Chapter Nineteen

Olivia inhaled the eucalyptus-scented breeze. The heat, the dust, the relentless evening sun, the Wishing Tree standing guard above them like some immortal sentinel, every facet of the magical place Abi and Ryder had chosen to witness their ceremony was as harsh and unique as it was perfect.

Naya set flame to the branches clutched in her hand and breathed life into the bouquet. According to local legend, the Harper matriarch and custodian of this land had used the traditional smoking ritual to cleanse and bring good fortune to many a birth, funeral, wedding, and celebration. This was the first time she’d performed the ceremony for one of her children. The joy exploding from Naya’s face as she bathed the bride and groom in smoke was only outshone by Abi’s and Ryder’s smiles.

Much like the way she felt about the Wishing Tree’s ancient hocus-pocus, Olivia had absolutely no idea whether there was any scientific evidence to back up the indigenous ritual’s claims. But as the smoke enveloped the bridal party, a wave of peace washed through her that had her wondering exactly what other secret herbs and spices Naya had added to her bouquet.

Olivia drew the smoke deep into her lungs and clung to it. Now all she had to do was distract herself from remembering what she and Jarrah had done to each other on the other side of the Wishing Tree and stop returning the best man’s knowing grins. She forced the smoke-laden breath from her lungs and focused on the ceremony.

Naya positioned the smoldering bouquet on the ground to ensure its smoke bathed the bride and groom before wiping the tears from her cheeks and clearing her throat. “Ryder Aragung Harper, do you promise to love, cherish, and prot—”

“I do.”

Abi’s laughter drowned out Naya’s curses before chaos erupted. There were only nine of them standing out there in the desert yet they still would’ve scared the crap out of whatever hid between the rocks. By the time everyone had collected themselves, even Naya was chuckling and shaking her head.

With a backhand that cracked across Ryder’s shoulder, Naya ordered silence and fixed her son with a look that promised shock and awe if he stepped out of line again. “Ryder Aragung Harper, do you promise to love, cherish, respect, and protect Abi, even when she’s being stubborn, unreasonable, and downright bossy?”

Naya cut off Abi’s protest with a single raised eyebrow before regarding the groom, whose smile was almost as bright as the beams of sunlight streaming through the canopy. “I do.”

“No shit.” The words had probably tempted everyone’s lips. However, Maddie was the only one brave enough to utter them aloud.

Naya shot another stink eye at Maddie before turning to Abi. Pausing, she collected herself and opened her mouth only to close it again without saying a word. A tear trickled down Naya’s cheek before she slowly shook her head and reached out a trembling hand to cup Abi’s face.

“Abigail Marie—” Naya swallowed and blinked back more tears. “Abigail Marie Kyirrie Williams.”

A choked hiccup spluttered from Abi’s quivering lips. With her hands trapped in Ryder’s all Abi could do was sniff and shake her head as her tears dribbled down her cheeks and soaked into her shirt.

It’d taken a top-secret round-table discussion to come up with Abi’s indigenous name. But as soon as Kira had announced her bid, everyone had shut up and nodded. Kyirrie, Naya’s people’s word for “star,” pretty much summed Abi up. Bright enough to light the darkness, yet powerful enough to destroy galaxies if you pissed her off. And when you considered the odds of Abi and Ryder finding each other, it was almost as if Abi had been Ryder’s North Star all along, guiding him through war zones, across oceans, and straight into her arms.

Naya wiped the tears from Abi’s face before lowering her hand. “Our Star, do you promise to love, cherish, respect, and protect my son, even when he’s being an overprotective, overbearing, arrogant pain in the arse?”

Abi’s smile outshone her groom’s. “I do.”

The tears Olivia had fought dribbled down her cheeks as she lost herself in her sister’s joy. She tried shutting off the waterworks, but it was impossible, and she resigned herself to watching the exchange of rings through a sheen of tears while sniffing and snorting with the rest of the bridesmaids. Her big sister had finally found her Prince Charming and won her happily ever after.