“
But it’s also a moot point. Ristan has seen us having a child who can stop this world from dying. One who can heal the land from what the Mages have done to it. So, that is why I’m here; the only reason. I came with Adam because he asked, and your husband believes we can save Faery. If you know of another way, I’m all ears, Lady.” Mari sighed and shook her dark head sadly at my words.
“Come, let’s get you ready.”
I stood in the room in front of a huge mirror. Only an hour had passed, in which Adam’s feminine family members had done wonders. I looked like something from a fantasy movie. I was dressed in a wedding gown that was created of the softest shimmering white silk that caressed my skin lovingly. The top was a work of art. Beads created a back that held the long train of the gown. Silk wrapped around to create the Grecian cut bodice perfectly and then floated down gracefully to an almost bell shaped skirt. I’d never worn anything so elaborate, or beautiful, in my entire life.
Curls framed my face, and f
lowers and pearls had been placed through my hair to hold it up in an elegant double-braided updo. Moira painstakingly painted the thin delicate lines that symbolized unity and fertility in black ink, for the Dark Fae, along my shoulders and upper arms.
“
Wow, you clean up very nicely,” Moira said when she had finished the Celtic symbol for unity on my shoulder.
“
Thanks,” I whispered, fighting the urge to throw up. In less than twenty minutes, I would be presented to Adam as his gift. I wasn’t sure why they gifted the bride, but, then again, I knew little about anything they did. The Guild had a lot of books, but there hadn’t been any need for me to look into weddings of the Fae, or anything like that back then. Something scratched at the back of my mind with that thought.
“
It’s almost time. When you’re ready, Synthia, the men would like to escort you to Adam,” Mari said, looking me over quickly with the keen eye of a mother. “Do you not have anything from your parents? A sash that gives you honors among your own kind?” she asked.
“
Considering the only thing they tried to give me was a painful death, I’m thinking I’m better off without anything from them,” I mumbled as I stepped into the heels that I’d procrastinated putting on until the very last minute.
“
I’m glad that you don’t have much in the way of ties to them. They are a disingenuous people at best. They have been since Anise lost her throne. We will give you a few moments alone, since it is custom for the bride to reflect on her new life. The men will open the door when you knock on it, and then they will take you to Adam and announce your names to the gathering. My boy is fair smitten with you, Synthia, so it should run smoothly. Is there anything else you need to know before we take our places with Adam?” Mari asked, giving me another quick once over.
“
I have no idea what is expected of me tonight,” I replied trying to keep my hands from trembling while keeping my mind off the fact that I would like nothing better than to run right the hell out of here and back to Ryder.
“
We will have dancing, and you will be expected to dance with any whom ask you if they are from a royal lineage. We also have a large gathering of women with children in attendance who would like you and my son to bless their children. Normally, they wouldn’t until you are Queen, but some seem to think it will help their children live long enough for the cure to work on them as well. Word is spreading quickly that you and my son are the cure for what is ailing the land and that a seer has
seen
the fruit of your marriage. Hope, is all they have right now. The contract signing will begin soon after; this is just a confirmation as to what Kier and Dresden worked out a few days ago. After this, we will progress with the handfasting. Your hands will be bound together with the multi-colored lengths of silk that represent each desirable quality of the union, and then you and Adam will speak the words of the binding of castes before Kier and Dresden. Then we will start the feast and afterward we will continue on with the bedding ceremony.”
I
swallowed the nerves. “Bedding ceremony?”
“
Yes, it has been a custom of our people since eons ago.” Mari got a twinkle in her eye’s that was positively naughty. “Humans in the dark ages were such prudes about sex, one of our kind introduced it to them as a joke to get them to loosen up a little, and I guess they liked it as the custom spread in your world too. The bedding ceremony, is the last of the night’s events, the women will take you to be prepared for your new husband while the Shaman—he is Danu’s Priest for the Dark Fae—blesses the bed and the union for fertility. The men will tell Adam nasty jokes and tease him unmercifully before they bring him to the marriage bed to join you.”
“
Well shit,” I blew out air and tried to think of something to say. “Well shit.”
“
You said that,” Moira pointed out.
“
Shit,” I replied as they laughed, until they noticed I’d turned as white as my dress.
“
Oh my, are you a virgin? Your eyes look like you have been through Transition already,” Astrid said.
“
Oh, I went through Transition,” I said as sinful images of Ryder flashed inside my mind. “I’ve definitely been Transitioned.”
And then some.
“
Oh, then I don’t understand the hesitance for the bedding ceremony,” Mari said, scratching the top of her head as her son did when he was confused.
“
Because I don’t like the idea of the whole bedding ceremony part,” I explained, hoping my point got across. I had to bite my tongue from saying there was only one bed I wanted to share, and it included my golden eyed Fairy being in it with me.
“
Okay, well I will speak to Kier again on the subject and address the issue. We will leave you now.”
I waited until they had left the room before turning back to the stranger who watched me in the mirror.
“Run. You could do it. You could sift right the hell out of here and leave, dumbass. This isn’t your fight. You don’t owe them anything. So, why the hell are you still here? Hmmm? Because you think you need to fix everything! This isn’t your fight.”
Great…I was losing it. I was yelling at the beautiful creature in the mirror
, and she was yelling the exact words back at me. I wanted to cross my arms, but it would mess up the paint that Moira had worked so hard on. I fought the angry tears that tried to fall. This wasn’t my fight. Yet, I knew if I sifted out, they’d come and find me. I couldn’t do that to Adam, but I was losing myself in the process.
I was giving i
n, and for what? To save a world from dying and damning another as a result, that’s what. I was such a sucker for people in need of help. It was my weakness. I had been taught from a young age to help if I could; to do the right thing. But, this time, it was going to destroy me.
*~*~*~*~*
Ryder
*~*~*~*~*
She i
s beautiful; so fucking beautiful. Her hair is dressed in flowers and jewels that pale next to her natural beauty. They’d put make-up on her when she needs none to be the most beautiful woman in the world. She looks scared, and it is taking everything inside of me not to become visible, and hold her fears at bay.
She is no longer mine; I am
trespassing now, just to see how she is holding up. She looks ready to run, and I wonder if she’d run back to
me
. I hadn’t been able to go one fucking day without her. She’s a fucking drug that’s in my system, spiking through my veins and begging me to take her again.
Her eyes scan the reflection and then she does something unexpected. She’s screaming at herself to ru
n. My hands clench in to fists as she turns around, her eyes scanning the room. Does she feel me? Does she miss me as I do her?
Fucking hell
, she’s addictive. I was supposed to fuck her and let her go, and that was supposed to be it. I didn’t even want to claim her. What the hell has she done to me? I want to pull her against me, just to feel her skin next to mine.
I want to watch her smile as it lifts her lips
and shines in her beautiful unique eyes.
You’re a fucking sap.
Fuck! She’s reduced me to this; pining after another man’s soon-to-be wife. I fooled myself in to believing I could do this; that I could see her again without needing to be close to her. I should go, because the beast is laughing at me, and that is never a good thing. Never.
So
on, she will be Adam’s. She will give him and my world what it needs. Then I will come for her, and make her mine. In one year, and one day, she will be given the choice to choose Adam permanently, or leave him. She will choose to become mine, and I’ll be here the minute their time is up to take her home, and deal with the consequences then.
*~*~*~*~*
Syn
*~*~*~*~*
I’d thought I had caught
a hint of his scent—the unique one that belongs only to Ryder. The raw masculine spices that were his alone. I missed him, and I wasn’t sure if any amount of time would fix it.
I turned and eyed the door
warily. I chewed my lip before I finally straightened my spine and walked over to knock on the door, signaling that I was ready. I’d knocked as if I were some simple minded woman who couldn’t figure out how to turn the freaking knob.
A
male who looked exactly like Adam opened it, and stepped back for me to exit the room. “I’m ready,” I said, hating the word
ready
. I wasn’t ready; not for this. No amount of time could make me ready for this. Fucking ready to run was more like it.
All of Adam’s brothers filled up the hallway, barely leaving a
ny room for air. Each of them were very similar to Adam in the gorgeous department, and, considering they were dressed in black designer looking tuxedos, they were a devastating lot. The men parted until Ryder was revealed, but his eyes were on the floor as if he was afraid to look at me. I swallowed the urge to run and throw my arms around him. Instead, I stubbornly fisted my hands at my sides as I tried to tear my eyes from him—I couldn’t. It wasn’t until he lifted his that I saw his pain matched mine.
He nodded and fell in line with the rest
of the group, as Adam’s oldest brother stepped to the front of the group and ushered me to the middle of them. “I’m Sòlas, and I’ll be your escort and presenter tonight. I find myself jealous of my newly found brother. Care to accept me instead?” His gentle jade and lime eyes searched my face.
Another of the men beside him snickered.
“
I, uh,” I replied, trying to think of anything to say and failing, I settled on nodding my head at him.
“
Sòlas,” Ryder chided from where he stood in line. “She was not raised among us. You need to tell her you are joking, or she might kick your ass when she figures it out for herself.”
“
As it should be,” Sòlas said. “If Adam doesn’t suit your need, pick me. But, all jokes aside, I’m available.” He wiggled his eyebrow’s playfully.
“
Good to know,” I said with good humor. My eyes instantly sought Ryder, but he’d lowered his face again.
“
I’d make a better husband to you,” Sòlas said, shrugging his shoulders as he boyishly winked once again.
“
I have no doubt of that,” I said letting my eyes settle on his handsome face. “It’s always good to know I have backup options, Sòlas, but thank you for offering me an alternative.”
He smiled and nodded.
“I’m glad you think so, and relieved to know you are not immune to my charm. Adam asked me to give you a few pointers since he was not allowed back to see you. We Fae like to puff out our chests; we will taunt you just to see if you have bite. Bite back Syn, says Adam,” He winked with a small smile. “He also said do not kill anyone tonight,” Sòlas grinned wider as he recited Adam’s words. “But since he says you have enough skill to pull it off, I wouldn’t mind pointing you toward a few people who need it.” The rest of the brothers chuckled at this little jab.
I smiled and shook my head.
He held his arm out indicating it was time, and all sane thoughts flew right out of my head as I accepted it. “How many people are down there?” I asked to try and calm my nerves.
“
Few thousand—everyone wants a peek at the woman who will cure the land. They also think you must be completely disfigured because the Light Fae gave you away. Their King is now claiming you; says he made a mistake.”
“
Made a mistake?” I asked.
“
Made a mistake in not claiming you. He’s saving face basically. Your mother will not give birth to another heir while you breathe, so he is claiming you as his own,” Sòlas said.
“
How nice of him,” I muttered. We’d reached the bottom of the steps, and the gigantic throne room was filled with people, some of the gathering had cleared a path for us to follow. Against my better judgment, I took a step back, and away from the enormous assembly of Fae.
“
No fear, Syn,” Sòlas gently reminded me. “Adam says you are the strongest person he has ever met. If these fuckers smell fear, they will swarm like tigers in heat.”
“
Got it. Let’s do this,” I said, stepping back up to where he stood. I put my ‘I’m a badass mask’ back on. The one that told them I wasn’t afraid; that I was the meanest one inside this room. I felt better knowing Ryder was right behind me, and having him at my back gave me a soothing calmness that I wouldn’t have felt without him.