Epilogue
“Ama, are you ready to walk—OHMYGOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
Ama quickly plucked Astra up before her mother’s scream could scare the poor feline away. “What? I thought the dress needed a little something.”
Her mother closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, a move she’d perfected during Ama’s childhood. Then Mother inhaled deeply and shook out her hands as if ridding herself of bad juju. She blinked while staring at the ceiling and murmuring to herself something about strength and patience, and finally looked at Ama again.
“Could you please explain why you let that cat walk across your wedding dress with purple paint on its feet?”
“Because it needed something.” Ama shrugged. “It was all white. Granted, it has pockets, which is a plus, but otherwise it was pretty boring.”
“Daughter dear, you are five minutes from walking down the aisle to get married. Now is not the time to make any changes to your wedding.” Mother spoke as if through clenched teeth.
“Yep, you’re right.” Ama gently placed Astra in her window perch and turned back to her mother. “Thankfully, I made this change six minutes ago. Oh, look! It’s already dry!”
She knelt at the satiny hemline and crawled into the dress like a cave explorer, turning and wriggling until her arms reached into the three-quarter-length sleeves and her head popped out of the boat neckline. A quick glance down proved the meandering path Astra had taken from one shoulder to the other side near where it hit Ama’s hip was exactly the missing detail the dress had needed. “Tah-dah!”
Her mother shook her head. “You can’t walk down the aisle looking like you pulled that dress out of the trash.”
“You also said I’d never find bridesmaid dresses that looked like galaxies, but I did.”
“Oh, Ama!” Fro?ja exclaimed as she entered the room with the bridesmaids, looking like the view from their dragon plane, in tow. Ama’s mother turned, her expression clear she assumed Arkyn’s mother would be a fellow sympathizer. “I love the addition of Astra’s footprints. I’m glad you were able to include her in the ceremony in some way.”
Her mother’s face fell and she shook her head. This was yet another example of how Arkyn’s family had embraced Ama in a way her own family never could, and her mother was slowly conceding to the fact Arkyn’s family was the perfect fit for her unorthodox daughter.
“That’s a much better way to include Astra than trying to make her a ring bearer.” Eydís agreed. “Of course, I’m a little biased, since that job has gone to my Eris.”
“Your tripod labradoodle will make the bestest boi ring bearer.” Lin fist-bumped Eydís then turned to Ama. “Your sister is doing one final potty try-time with the flower girl and then we’ll be all set to go.”
Lucia gave Ama a quick hug. “Our Norwegian cousins have arrived and are seated and anxiously awaiting this union.”
Lies. Well, not really lies… more like code. With human non-shifter wedding guests such as Ama’s own family, her coworkers, and Drekison business associates, they’d had to concoct a story for why there were several Norwegians in attendance at the wedding.
Weddings, plural, actually.
True to his promise of civil disobedience, Ivar had insisted all the brothers get married within six months, and at different locations. The Council Elders were forced to travel via human jets across several time zones to attend each ceremony—thus showing their endorsement of each marriage—again and again, each time bearing a unique gift, wearing a different outfit, and forced to make nice with humans.
The first wedding had been a traditional Chinese wedding in Chinatown to honor Lin, who had looked amazing in her red dress. Ivar and Lucia had an outrageously formal wedding incorporating many Norwegian traditions in Alexandria’s largest church. Ulrik and Eydís had an evening wedding deep in the woods, the area decorated to look like some ethereal fae kingdom and guests had released lightning bugs instead of throwing rice. Ama and Arkyn were having a casual afternoon backyard wedding, complete with cornhole games and bales of hay for seating.
Of course their Norwegian cousins were anxiously awaiting this union. If only to end their torture.
Ama’s sister stuck her head in the room. “The music is cued. It’s time.”
With hushed yet excited voices, they all took their places. Her soon-to-be-sisters-in-law walked down the aisle in arm with their handsome husbands, all dressed in linen suits of various shades of purple. While some coworkers had scoffed at the news the groomsmen would wear purple, most of the women in attendance stared with obvious appreciation of the Drekison men.
But that wasn’t anything new. Not only were they handsome men with powerful physiques, their dragon pheromones were impossible to ignore.
While she could acknowledge the fact his brothers were handsome men, Ama only cared about one dragon in particular, her eyes focused on Arkyn where he stood at the altar, looking magnificent in his eggplant-colored suit. Her feet moved of their own volition, carrying her toward her destiny and the man she loved. Halfway there, she couldn’t stand the lethargic pace anymore; she plucked her dress hem up, tossed her bouquet to the nearest person, and sprinted to Arkyn, throwing herself into his arms when he met her halfway, twirling her until she was breathless.
He held her close, his face buried in her hair and his corn-on-the-cob and champagne aroma filling her senses. Pulling away enough to thread her arm through his, he escorted her the final few feet to the altar, his gaze never leaving hers.
Then a furry head popped up from his jacket’s breast pocket. Ama gasped and stared at Astra, almost too grown to fit in the pocket, her paws clean and sporting a purple satin ribbon around her neck. Apparently, the kitten hadn’t been content to watch the ceremony from her window perch.
“Oh, Your Highness. You get to be part of the ceremony after all.” Ama blinked back tears.
“Of course she’s part of the ceremony, elskr.” Arkyn’s deep rumble grounded her emotions and shot shivers of expectation through her body. “She’s the reason I met you.”
Ama looked into Arkyn’s blue eyes, seeing their past, their future, and a universe of possibilities in between. Her new roots, interwoven with his and strong enough to withstand any storm. She’d never float away with this strong, capable, perfect man beside her.
Tears trickled down her cheeks as she laughed, her heart overflowing with happiness. She threw herself back into his arms, declaring loudly enough for all to hear, “Arkyn Drekison, I do!”
Arkyn laughed as the minister coughed and the audience gasped. “Amalthea Payne, I do, too.”
Then he cupped her face and kissed the bride.