Chapter 31
Josie
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, awed by my reflection. My gaze found Erin’s in the mirror.
She looked like she was about to cry. “It really is.”
Alex stood beside Erin, her grin impish. “There are so many buttons. How much do you want to bet Seth just gets impatient and rips that dress off?”
Heat blossomed in my cheeks and I ducked my chin, laughing. Seth wouldn’t rip this dress off if he got impatient. He’d will it off with his mind, because he was special like that.
“I just hope I don’t see his bare ass again,” Erin quipped. “Not that I’m complaining about his ass. It is a nice ass, but that was awkward.”
Alex turned to Erin, expression expectant. “Now how did you see his ass?”
My gaze centered in on my reflection as Erin explained how she’d learned Seth had returned from, well, being sort of dead. It had been the following morning, and since Seth and I had stayed up late that night just talking, we’d slept in. Concerned that I hadn’t gotten up yet, Erin had burst into the bedroom and got an eyeful of Seth’s bare behind.
That was an awkward welcome back.
Especially since Erin had been so shocked by Seth being there, she sort of just stood there gaping while Seth got up to find the shirt I’d been wearing.
Other than that, the last couple of days had felt like the best kind of dream. I got to hear Seth’s voice again, feel his touch and drown in his kisses. We got to play our name game, boy or girl, each night, before we fell asleep. Seth had been there when we opened his childhood bedroom door and had the room cleaned and aired out.
Seth was beside me, once more.
Basil and Karina hadn’t seemed all that surprised by Seth’s return. It made me think of how they’d given off the impression of waiting for him.
Maybe they knew.
Or maybe they hadn’t given up hope. There was a part of me that felt a little guilty about the fact that I had given up. Not a hundred percent, but I had been beginning to accept that Seth was gone.
It took a few days for me to fully accept that Seth wasn’t going to disappear on me. That this wasn’t some kind of cruel cosmic joke. I still woke up in the middle of the night, clamoring to touch him just to make sure he was still there. I still got nervous when he wasn’t within eyesight, and Seth seemed to realize that, because he rarely strayed too far for too long. That was incredibly needy of me, but I don’t think anyone would blame me since I’d just spent two months believing Seth was dead.
Probably would be a long time before I stopped waking up in the middle of the night to reach for him.
But I wasn’t going to focus on any of that today. My stomach fluttered with a mixture of anticipation and nerves. The dress I was wearing was gorgeous, simple yet elegant. I’d never worn anything remotely like it before. A strapless white gown gathered under the delicately beaded bodice, it whispered along the floor as I turned slightly.
A wedding dress.
I couldn’t believe that Seth had proposed only three days ago, and I already had a tailored wedding dress, thanks to Laadan.
And I was about to get married. Today. In under an hour.
“Are you nervous?” Alex touched my arm, drawing my attention.
I nodded. “I am. A little. I don’t know why, but I am.”
“I think all brides are nervous,” Alex said as she reached up, straightening the pale white rose crown that Laadan had picked out and now rested on top of my head.
I’d left my hair down, knowing that Seth liked it that way, and I was going to be married barefoot, in one of my favorite places.
On the beach, with Seth’s home, soon to be our home, overlooking us as we actually got married.
What had started off as a proposal had become a full-fledged wedding—a mortal wedding.
Even though Seth and I had wanted to spend the next month locked up in our bedroom, we wanted to let everyone know that Seth was, in fact, not dead. So we’d headed to the Covenant, and after giving everyone the shock of their life, Seth had given them the second shock of their lives.
He’d proposed.
Aiden had looked like he’d choked a little. Alex had broken into a fit of giggles, and Deacon immediately rushed off to find Laadan, shouting something about planning a wedding.
From that moment on, things had sort of spiraled out of our control—the whole wedding business. Seth and I hadn’t exactly planned on doing the actual wedding thing. We’d figured we’d exchange vows and rings, and that would be all.
Deacon was not having that.
And he had not been pleased to learn that we weren’t going to wait months for a massive wedding to be planned. Seth had given him two and a half days.
But he’d risen to the challenge. With Laadan’s help, a wedding was planned.
I turned to Alex and Erin. Both were wearing pretty dresses the color of the pale white roses in my hair. They weren’t bridesmaids. Seth and I had pulled the brakes on doing the whole bridal-party thing, but Laadan had snuck in those super cute headpieces, so the girls were wearing them too.
The woman was a miracle worker. Right now, she was down on the beach with Deacon, making sure everything was perfect.
“This is…this is crazy, isn’t it?” I asked the girls.
“The best kind of crazy.” Alex sat on the bench in front of the bed. Her eyes glimmered with emotion. “When you showed up with Seth, I…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “I’m just glad he’s alive and back to his arrogant self.”
“Me too,” Erin chimed in.
I arched a brow at her.
She giggled as she picked up their smaller hair garlands. “Look, I still think he’s an arrogant asshole, but he’s your arrogant asshole.”
Alex snorted as she took her garland. “I hope you do the toast.”
I eyed Erin, shaking my head when I saw the eagerness in her eyes. “No.” I turned to Alex. “Thank you again. Tonight was supposed to be your and Aiden’s party.”
Rolling her eyes, she waved her hand dismissively. “We don’t need a going-away party every single time we head back. That’s all Deacon, and besides, you made Deacon’s year. You know how he is with parties and stuff.”
I grinned at her. “I’m kind of afraid to see the wedding cake.”
“You and me both,” Alex snickered.
There was a knock on the door and we heard Luke call out, “You guys good in there?”
“Yeah.” Alex turned to the door.
Luke stepped in. Dressed in a pair of dark slacks and a loose white button-down, I almost didn’t recognize him. His gaze found me and his features softened. “You look beautiful, Josie.”
“Thank you.” I clasped my hands together to stop them from trembling.
“You about ready?”
I glanced at the girls. “I think so?”
“Yes—wait.” Erin popped forward, straightening the crown yet again. Apparently I had an oddly shaped head or something. “Okay.” Erin’s smile was bright. “You look perfect. Everything is perfect.”
“Yeah, it is…” I trailed off as my smile faded a little. Turning back to the mirror, I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. Everything was perfect except…
My father.
My father should have been here.
Because he seemed to know everything that was happening, it wasn’t like he didn’t know this was happening.
Then again, we hadn’t parted on good terms. We hadn’t even really spoken to one another when he brought me here, but I thought…I thought maybe he’d show.
Maybe he would. There was still time. Either way, I wasn’t going to let anything ruin today.
Taking a deep breath, I turned away from the mirror. “I’m ready.”
~
Priestesses and priests stood along the cliffs, their golden robes billowing softly in the warm, salty breeze.
They bowed as we passed them, one by one, and my stomach was twisted up in so many knots as we walked down the steps. The fact I didn’t trip over the hem of my beautiful dress and roll down said steps was a freaking miracle.
Erin and Alex walked ahead with Luke, out of sight around the bluff so they could take their seats. There was no music, just the sound of waves and the low hum of conversation, but I knew as soon as I rounded the jagged outcropping of rocks, I would see them—I would see Seth waiting for me.
Oh, my gods, I was legit getting married in every sense of the word. There wouldn’t be documents filed in the mortal world, like a marriage license, since Seth didn’t, well, exist to them. Or something like that. Who knew? But paperwork would be filed with the Council. It would be legal, but I didn’t need a piece of paper. I didn’t even need a ring or this wedding. I just needed Seth.
This was all just a bonus.
A great bonus.
Grinning, I looked down at my stomach. The way the dress fell, it completely hid the small baby bump. I touched my stomach and whispered, “You ready?”
The wind picked up, stirring the strands of my hair and I lifted my gaze. The sand sparkled under the bright sun and felt warm under my feet.
This was real.
My chest swelled to the point it felt like I would float straight up into the endless blue skies. I started walking, rounding the bluff. A white runner was laid down the middle of two sets of white chairs.
Looking back, I’d remember seeing Deacon sitting beside Luke, holding his hand. I’d remember seeing Alex and Aiden looking over their shoulders at me, both of them smiling as they started to rise, as did Alexander. The always-radiant Laadan beaming as she held onto Alexander’s arm. I’d recall seeing Erin beside Erik, who was sitting with Cora and Gable. I’d remember seeing Basil and Karina standing off to the right of Marcus, who stood in front of a vine-covered trellis. He was the officiant.
But right now? Seeing them didn’t register. There was only one person I saw.
The air in my throat hitched as Seth turned to face where I was, and nothing, absolutely nothing mattered other than him.
He was dressed in a tux, and I’d never seen him like that. I hadn’t even expected him to be wearing that, figuring he’d settle for something looser, but he looked like he stepped off the cover of GQ. The cut of the suit fit his broad shoulders down to his tapered waist. His golden hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, and even from where I stood, I could see the heat and love in his amber eyes.
I don’t remember walking down the white runner. I was just suddenly standing in front of him, looking up into his eyes, my hands trembling as he took them in his, and I swore his eyes were brighter than ever.
“Psychí mou,” he murmured. “You steal my breath.”
A shiver danced over my shoulders. “The suit. I like it. A lot.”
One side of his lips kicked up. “How much?”
“A lot,” I stressed.
“Show me later.”
I flushed.
Marcus cleared his throat, and I jerked, having completely forgotten about him. “You two have an audience, in case you’ve forgotten.”
My eyes widened while Seth chuckled. Laughter from our friends reached me, and I felt the blush deepen.
“You two ready?” Marcus asked.
“I’ve been ready,” Seth answered, squeezing my hands.
“For forever,” I whispered back.
Marcus started the ceremony, speaking in ancient Greek. The words fell between Seth and me, and not once did we take our eyes off one another. There was that feeling again, of it just being him and me in this entire world. Just the two of us, and when Seth leaned in toward the end, kissing me like there wasn’t a single person watching us and cheering us on, I realized with startling clarity that we’d made it. We’d made it to the end, against all odds, and we were man and wife, and we had an eternity of this—of the deep, soul-scorching kisses that twisted my stomach up in the most wickedly delicious ways.
Someone shouted, and it poked through the pleasant haze. Something about it sounded off. Wrong.
Seth lifted his mouth from mine and turned his head. The hand at the nape of my neck tightened. I saw the surprise shoot across his face. I followed his gaze—everyone’s gaze.
I jerked back, breaking Seth’s hold as I saw who stood at the end of the runner. It didn’t make sense, but it was him. “Colin?”
Dressed like he was the last time I’d seen him. The only things different were that his shirt wasn’t ripped and he wasn’t covered in blood.
Colin smiled as he tipped his head to the side. “I didn’t want to miss the wedding of the century.”
“What in the hell?” Seth demanded.
I stepped forward, still holding onto one of Seth’s hands. “Is that really you?”
“Yes.”
Deacon’s brows raised. “I guess everyone is returning from the dead now.”
Colin chuckled. “I wouldn’t say I’ve risen from the dead. You can’t even say Seth has, since he didn’t die and I didn’t die either. Not really.”
“What?” I asked. “You were so dead, and I’m so confused—”
“Wait,” Erin was saying as she stood, her head moving to the side. “You’re not right.” She edged around a confused-looking Erik. “There’s something very wrong about you.”
“Furies,” Colin said with a sigh. “Such pains in the ass, with their nifty ability to see through falsehoods.”
Unease exploded in my chest. “What are you talking about?”
Seth stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he let go of my hand. “You better answer that question really quickly.”
“That’s not Colin,” Erin said. “That’s not a half-blood.”
“Funny,” the thing who looked like Colin said. “If the furies had been unleashed earlier, you guys would’ve figured it out.”
Suddenly, I remembered how the furies had appeared to gun for Colin. One of them spoke—the one I killed. What had it said? Tricky. The furie had said the word “tricky.”
“What are you?” I demanded. “And where is Colin?”
“Colin died a while ago. Before you even met him.” The thing smiled and then his features seemed to warp and distort. “You see, I needed a body. I needed a body no one would suspect.” It lengthened, becoming taller and leaner. “I needed to blend in.”
Someone cursed. Sounded like Alex.
Dark hair grew, falling down noticeably slimmer shoulders. “All of you may have killed Ares, but you did not end his legacy.” The voice softened, becoming more feminine. “You did not kill all of us.”
A woman stood in front of us, a tall gorgeous woman, and she found Alex in the audience. “You got to know his sons well, but you never got to meet me.”
“Is that so?” Alex reached for her daggers, then realized she was wearing a dress and had no daggers. Her hands closed into fists. “And who the hell are you?”
“I’m Enyo, the goddess of war and destruction, the harbinger of discord.” She tipped her head back. “I’m Ares’s sister.”
“And his lover,” Deacon muttered not too quietly. “Y’all are freaks…”
“I was right!” I turned to Seth. “Didn’t I suggest it was something related to Ares causing all the problems between the halfs and pures?”
“And so was I,” Seth growled. “I knew there was a reason I didn’t like you.”
“Oh, you’re about to have a bigger reason,” she said, laughing. “Ares had so much hope for you. So many plans, and you betrayed him. You might not have been the one to kill him, but you set into motion what led to his demise. And you?” Enyo said to Alex. “I would love nothing more than to take you out.”
“I’d like to see you try,” Aiden snarled.
Enyo smirked. “But I’m smarter than that.”
The goddess spun toward Seth and me, throwing out her arm. An arc of energy pulsed and crackled in the air. A god bolt. Deadly to everyone here except Seth. I didn’t see it when it left Enyo’s hand.
With a roar of rage, Seth let go of a god bolt of his own. It slammed into Enyo, encasing her in light, and I knew she was a goner. Seth had killed her before she had a chance to tuck tail and run, but it…
But it was too late.
I felt it.
It happened so fast. I’d been standing in front of Seth, staring into those striking golden eyes, holding his hands, and then there was nothing but heart-stopping pain. Unexpected. Brutal.
Cool air raised tiny goosebumps along my bare arms. I tried to draw in a breath, but the air went nowhere as I looked down at the white gown that brushed the tops of my feet—the gown I’d been so excited to wear, so ready to wear. I stumbled back.
Blood poured down the front of my chest, ruining the gown—ruining everything. My wide gaze swung to Seth’s. His eyes were filled with dawning horror.
The dream. The dream. I’d seen this. With the exception of the elm trees, this was the dream. I opened my mouth, but everything felt wet.
I’d seen this.
And I knew what was happening.
How this would end.
There were shouts erupting all around us. Chaos as the very world seemed to rattle and shake. Seth was reaching for me, confusion fading from his face and giving way to a raw mixture of fear and anger.
Too late. Too late.
Pressing shaky hands against my chest, it did nothing to stanch the blood flowing from between my fingers.
Oh gods, I was going to die.
My knees gave out, but I didn’t fall to the ground. I knew I wouldn’t. The part of my brain that was detached from all of this expected to be caught, and I was. Strong, warm arms folded around me, easing me down, holding me close. I blinked, trying to focus as I pressed against the warm, hard chest. Amber-colored eyes stared back into mine—eyes that had been filled with love and happiness moments before were now shining with terror.
“Seth,” I whispered. “Don’t let me go.”
“No.” His face contorted. Tears filled his eyes as he lifted my head, pressing his mouth to my forehead. “I’ll never let you go, Josie. Never.”