9.
Thalia crawled out bed five minutes before Madu trotted into the room, carrying the case she used for work.
The dresser clapped her hands in excitement. “You bathed last night, yes? Tell me the answer is yes. Otherwise, I’ll never get you ready in time.”
Thalia nodded. “I’m a blank canvas, ready to receive your best work.”
“Then wash your face and we’ll get started.”
Water couldn’t rinse the weariness away, but Thalia took her place at the dresser. “I’m ready.”
Three hours later, she was more than tired of sitting, but Madu finished at last and spun the chair to the mirror. Thalia’s hair gleamed silver, fastened in coiled plaits with jeweled pins. She tilted her head, taking in the lustrous shine of eyes that almost looked purple in this light. Her lips were outlined in pale pink, a deep red in the center, making her mouth look like a flower. Madu had gone traditional with the rest of the cosmetics, so instead of a more modern blush, her face was pale, highlighted in silver.
“How is it?” Madu asked.
“You did well, thank you.”
“I had no choice but to resort to the old ways with this face and these dark circles.” Madu pinched her chin and angled it with a critical eye. “You look as if you haven’t slept in years.” This scolding was more than most of the staff dared.
“Noted. Where’s my gown?”
It was a lace and taffeta confection that had been in her family for generations. Both her mother and grandmother had worn this to be married. Madu did up the pearlescent buttons in the back and Thalia smoothed the fabric over her hips. The dresser gave an approving nod.
“You look splendid. Do you want me to send a bit of something for breakfast?”
Thalia shook her head. “I doubt it would settle. Besides, we’ll be eating after the ceremony anyway.”
“Well now, that’s a cheerful assessment of your wedding,” Madu said pertly.
“It’s fast. And…reckless. But I can’t see any other path. Let’s go.”
Setting her shoulders, she strode out of her private quarters and set off for the main hall. There was nobody to enter with her as she heard the music, so she pushed the heavy doors wide alone. At first, the room was a burst of sunshine and crystal that resolved into a sea of faces. For most, she could recite their names, and they all looked serious as the music swelled, a chorus of pipes that rose with each step she took into the room.
There was no red carpet, so they had gone with winter wonders instead: wreaths of fresh evergreen and a carpet of pine needles that crunched beneath her feet. It was a nice touch, incorporating the pack’s predilection for the wild with more Eldritch touches like the mixed dry herbs burning in censers that sweetly perfumed the hall. The aroma was soothing; she relaxed at once, as the organizers likely intended.
Clad in black, the wolf lord stood at the far end of the hall, waiting for her. Raff was stocky, but he wore the formal wear well, his beard neatly trimmed and dressed, dark curls untamed as they tumbled about his face. The half-hidden scar on his cheek lent him a piratical air. Thalia proceeded toward him in measured steps and trembled only a little when he took her icy hand in his. He’s always like a furnace. As one, they turned to face Lileth who would speak the first part of the service. The pipes quieted.
“Gentle guests, we gather to unite two houses as one and bear witness to their promises today.” Lileth proffered a white candle to each of them before continuing her speech. “As you light your separate candles, you salute your separate selves. All that makes you who you are, you honor with this flame. Princess Thalia of House Talfayen, please kindle yours.”
She held the wick to the censer and waited until she was sure the candle had caught before pulling back. At least her hands were steady while she waited. Lileth studied her for a moment, then her gaze flickered to the wolf lord. “Lord Raff Pineda of Pine Ridge, please bring your flame to life.”
He was faster and less cautious, plunging the candle halfway in, and then he flashed her a roguish grin when he pulled it free with a flourish.
Lileth continued, “As you blend your flames to light the third candle, you celebrate the power to ignite a common flame of commitment. From each Numina, there rises a light that reaches to infinity and one day will join with our mothers and fathers, both earthly and divine. From this moment forward, you swear to walk the same path, your two shadows become one. May the road you tread together be full of truth and light, happiness and honesty, purpose and peace.”
That was the signal for them to step forward together and unite their flames. For some reason, it seemed momentous when the larger tallow lit up. “Lord Pineda, give your breath as a sign that you take responsibility for her light.”
His exhalation not only extinguished the flame, it also smelled of peppermint. Thalia smiled in response, waiting for Lileth to invite her to do the same. “Princess Talfayen, give your breath as a sign you take responsibility for his light.”
This is the end of the Eldritch portion of the service.
Efficiently, she blew out his candle and Lileth took them back, placing one on each side of the unity candle. She had tailored the service to omit all the awkward language about love and desire, which Thalia appreciated. It wouldn’t help the situation to force them to speak false vows.
Her part done, Lil made way for Janek on the dais. The elder wolf was soberly garbed and dignified in demeanor. “Friends, we are here to mark the joining of these two. Promises are ties that bind. Today, you have chosen one another. Raff, please turn, face your bride and offer her your hand.”
His quick compliance saved her pride. While everyone had to know that this wouldn’t be the first choice for either of them, nobody could gossip about the proprieties.
Janek stepped down and wrapped a thick cord around the wolf lord’s wrist and then he pulled the other end around Thalia’s. She hadn’t known that the wolves had this sort of tradition, but she didn’t object as Janek deftly fastened a loose knot. If she exerted the slightest pressure, it would fall off, probably a bad omen.
“The first, fragile link has been created. One may be conquered, but two can defend, back to back, joined in common cause. Likewise, a rope woven of many threads does not fray easily. Will you two pull it tight as a symbol of your union?”
“I will,” she said, in unison with the wolf lord.
They each drew on the rope until there was only a little slack and the knot was tight enough to hold. Normally, there were probably a lot more words about love and devotion, but the wolves had cut to the chase as well. This must be almost over, right? Janek misted them both lightly with water.
“The bond is made and blessed. House Talfayen is joined with the Pine Ridge pack. From this moment forward, we acknowledge your kith as our kin. Let these witnesses recognize the promises made today and let no man separate what we have joined. Friends, I give you our newlywed couple. Please support their union with your applause.”
At first, the response was lukewarm at best, but a few enthusiastic witnesses in back motivated the crowd to sufficient fervor. Once the clapping died down, Janek bowed and then raised their arms high. People started taking pictures, as if the occasion truly needed personal commemoration.
I got a rope instead of a ring. How…odd.
“When can we take this off?” Thalia demanded, about an hour later.
They had proceeded through the customary Eldritch fertility dance and the pack receiving line, which was short as hell, since most of Raff’s people were still at Pine Ridge. Now they were about to eat, so he could understand her aggravation.
This should be fun.
While it might be wrong to tease her, he still intended to wring every drop of satisfaction from imparting this info. “You didn’t know?”
“What?”
“We wear the handfast cord for twenty-four hours. It ensures we stay close, build intimacy, and enjoy a playful first night.”
“You can’t be serious.” Her eyes shot purple daggers, and her free hand balled up, the most temper she’d shown in his presence. It made a nice change from icy composure.
But…she wouldn’t really hit me?
Fortunately, Janek overheard the sharp tone and stepped up to offer moral support. “He’s not jesting, your highness. It’s a pack peculiarity. I suppose you’re free to disregard our traditions once you’re out of the public eye, but I would ask you to bear with us at least until you retire. Otherwise, Bibi will not waste time informing everyone upon her return.”
The seer was going to be a pain in Raff’s ass; he just knew it. While Thalia’s jaw clenched, her fingers relaxed, so the crisis must be past. She lowered her arm and stayed close to his side as he moved off. It seemed like there was an endless stream of Eldritch wanting a word, some impassive, others actively hostile.
“I don’t think I have many fans in your holding,” he said lightly.
“Do you want a candid reply or a tactful one?”
“That’s an answer already, Lady Silver. Or did you not realize I could read between the lines?”
“From the way you play Kingcross, I wouldn’t guess you could read at all.”
It was a joke—he knew it was—but the sting bit deep anyway, because that was so much like what he’d heard from his father, years ago. Only back then, it was more, and longer, and worse. Grim memories beckoned like a murky sea. If his contract bride started down that road, he might not even be able to stay for the promised three months.
“Ha,” he said.
Raff didn’t think he’d shown any outward sign that the quip bothered him, but her brow furrowed. If she was as adroit as Gavriel seemed to think, however, she might have a gift for reading nuances. “I’m sorry. I meant it as a gentle poke at your gamesmanship, but it didn’t come across, did it?”
“Forgotten already. Do I seem like the sensitive sort?” It was an offhand question, but she seemed to be considering seriously.
“Yes.”
When her gaze locked with his, the noise in the hall faded. He had the unnerving sensation that she could see through him, right down to his bones. It took Sky’s hand on his arm to pull his eyes away, and even then, he could still feel the princess next to him. What the hell?
“What is it, pup?”
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped. “Janek and Lileth say it’s time for you to lead the procession to the dining hall.”
“I hope there will be speeches and toasts to our health. You know how much I love that sort of flummery.”
Skylett shot him a dark look, but she stepped back so they could take their place at the head of the queue. Since he was still tied to Thalia, he let her set the pace. She solved his minor dilemma by setting her bound hand on his arm. Raff measured his pace to match hers. Since she knew the way, it was best to let her lead. Silence prevailed as they proceeded to the dining hall.
Though he knew little about such matters, it was clear even to him that the princess’s staff must have worked long hours to transform the cold stone. Old tapestries covered the walls, and the sweet herbs burned here as well. Winter woodcraft wreaths graced every table, and Eldritch workers were still scurrying, even as they stepped in.
“I don’t know if the food will be up to par,” she said softly. “But we weren’t expecting to push the schedule forward so much, so please understand that my people have done their best.”
“Are you asking me to be gracious?” Amusement flickered through him.
Raff headed for the table with the largest centerpiece and a placard that marked it as ‘RESERVED’. If that was wrong, she’d surely correctly him. Since the princess maintained her courteous hold on his arm, he trusted this was where he ought to be. He pulled out her chair and seated himself once she was settled. There was room at the table for his four guards, two more seats as well. At that moment he realized he had no idea who might sit with them as Thalia’s family.
Soon, Lileth took her place on the other side, but the final chair remained empty. Until a lean, foxy-faced Eldritch woman slipped into the spot five minutes later. She had darker hair than most of her people, a burnished gold instead of white or silver, and her eyes were a piercing green, hard as agate, and intensely watchful. She smelled…strange, a tang of something chemical and unfamiliar. He had seen her before—and not just while wandering Daruvar. A bit later, it came to him.
I encountered her first at Ash Valley.
Which meant she had been among Gavriel’s people who survived after Lord Talfayen turned. Raff’s attention sharpened, and sure enough, she was wearing twin daggers that marked her as a Noxblade. Is she protection or close kin? The only way to find out was to ask.
Raff tried a charming smile. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.”
Unlike Gavriel, this Noxblade didn’t scowl like it was part of her training, but he noticed that while her mouth curved, her eyes were still as cold as a mossy pond. “We haven’t been introduced, though I did see you at Ash Valley. I’m Tirael.”
“She’s my…cousin,” the princess said.
“You’re being generous.” With an expression as blank as that white linen, Tirael smoothed a napkin across her lap. “It would be wrong of me to rely on our distant connection, so it’s a privilege to be included at the head table.”
Lileth chose that moment to rise with her glass in hand. “It’s time for the wedding toasts and then we can finally eat. Thank you all for your patience.”
Surprisingly, Janek stood as well, possibly in response to a prior arrangement. Raff hadn’t been informed how the wedding would go; just as well, he wasn’t interested. His stomach rumbled, reminding him how long it had been since breakfast. Plus, they didn’t serve protein-dense fare like he was used to. Unless we do some hunting, living here will kill me. Even the princess’s white vedda beast was starting to look delicious.
But there should be red hart somewhere in these hills. If we take one down, the venison will last a while.
Come to it, he needed to decide who to keep with him for his three-month tenure. Probably not Bibi, Pine Ridge needs her. Janek would be an asset here…
The old wolf cut into his thoughts by tapping a small spoon against his glass to quiet the room. “May you be poor in misfortune and rich in blessings. This day we saw two shadows become one, a single thread binding you to the other’s fate.”
Still, why does that sound so…ominous?
Lileth continued the toast. Despite his general antipathy for formal nonsense, Raff had to admire how smoothly they’d orchestrated the occasion. “From this day forward, neither of you is alone. May you always have walls for the wind, a roof for the rain, a hearth with a merrily crackling fire, and everything that your heart desires. Raise your glass and drink to our fair princess and the wolf lord.”
The elder Eldritch woman lifted her goblet high, so it caught the morning light, refracting sunbeams, then she drained it, likely showing her commitment to the marital alliance her princess had chosen. Reflexively, Raff brought his glass up and it smelled strange, bitter and—
“Stop!” he shouted. “The wine’s been poisoned!”