderwood, just beyond the path to the temple, and I took a moment to just breathe.
Dusk had descended upon the mountain forest, bathing everything in an enchanting, purple hue. The land was calm and quiet, as if the forest was content with my presence. The peaks towered above like quiet looming giants.
I’d never felt more at home.
Crisp notes of pine drifted in the air, and the golden glow of candles stretched its way out of the dark temple, flooding the steps up to the colonnade.
Beyond the arched entry, a whole host of Calledan’s residents stood waiting, though they didn’t know what they were waiting for. Niall hadn’t told them exactly what this ceremony was for, which meant that the moment I removed my hood, there would be certain shock from the majority of them.
Niall and I had rehearsed our plan. He’d told me what to expect, and what to do when the time came.
Mating ceremonies were far different from human marriages—from the sound of it.
But the sentiment was the same. The one thing that we couldn’t plan for was the crowd’s reaction to me being human.
Blood of the gods or not, a human had never ascended the throne in any fae court.
We hoped for the best, planned for the worst, and knew that regardless of the court’s reaction, I was being crowned today as Niall’s mate. Calledan would see a Lady beside their High Lord by nightfall.
Remic adjusted his wings.
I peered up at him from underneath the heavy hood, noting the hilt of his silver sword pommel. He’d polished it to a shine, just as he’d done to his boots.
“You know, I kind of like this look on you. So sleek and stylish,” I said.
He cleared his throat, shifting on his feet. “The vest and pants are a bit . . . constricting.”
I grinned. “Well, the vest may not be a tactical choice, but it looks nice. The pants . . . I don’t see how those are any more constricting than the fighting leathers you wear on a daily basis.”
He huffed a laugh. “Those leathers are crafted from Dreki hides—the most supple material out there. Helps with the range of motion.” He adjusted his shoulder blade, lifting his right wing as if the fine fabric around its base was threatening to cut off circulation to the appendage.
“Well I appreciate you looking like a prince just for me.” I tossed him a wink, and he gave me an incredulous look in return, ready to contest my claim. “Shall we?” I asked, not giving him the time to sneak in a rebuttal.
With another light laugh, he nodded.
As we approached the archway, he tightened his elbow, pulling me closer and leaning in to say, “Your father would be proud of you.”
I blinked, taking in his words.
Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
“Thank you,” I whispered, biting back tears.
The candlelight grew brighter as we crested the top of the steps and crossed the colonnade to the main entry.
My heart skipped a beat the moment we stepped inside.
The circular temple was much larger than it appeared on the outside—having been partially shrouded by the thick forest. Above, the ceiling curved into a dome of glittering mountain stone.
Down below, at the base of the stairway that cut through the throng of spectators, there was a platform at the center of the room.
And there stood Niall, with that devastating smile.
The thrumming in my chest flared, and I sucked in a breath.
He looked like a lord of darkness standing by the altar, illuminated by the basins of fire that bracketed the bottom of the stairs.
His black cloak accentuated his broad shoulders, flooding the ground behind him like a pool of shadows.
He was ever the High Lord of the Mountain Court.
And I had never been more ready to recite my vows to make him mine.
Gasps swirled around the chamber as Remic and I hovered at the top of the stairs. No one could see my face, but my figure was clearly that of a female, and from the way the guests were frantically glancing between their High Lord and me, I was certain they’d put two and two together . . .
This was a mating ceremony.
The look in Niall’s eyes beckoned, and I stepped carefully, relying on Remic’s arm to keep me steady. The air kissed my bare knees as the slit in my gown shifted with each step.
“Who is she?” I heard someone whisper as I passed.
“Her gown . . . it’s black,” someone else murmured.
Damn right it was.
I smiled underneath my hood.
As if Niall could see it, he beamed even more, his eyes igniting with a rim of gold. I focused on the glow of them, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. My own heart was pounding. So much so, that I thought I’d start glowing at any moment.
The bottom of the steps came quicker than I expected, and my cloak swirled around me as I came to a stop aside Remic. The basins of fire pulsed, sending flames higher into the air, acknowledging our presence.
Niall stepped toward us, his smile widening as he regarded me up close.
Remic slipped his arm from mine, and I raised both hands to my hood. With a deep breath, I pushed the fabric back. Firelight drenched my face, and a hush fell over the entire room.
The low, wispy bun at the nape of my neck gave the audience a clear view of my rounded ears. I felt each of their stares, but I cared nothing of it. My eyes locked onto Niall’s, and the crowd fell by the wayside.
I waited, giving the intensity of the moment some time to settle, before I reached up and unclasped the cloak from where it was fastened at my neck. Remic took the garment by the shoulders, guiding it off my body as I slipped my arms free of the oversized sleeves.
Niall’s gaze drifted down, roaming with such a heavy, heated edge to it that chills skittered along my spine.
He paused on the tendrils of shadowfire that were stitched into the upper overlay of the gown, and upon realizing what it was—what it represented—his eyes shot back to mine.
His brows pinched with such a deep expression of awe, one would have thought I’d physically pulled my own heart from my chest and handed it to him for safekeeping.
His lips parted, and the next instant, he reached out and snagged me by the waist, pulling me into his body, past the threshold of the basins of flame.
He crushed his lips to mine without a care in the world, forgetting that we weren’t supposed to kiss until the end of the ceremony.
His other hand cradled the back of my head, so delicately, yet with a strength that had me weak at the knees.
I kissed him back.
Thoroughly.
Spectators be damned.
I briefly heard a few sentiments of awe echo through the temple, but it was the gentle clearing of someone’s throat that got my attention.
I brought the kiss to a halt, pulling away and peering around Niall to find The Adorner standing in wait, brows hiked, with a sheepish grin on his face.
He inclined his head toward the altar that stood between him and us, signaling for us to take our places.
I pressed my lips together, feeling a blush creep across my face while Niall continued gazing at me.
“We’ll get there when we get there,” he said. “Right now, I just want to look at you.”
He took my hand and spun me around, slowly, deliberately, admiring every inch of me and my dark gown, and allowing the rest of the room to do the same. “Gods,” he said under his breath, “I can’t wait to make you mine.”
I let out a quiet laugh as he pulled me back in and turned to face the center of the room. Hand in hand, we approached The Adorner.
The chamber buzzed with amusement as we took our places at the altar, then they quickly quieted, until the only sound that could be heard was the gentle roar from the twelve fire basins surrounding us.
“Citizens of Calledan,” Syros began, “it is my greatest honor to gather with you today as we bear witness to the binding of your High Lord, to Lady Auren Everton, of Belthria.”
Voices rose once more as guests conversed amongst themselves.
I knew what they were saying.
She’s human!
How is this possible?
Syros lifted a single hand to calm the crowd, but Niall took it upon himself to ease everyone’s concerns.
He turned in place, speaking to the entire temple.
“I know that you are all wondering how a human has come to be in our midst. But more importantly, how is it that she and I have come to be bound together?” He scanned the audience, pausing as a grin tugged at the corner of his lips.
“It’s quite simple actually. She is my mate. ”
More gasps filled the room.
“And she is the chosen one.”
While the majority of the guests held their tongue—undoubtedly still unsure of how they felt about this—a select few spoke up at that declaration.
“That is heresy!” a male shouted.
“A human cannot be the one to fulfill the prophecy,” said another.
“How is she even on this side of The Veil?” a female called out.
The mood of the room shifted as others began openly voicing their concerns. I picked up on certain words as unease spread. Human . . . Veil . . . prophecy . . . powerless . . . unworthy . . .
Suddenly, a pulse of power rocked the temple, and everyone fell silent.
Niall’s voice was lethally calm, as he said, “Before any of you draw another incorrect conclusion, I suggest you allow her to demonstrate.” His arm swept out before me, offering me the “stage.”
We’d suspected this exact outcome and had prepared for it.
The fae were kind and open-minded, but for a stranger—a human—to waltz into their temple claiming to be the chosen one .
. . They would need some convincing. Niall had opted not to have my formal announcement and induction ceremony with the council before this, stating it would be much easier to just kill two birds with one stone and tackle both at the same time.
So, as untraditional as this was, it was necessary.