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Sharon turned to Eva, who handed her the ring, and then back to Robert. "With this ring, I bind myself to you for eternity." She slipped the ring on his finger.
Just as before, their guests started cheering, hooting, and clapping, and as the ruckus went on, she stared into the eyes of the man she loved more than anything and anyone in the world.
The Clan Mother lifted her glowing arms, and the crowd hushed down.
"By the sacred power the Fates vested in me, I now pronounce you, Robert and Sharon, bonded for life, partners in love, and allies in spirit. May your union be as enduring as the earth, as vast as the sky, and as infinite as the stars. Congratulations, you may proceed with the kiss."
Someone whistled, and then a chant began, "kiss, kiss, kiss…"
Smiling, Robert shrugged. "Should we oblige them?"
"Well, if we must, we must." She launched herself into his waiting arms.
68
NEGAL
As Sharon and Robert pledged their love and commitment to each other, Negal found himself unexpectedly touched by the sincerity and depth of their promises. The earnestness in their voices, the tears of joy in their eyes, and the undeniable bond that connected them stirred something within him he hadn't anticipated.
He glanced at Margo, taking in her soft features that were bathed in the glow from the candelabra that served as the centerpiece of their table. She was watching the ceremony with a tender smile, her eyes glinting with a sheen of tears, just as moved as he was by the vows the couple had exchanged.
Would that be them one day?
The thought of exchanging vows with Margo, of standing before her and promising a lifetime of love, support, and understanding, filled him with a sense of longing but also dread.
What if she was just a human with no godly genes and a limited lifespan?
He'd never expected to fall for an immortal, let alone a human.
He was supposed to be smarter than that. He should guard his heart at least until he was sure that she could become immortal, and he needed to prepare himself for the possibility that it was not going to happen and that he would need to leave her.
It shouldn't be too difficult.
After all, they had known each other for two days and had shared a single kiss. When he left, the experience would be less than a blink of an eye in his lifetime. It would eventually fade into the vast cloud of all that he had experienced before.
Still, he could allow himself a few moments of wistfulness and envision the words they might one day say to each other.
He wasn't very eloquent, but with enough effort, he imagined he could come up with a few things. He would tell Margo how she had changed his life, how she had brought light into his world in a way he never thought possible. He would vow to stand by her, cherish her, and also challenge her because Margo needed to be challenged to be happy. To be engaged.
She wasn't the type who longed for serenity. She was a fighter, just like him.
How did he know that after spending so little time with her?
He wasn't sure.
The warrior's eyes were a clue, and her willingness to help a stranger in jeopardy was another.
As the bride leaped into the groom's arms, Negal felt a gentle pressure on his hand, and then Margo's fingers intertwined with his. He wasn't sure what the gesture meant, but he appreciated it and squeezed her hand in response.
Once the newlyweds took to the dance floor, all the guests rose to their feet and clapped as the Clan Mother, the sole heir to Anumati's throne, walked out of the ballroom accompanied by a couple of Guardians and her two Odus.
"The Clan Mother is not like you," Margo said quietly so that only he could hear her. "She is what I imagined a real goddess would look like."
He nodded. "She is special."
Margo lifted her eyes to him. "In what way?"
How was he supposed to answer that? Most of the clan was not aware of Annani's special status as the Eternal King's only legitimate heir, and he wasn't sure that they knew the distinction between the different classes of gods either, but that wasn't something that needed to be kept a secret, so he could share it with her.
