I tug the Hunter to his feet, lips tilting up as I meet his gaze. “I would be delighted to seal our bond.”
There’s been a plethora of truly awful things that have happened to me over the past few months, but this connection is not one of them.
A luminous grin stretches across Gabriel’s face, and gods, he’s even more handsome than normal. He sways towards me as if he can’t help himself, and he kisses me deeply. Thoroughly.
When my lips are plump, tingling from his attention, his hand engulfs mine, and he leads me back to the others. Only, once we emerge from the trees, I realize my Hunter has been planning this for some time.
Skyler is here, and it seems she’s already befriended Maia. They’re chatting animatedly, but when Gabriel clears his throat, everyone turns towards us.
“Did she agree?” Skyler asks, directing the question to the Hunter.
“She did,” he says, squeezing my hand.
An ear-piercing squeal is the only sound I hear as she darts towards me, yanking my hand out of Gabe’s and wrapping her arms around me.
“I knew you’d say yes!” Practically vibrating, Skyler laces her fingers with mine. “Come on, we have to go.”
I dig my heels into the dirt. “Go where?”
Skyler looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “To get you ready, of course! The seer is already setting up, and everything is prepared for the bonding to take place at dusk.”
Raising a brow, I meet Gabriel’s eyes. “That’s a little presumptuous, Hunter.”
His cheeks redden, and he shrugs. “Our life has been tumultuous lately. I figured that if you agreed, it would be helpful to have a few things set into motion. Since your sisters are here, I’m not sure there’s any reason to wait. Unless you want to? We can put it off until you’re ready?—”
“No, you’re right.” I look beyond Skyler to where my sisters are talking with Theon and Maia. My family is here, as are Gabriel’s friends. “They traveled all this way, and it’s already been a good day. What better way to cap it all off than with a bonding?”
Even though I have no idea what a bonding ceremony actually entails, if it ends with me being connected to Gabriel for all time, it can’t be a bad thing.
And that, more than anything else, has me following Skyler as she tugs me through the camp towards her cabin, chatting excitedly every step of the way.
47
NOTHING HAS EVER FELT SO RIGHT
WREN
Abonding between a Blessed and an Inherited, as it turns out, is not a small affair. Skyler takes me to the cabin she shares with three others, which boasts of a large common area and smaller individual rooms for sleeping.
Talking enough for the two of us as we stand in the middle of the common room—her roommates are nowhere to be seen—Skyler helps me into a pale green, almost white lace dress that hugs my curves and falls to the ground. She fusses with my hair, styling it into an intricate bun before lining my eyes and painting my lips.
When I look at myself in her small mirror, I can scarcely believe this is my reflection. I look... happy. My eyes are bright, rivaling my Mark’s shine, my cheeks are rosy, and when I smile, I feel it in the depths of my being.
The gown is low cut, the scooped neckline revealing swaths of skin, and the soft fabric feels equally rich and delicate. My necklace—the last physical reminder I have from my parents—hangs on my neck in a place of honor.
“Where did this come from?” The dress is far more elegant and refined than the other garments I’ve seen women wearing around camp.
Skyler walks around me, brushing a stray curl away from my face and tucking it back into my bun before our gazes meet in the mirror.
“It’s been in my family for a long time. My great-grandmother wore it when she sealed her bond with my great-grandfather.” Skyler’s voice is uncharacteristically soft, a small, wistful smile playing on her lips. “They were both Blessed.”
“Oh, Sky.” Frowning, I reach for the laces at my back. “This is a family heirloom. It must mean so much to you. I can’t?—”
She puts her hand on mine, gently pulling my fingers away. “You can wear it, and you will. This moment is important, Wren. Not just for you and Gabriel, but for all of us.”
My hand falls to my side. “What do you mean?”
Skyler touches my arm, guiding me to the door, and she talks as she walks. “Bonds are rare.”
