“Milly is a true talent,” Hannah confirmed.
“She really is,” Aria couldn’t help but agree. Her fingers ran over an intricate design etched into one of the icicles on the train.
“We’re ready!” Melinda declared, drawing Aria’s attention away from the dress. Aria rose to her feet as Moira handed the bouquet over to Tempest. “Now go do your job, Aria, and get the groom out there.”
Melinda placed her hands in her back and propelled her toward the door. Or at least tried to propel her, as Melinda waddled when she walked now. Melinda threw the door open, shoved her out, and slammed it in her face.
“I’m going to kill your sister,” Aria grumbled to Braith.
He burst into laughter as he stepped away from the wall and held his arm out to her. “It could be worse. You could be Ashby.”
“That poor man,” she sympathized while they strolled down the hall together to the room where they’d left William.
***
William
William swore his heart lurched in his chest when Tempest stepped onto the walkway behind her bridesmaids. All the other women vanished from view as his eyes immediately latched onto her. He’d never seen her look more beautiful. She beamed as everyone stood to watch her walk down the aisle; her gaze remained riveted on him as she moved.
At her side walked Abbott, a young, orphan vampire they had rescued from her town when they’d fled it. With no one else to give her away, the young man had stepped forward to offer to do so.
Now, as she walked forward to join him, William realized he’d never been so lucky in his life. Her doe brown eyes shimmered with happiness; her cheeks were prettily tinged with pink as heat crept over her silken skin.
He held his hand out to her, and she took hold of it before they both turned to face Xavier. William would have preferred to have had Daniel standing before him, smiling as he wowed everyone with his eloquent way with words, but he knew that not everything worked out as planned.
Despite the still aching loss of his brother, William was far more blessed in his life than he ever would have dreamed possible just two and a half short years ago. He looked forward to every day he would be fortunate enough to be granted for the rest of his life.
Though his grief for Daniel was still piercing, he hadn’t tried to run from it this time, as he had after his father’s death. He’d learned there was no running from this, but he had Tempest and all of his other loved ones to help guide him through it now.
Daniel had never run from his responsibilities, had always faced everything head on, and so would he from now on. He would stay and help rebuild this world they’d all fought and lost so much for. Gideon and Ashby had created a place for him on The Council. They both agreed he would be vital in human/vampire relations with his history as a rebel and the fact he was one of the few who had ever survived the change from human into vampire.
There was plenty of room to live within the palace, but it wasn’t the place for him. He, Max, Timber, and Jack were currently working on building a home for him and Tempest in the town. Max and Maeve were planning to build a house next to his when they were done. They would visit Chippman and Hannah’s family often, but Jack and Hannah would be staying here from now on too. Jack had also earned a seat on The Council and took his role there seriously. For now, Jack and Hannah had decided to remain living in the palace with Jack’s siblings.
After his father’s death, William never believed he’d settle down anywhere near the palace. Now he knew it was where he belonged, even if he still disliked all the walls. There were plenty of woods to get away to when it became necessary.
William’s gaze slid to Tempest, he couldn’t help but grin at her when her hand went toward her mouth to bite her nails before she pulled it away. She shot him a sly glance out of the corner of her eye as he tried not to laugh.
His attention was pulled back to Xavier when he asked William to recite his vows, which he did in a loud, clear voice before Xavier turned to Tempest. She proudly repeated what Xavier asked her to say.
“Rings,” Xavier instructed.
William turned to Aria. She smiled at him when she handed him the delicate wedding ring with a row of diamonds set into the gold band. Jack and Braith stood behind her, watching him over her shoulder and grinning in that “cat that ate the canary” way they’d both had since the wedding planning started.
William turned back to Tempest as Pallas handed her a band for him. He recited what Xavier told him to say once more and slipped the band onto Tempest’s finger. For the ceremony, she’d removed the engagement ring he’d created for her, but she’d proudly worn it every day since he’d first given it to her, and she still refused to let him replace it with something else.