by Abigail Owen
“Do we know how many we lost? Who’s hurt?”
“Still tallying,” Alex said.
Selene frowned and then glanced over at where Hugh was still working on Desmond. “Hugh, please do what you can for the injured. Ellie can you—?”
Ellie nodded. “I can help him move through everyone more quickly.”
“Who’s this?” Selene moved to the injured woman Griffin had carried in earlier. Selene crouched down beside her and took her wrist to feel for her pulse.
“We found her in the dungeons,” Ellie explained. “Do you know her?”
Selene shook her head. “No.”
“I do.” Dexter had just arrived with Charlotte. By the sound of his voice, something had severely shaken him. Selene looked over her shoulder to see that he was as white as a sheet.
“Who is she?”
Dexter sank down on the floor beside them.
“My mother.”
Chapter 42
Selene sat on her throne – her back straight, her hands draped elegantly along the arms of the chair. Her father had once received dignitaries from other tribes in this room. Now it was her turn. Although where the doors had previously been, now there was a giant gaping hole from the day’s attacks.
Before her stood Marcus, Stephen, and James. Surrounding them throughout the chamber were the rest of the Louisiana tribe, Griffin and his entire family, the Vyusher High Council, and many other Vyusher who had fought that day.
Marcus swept Selene an old-fashioned bow. “Having witnessed your past, we are now in agreement that those who were truly responsible for the attacks against us have paid with their lives and are gone. Having fought side-by-side with you against Maddox and his assailants, we hope we’ve proven our trustworthiness. We will withdraw, of course. But first we would prefer to negotiate a treaty of peace between our tribes.”
Lucy says their intentions are true, Griffin’s voice sounded in her head. She glanced at where he stood and gave him a tiny nod. She turned her attention back to Marcus.
“Thank you,” Selene accepted simply. “Peace is what we wish for as well. I couldn’t ask you to join us as allies, but would you consider speaking on our behalf should other tribes attack?”
“My Lady,” Xavier interrupted, but stopped when she held up an imperious hand.
Marcus nodded. “Of course. It’s the least we could do. However, I also believe that we are already in danger. I’m guessing that if Maddox doesn’t know that we helped you today, he’ll find out eventually. We would like to call on the Vyusher powers and numbers for protection when, or if, we ever need support.”
Selene sighed. “I appreciate your honesty. And our protection is something we will absolutely offer. Why don’t you all stay for a little while so that we can take the time needed to form a treaty that will, hopefully, benefit us all?”
Marcus rubbed the stubble in his jaw. “We wouldn’t want to impose.”
“I have an idea,” Selene heard Ellie’s voice in her head.
Selene’s eyes moved to where her friend stood a few feet off to the right. “Ellie? You have a suggestion?”
“My te’sorthene and I planned to be married in the very near future and this castle would be such a lovely setting we’ve decided to have the wedding here. With Selene’s permission, of course. We would consider it an honor if you and your clan would join us as our guests.” She flicked a glance at Selene, who gave her a mental thumbs-up. “You can also spend that time negotiating the treaty.”
Selene peeked over at where Alex stood, a huge grin spread across his face. She turned back to Marcus and was pleased to see him smiling as well.
“We would be happy to stay and help Rene’s grandson celebrate such a momentous occasion,” he said. “Although I do have to say that attending a wedding was definitely not what we had in mind when we came here.”
Laughter – part amused, part relieved – echoed through the hall.
“Come…” Selene gracefully stood and offered him her arm. “Let’s find you all places to stay.
“Do you have enough room for all of us?” he asked, as he walked with her into the hallway.
Selene laughed. “It’s a very large castle,” she assured him.
*****
“Selene?” Lila’s voice sounded from behind her.
Selene was seated at the large oak desk in her bedroom. She looked up. “Come in.”
Lila poked her head around the door. “Hi.”
“Hey, Lila. How are you?” Selene waved her further into the room. She watched her closely. Something was off with Lila, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what.
“I’m fine.” Lila closed the door behind her and walked over. Peeking at the Selene’s computer screen, she wrinkled her nose. “Ugh. I thought you’d finally wrapped that treaty up?”
“We have. I’m just reading through the final draft.” Selene passed a weary hand over her eyes.
On top of helping Ellie plan the wedding on short notice, Selene had been occupied with sorting through the aftermath of the fighting. Funerals had to be arranged and many hours spent negotiating not just peace, but a coalition, with their new allies. Thank goodness she’d decided against summer school—one less thing to deal with right now. And, of course, there was still Maddox…
“Still no luck finding Maddox?” Lila asked.
“When did you start reading minds?” Selene sat back, grinned and shook her head. “Nope…no luck just yet. Sheila’s having trouble tracking them down.”
“What does the Council say?”
“They have no idea where he would’ve gone or what his next move will be. We can’t even figure out what they took. Finding Dexter’s mother in those cells implies there were others with her and they took them. But no one here knew anything about any prisoners down there. It’s a waiting game now. At least we’re gathering allies.” She waved a hand at her computer screen.
“Speaking of Dexter’s mom,” Selene continued, “How is she doing?”
“Fine. Considering she’s lost decades of memory.”
Not even Griffin and Ellie together had been able to unlock her mind. She had no memory of her life after her capture – at least they assumed she was captured – by the Vyusher. She definitely had no memory of how she’d ended up in those dungeons. It was a mystery Selene feared they’d never solve.
“How about we talk about something happier? Why did you come visit me?”
“I’m afraid I’m here about one of our other mysteries.” Lila frowned. “Sorry.”
Selene laughed. “Well, I needed a break from all this legalese anyway.” She stood up and followed Lila out of the room. “What’s this about?”
“Hugh thinks your unconscious little friend might be waking up.”
“Oh, well, that’s good news.”
Lila stood aside and let Selene precede her into the room. The girl still slept, tubes and contraptions attached to her. Hugh stood beside the bed. His hands were extended out over the girl’s prone form, lights glowing from his palms. He glanced up.
“How’s it look?” Selene asked him.
“She seems to have at least come out of that stasis, or hibernation, or whatever it was. She’s still in a coma. But I think she might be close to waking.”
“When?”
Hugh shrugged. “Days. Weeks. Months even. It’s hard to tell.”
Selene reached out and gave the girl’s hand a squeeze. She wondered if yet another mystery would ever be solved. She patted Hugh on the shoulder.
“Thank you. Keep doing what you can for her.”
Hugh nodded and continued his work. Selene and Lila headed out.
“Let’s go find Ellie,” Selene suggested. “I could use some wedding planning time after the day I’ve had.”
Lila grinned. “Now you’re talking.”
Chapter 43
Two weeks later, Selene stood outside the castle’s chapel doors. She listened to the ancient bells chime, calling the congregants to
assemble. She smiled at her friends. Lila and Adelaide stood beside her, also dressed in violet blue gowns designed to mimic the style of the bride’s, only without the train. The color of their dresses had been chosen specifically for the way it mirrored the bride’s stunning eyes. The three girls carried bouquets of pure white flowers decorated with sparkling crystals.
Ellie stood next to them in her wedding dress that Lucy had sewn for her, a replica of the party dress Audrey Hepburn had worn in the film Sabrina. Diamond white, it was a strapless satin sheath decorated in velvet embroidery in an elegant, flowery design. It hugged her body and accentuated her delicate curves. The dress was pure Ellie. It was complemented by her bouquet of a tumbling mass of deep blue and purple flowers.
Radiant happiness glowed from her as though she were lit from within. The sun itself couldn’t compete with the stunning young bride today.
The organ music started to play inside.
“Ready?” Selene asked Ellie. A smile of pure joy lit Ellie’s face.
“Absolutely.” She leaned forward and kissed Selene’s cheek and then did the same to Lila and Adelaide.
The girls lined up in front of the door. Griffin moved to stand beside his sister, offering her his arm. One of the servants opened the heavy doors, and Adelaide and Lila went first. Then it was Selene’s turn to slowly, gracefully walk the long aisle that led to the front of the church. She’d been so touched when Ellie had asked her to be her maid of honor that she’d actually cried.
As she walked down the aisle, Selene looked at the faces in the crowd and was pleased by how far her people had come in such a short time. Vyusher stood peacefully side-by-side with Svatura, as well as with their new Louisiana allies and friends. Out there, somewhere, Maddox continued to be a threat, but today was a day to celebrate.
Desmond gave her a wink as she passed, and she held back a small grin. He really was incorrigible. Selene reached the front of the church and sent a sweet smile to Alex, who stood next to Nate and Ramsey.
Now it was Ellie’s turn.
But rather than watching the bride, Selene watched Alex. As soon as the first strains of the bridal march started playing, he took a deep breath and his face lit up as he saw his bride for the first time. Tears blurred Selene’s vision at the look he gave his te’sorthene… love, devotion, adoration, partnership, respect, wonder… She’d never seen a man look at a woman like that before. As if she were perfect. As if she were the center of his entire world.
Selene moved her gaze to Ellie, who was gliding down the aisle on Griffin’s arm, and saw the same look on her face reflected back at Alex.
Selene kept her focus fixed on Alex and Ellie throughout the service, never once giving in to the almost overwhelming temptation to glance at Griffin, no matter how handsome he looked as he stood across from her. She had declared her love to him, but in the weeks following the battles, he still had not said one word to her about it. She’d often caught his gaze on her. But he didn’t approach her.
So Selene kept her eyes on Ellie.
Oren performed the ceremony, and it was beautiful in its simplicity. Ellie and Alex both said their vows in clear, confident voices, their eyes never wavering from the other. Many guests wept silent tears of joy when the groom escorted the bride back down the aisle.
The reception was held in the Great Hall, which blazed with thousands of bright, white candles and was covered with flowers of white, purple, and blue. Wine flowed, music played, and laughter filled the air as all celebrated the union. In honor of Ellie’s gypsy heritage, the bride and groom exchanged and ate salted bread, representing taking each other into themselves. To honor Alex’s history, they also incorporated a beautiful Cajun tradition of a wedding march.
The dance floor was cleared. Alex offered Ellie his arm. “Ready, Wife?”
Ellie grinned at her te’sorthene. “Lead away, Husband.”
Alex and Ellie held hands and walked slowly around the room while the band played a special song just for the occasion. After a few laps, Griffin approached Selene.
“May I?” He offered her a hand.
Selene merely nodded, placing her hand lightly in his and praying it wasn’t too sweaty. They joined Ellie and Alex in the dance. Gradually, everyone else in the room partnered off and joined in, following the bride and groom around the room until the song ended.
After it was over, the floor cleared again, and Griffin led Selene to where Adelaide and Nate were standing. And then, without a word, he disappeared into the crowd. Selene’s shoulders stiffened, but otherwise she kept a smile on her face and watched as Alex led Ellie through a floating waltz across the floor. Afterwards, the dance floor was opened to everyone, the band alternating between lively tunes and sweet love songs, keeping the party going most of the night.
Several hours into it, Selene was exhausted. She was so happy for Ellie and Alex, but her broken heart threatened to swallow her in a haze of misery. She plastered a smile on her face and kept it there through sheer force of will. Aware of her duties as the maid of honor, Selene stayed close to Ellie all night, making sure the bride’s needs were all taken care of. She really didn’t pay all that much attention to anyone or anything else. Consequently, she was slightly surprised when a strong male hand wrapped gently around her arm and tugged her out of the room via a side door. Desmond led her to the conservatory, which sparkled with strung-up twinkle lights.
“Desmond? What’s this about?” she asked as he turned to face her.
He shook his head. “When will you call me Dez, I wonder?” She said nothing, so he continued. “I wanted to talk to you alone. Tonight felt like the best night to ask you something. Fitting somehow.” He flashed his charming smile and confidence shone from his eyes.
“What are you doing?” Selene whispered to him, as he took her left hand in his and knelt to one knee before her. She gasped and covered her mouth in shock as she realized what was happening.
“Selene, my Queen and my friend…. A union of our two powerful families would unite the Vyusher people in such a way as to bring prosperity for centuries to come. I know in my heart that love would follow in time for both of us if you gave this union a chance. Would you do me the honor of accepting my hand in marriage?”
Selene looked deep into his sea-green eyes and saw his sincerity. Despite how her heart protested against anyone who wasn’t Griffin, a future with Dez flashed though her mind… a future of happiness, for he did make her smile and laugh at times… a future of grace and peace, for he was one of the finest and most honorable men she knew… a future of prosperity for herself and for her people, for the Vyusher would, indeed, band together behind them.
Selene lowered a shaky hand from her lips. Just as she was about to speak, a heart-wrenching cry sounded from the back of the room.
“NO!”
Chapter 44
Griffin rushed toward Selene. He fixed his intense gaze on her. “You can’t marry him,” he insisted in a low undertone.
“Why not?” Selene demanded.
Dez rose to his feet and moved behind her. “Maybe I should leave,” he murmured.
Selene glanced over her shoulder. “Dez, wait—”
He stepped forward and placed a hand on her cheek and gave her a lopsided smile. “Now she calls me Dez.” He paused. “He wasn’t claiming you. Not until this moment.” He glanced over her shoulder at Griffin, giving him a hard look. Dez leaned forward and whispered, “I won’t come between te’sorthene. Not when there’s a chance for you. Be happy.”
He kissed her cheek and turned to walk away, only to pause and glance back. “As your friend, I should warn you…. The Council will never accept him. And likely neither will the Vyusher.”
“I know,” she said quietly.
Dez stared at her solemnly for a second and then nodded at Griffin.
“Gunther,” he acknowledged. With a curt grin, he walked out of the room.
Slowly, Selene turned back to Griffin. “You just stopped something that coul
d’ve been beneficial for my people… and for me. Why? Why can’t I marry him?” She poked him in the middle of the chest.
Griffin’s mouth tightened and he just looked at her, a battle still raging in his eyes. She placed her hand over his heart.
“Please. Tell me,” she whispered.
Griffin covered her hand with this own, and she felt the thundering of his heart beneath her fingers. “You can’t marry him… because you are my bonded heart, my te’sorthene.”
Selene’s eyes narrowed. “But I told you I loved you weeks ago. And you’ve said nothing since then. You walked away from me. Again.” She turned away so he wouldn’t see the small tear slide down her cheek.
“I was waiting for the right moment to talk to you,” he whispered. “Somehow, with all this going on, there never seemed to be a good time.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back so that he could look her in her eyes. “I could never walk away from you.”
She shook her head. “But you did. You –”
He put a single finger to her lips, halting her speech. “I thought that you needed the time and space to deal with your people and establish this peace.”
Selene stood silently for so long that Griffin gave her a little shake. “Please say something,” he pleaded.
It was the look of uncharacteristic vulnerability in his eyes that broke Selene’s silence, while at the same time healing the gaping hole in her heart.
“So you believe me? About all the stuff that happened before?” her voice wobbled.
Griffin understood the cryptic question. He tenderly wiped a tear from her cheek. “I knew that none of that was your fault the day we killed your brother. I just wouldn’t admit it to myself. You were tied too closely to the worst moment of my life, and I wouldn’t let myself get past that. Forgive me?”
“Do you forgive me?”
Griffin rested his forehead against hers and looked deeply into her eyes. “I know there’s nothing to forgive. How about we start over?”
