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The doors blasted open, and both Rory and I turned. I reined in the magic and it filled my form, threatening to overtake me before I got control of it again. I blinked at the three fae marching inside the throne room. They were the same ones who had counteracted my mother’s curse. A rotund, gray-haired fae, a tall, dark fae, and an auburn-haired fae all marching as if I were the enemy. Thankfully, they weren’t followed by an army. I wasn’t prepared for war with Rory’s father, and I prayed it would never come down to that.
I glanced at Rory and her face lit up with a smile that warmed my soul. She broke free and ran to them, doling out hugs as if they were her dearest relatives. I guess perhaps they were, considering they raised her. And they did a hell of a job. The woman had the heart of a queen and within the hour, she would be my queen, despite what these old fools said.
Rory drew the fae closer, but with each step along with the whispered chatter, her smile faded. She glanced at me and then at the fae who raised her.
“He does not have me under a spell,” Rory said, loud enough to be heard over the murmurings of both the fae and the elders on opposite sides of the room.
Irritation spurned a rawness in my blood. Another hurdle that almost had me throwing my arms up in defeat. I drew a deep breath and turned my back on the elders, crossing to Rory’s side.
If it wasn’t for the fiery-haired fae, I would have been killed by the blades in the collar when I shifted. “I owe you a debt of thanks for saving me and then protecting my mother’s body while we cleaned up,” I said loud enough for the elders to hear. All I needed was for them to declare these fae as the enemy. I bowed my head in respect. Their combined magic radiated from them, and I recognized the ancient power that I had been too preoccupied to notice back at King Henrick’s castle.
“Prince Zachary have you put a spell on Aurora?” the dark fae said. Her eyes narrowed as if she looked straight through to my soul.
“Felicity.” Rory sighed in annoyance.
The dark fae glanced at her. “I need to be sure this is not some ruse manufactured by the son of the dragon queen.” She waved at me.
Rory glanced at me with wide eyes. “He didn’t even know who I was,” she said, defending me.
“Rory is right. I did not know she was King Henrick’s daughter when I saved her from the acid lake,” I said. “Her scent caught my attention years ago, and her beauty stole my heart.”
The older fae put her hand over her heart, as if I had reached in and touched her with my words. But the one with the flaming hair rolled her eyes. Rory joined her, but at least she had a smirk.
“I opened the thorn wall for her to leave our land,” I added, and their smiles faded. “I do possess the magic to do as you suggest, but I have never used it to manipulate her mind. That is low, even for me.”
The redhead crossed her arms, as did the raven-haired fae. The one with gray hair seemed to be just as enamored with me as Rory, and I shifted, turning my attention back to the skeptics.
“He was ready to forsake the crown to marry me,” Rory said.
If I truly walked away from the crown, our lands would fall into anarchy. War would rain death on both our kingdoms. No, I was not willing to forsake my crown for her, as much as that pained my heart. But I was hellbent on having both the crown and Rory. There was no other way to bring peace to the region.
“I’m not willing to walk away from the crown or you,” I said, making my intentions clear. “I have asked her to be my queen for more than just the practicality of a union between our kingdoms. She gives me hope and a sense of happiness that I have never felt in my entire life. If anything, she has enchanted me.”
The one Rory called Felicity asked, “May I see your hand?”
I reached my hand out to her, and she took it and turned it over. She followed the lines on my palm with her finger, studying it as one would study a flower. Her brow creased and she tilted her head, jerking her gaze up to mine. Her eyes widened and she stepped back, exchanging an awed expression with the other two fae.
“Prince Zachary is Rory’s fated mate,” she gasped.
“It’s actually King Zachary now,” I corrected and stared at my palm, looking for exactly what Felicity had seen. Only skin with lines etched into it appeared. I dropped my hand and met her gaze. “Fated or not, I want Rory by my side, but I need to convince the elders to let go of the hate my mother poisoned them with.”
The three fae exchanged glances and then said something in a different language sending a roll of sparkling magic toward the elders. I watched as it circled around the dragons and then all at once charged into them. Light filled their forms and they gasped, arching their backs as black smoke bled from their skin, chased out by the light.
It was liberating to see my mother’s poison squeezed out of the elders. They all blinked and looked down at their hands and arms, as if seeing themselves for the first time in ages.
“Do you think you could do that for the entire kingdom?” I asked them with a voice that held the awe I felt.
They blushed and shook their head. “We can only do that in small doses or in cases like this where your mother’s evil has such a tight grip that your wisdom can’t penetrate.”
The elders glanced around the room until their gaze fell on me and they all bent a knee, as if it had been me who released them from the darkness.
Little did they know, it was Rory who truly would release us all from the chains my mother put around us. I knew that with every fiber of my being.
“Azdok, will you please do me the honor of officiating my wedding?” I asked as they rose.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said, without the nasty tone he had been using before.
Magic bloomed on the air, and I glanced at Rory. Her dress transformed into a beautiful wedding gown. One that was fit for a queen. I looked down to find my threads had changed as well. Rory was a vision in white, and I had my family’s royal crest on my chest, along with the traditional marriage tunic of the Dragon Realm. I glanced at the fae with a nod and turned toward the vestibule to the side of the throne pedestal.
Azdok took his place in front of the altar. He picked up the sword from the mantel behind him and faced us.
“Swear you now, on this sacred blade, that there is no reason known to you that this union should not proceed.” Azdok held out my father’s sword, one hand on the ornate handle and the other holding the blade carefully.
Rory and I ran our index fingers along the edge of the blade, breaking the skin before we pressed our hands together, mingling our blood in sacred union.
“I do so swear,” we said in unison.
“Heavenly Father, creator of all things both in heaven and Earth, we humbly ask thee to bless this union. May these thy servants seek goodness all the days of their lives, may they be strong in defense of what is right, may they be united as one even as thou art with God. May they be numbered amongst thy sheep. We humbly pray in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
Rory and I and the fae and other elders that gathered around us said, “Amen.”
“Do you Zachary, King of the Dragon Realm take unto thyself, Aurora, Princess of the Kingdom of Light, as your lawful wife, and pledge unto her before God and these witnesses to be her protector, defender, and sure resort, to honor and sustain her, in sickness and in health, in fair and in foul, with all thy worldly powers, to cherish and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”
Rory grinned up at me, and I nearly forgot there were other people in the room. When she lifted her eyebrow, I chuckled and nodded. “I will.”
“Do you Aurora, Princess of the Kingdom of Light, take unto thyself King Zachary as your lawful husband and pledge unto him before God and these witnesses to honor and cherish him, to cleave unto him, in sickness and in health, in fair and in foul, be his one true and lasting counselor and solace, and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
“I will,” Rory said clear enough for the entire room to hear.
Azdok leaned close. “Do you have rings?”
I reached into my pocket, praying that the fae’s magic had not made my parents’ rings disappear. I had slid them into my pocket before we were shuttled to the coronation room for my induction to the throne. My fingers closed on them, and I smiled and nodded, handing them over to Azdok.
“Heavenly Father, bless these rings which King Zachary and Princess Aurora have set apart to be visible signs of the inward and spiritual bond which unites their hearts. As they give and receive these rings, may they testify to the world of the covenant made between them.”
Azdok gave me my mother’s ring, and I faced Rory.
“Rory, wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect, and my love for you.” I slid the ornate band on her finger, and to my surprise it fit.
Azdok handed Rory my father’s ring, and I held my left hand out for her.
“Zach, wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect, and my love for you.” Rory slid the ring on my finger.
“This circle will now seal the vows of this marriage and will symbolize the purity and endlessness of their love.”
He glanced at both of us solemnly. “Thou hast pledged troth of thy own free will and sworn upon the Sword and exchanged rings as symbol of your binding love. May it be granted that what is done before God be not undone by man.
“Before I proclaim you joined, thou must kiss three times on cue.”
I was ready for this part, and I pulled Rory against me, grinning down at her sparkling eyes.
“Once for luck.”
I pecked her lips.
“Twice for love.”
This time, my kiss lasted a little longer.
“Thrice for long life.”
I’m not sure what I expected with the third kiss, but Rory held me tight, forcing me to twirl tongues and lose most of my mind in that single moment.
“By the power vested in me by the Dragon Realm, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
We were still kissing when Azdok announced us husband and wife, and the only reason I stopped was the whooping of the fae.