Page 101 of Soul of Fire

“Slow, my dear,” she insisted, dragging me back when I tried to speed up. “You must keep him wanting a little. No need to give away the cart before the horse.”

“Mormor!” I hissed, half horrified and half amused. I didn’t feel brave enough to say that he’d already had the whole cart multiple times, but she chuckled as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.

There was no music, but it would have felt out of place in this holy sanctum. The faint sounds of the river and the birds above and the pounding of my heart in time with my mate’s were music enough.

“Who presents this woman to be handfasted?” Freya spoke, her tone as serious as if this were a funeral rite rather than a wedding.

“I do,” Sigrid announced, rising proudly to her full height, where everyone still towered over her. “Her grandmother.”

My heart lurched a little at the formal recognition of the role she had always played in my life.

“And do you grant your blessing for this woman to be given to this man?”

Sigrid grimaced. “I give permission for them to be wed. She’s not property, for Goddess’ sake. Do the modern version.”

I choked on a laugh as Freya sighed. She had obviously anticipated Sigrid’s commentary, and she flipped through several pages in the book she held before her.

“Very well. Then do you bless this union?” She bit out the words as if half expecting Sigrid to object again.

“I do.” Sigrid took my face between her hands and pressed a kiss to each cheek. She added, just for my ears, “With all my heart,” as she placed my hands in Arik’s and stepped back.

He looked down at me, silver eyes swirling as they met mine, and I knew that this was right.

Did you have any doubts?Arik laughed across my mind.

A bit late now, if I did.

He laughed out loud, and Freya cleared her throat, exasperation written all over her face.

“Apologies, priestess.” Arik bowed his head. “Please proceed.”

“Very well.” She sniffed, peering down at the book. “Is it your wish before the Hearthmother and these witnesses to declare your vows to one another?”

“It is.” Arik looked at me expectantly.

“It is,” I echoed, biting my lip to temper my grin. I didn’t need Freya thinking I was completely sacrilegious.

“Very well. Bring forth the cord.”

Sigrid appeared at my elbow and wrapped a braided cord around our joined hands. It looked like it had been woven from whatever the priestesses had at hand: a strip of blue shimmering robe, a strip of white linen, and a sprig of flowering vines like those that climbed the sanctum’s wall.

“Blue for loyalty and trust,” Sigrid murmured as she offered me a small smile. “White for new beginnings.” A rare smile for Arik. “And green for harmony with the Goddess.” She tapped our bound hands once, and I felt a jolt of something sizzle over my skin where we were bound. “And a tap of magic for me. So that if you betray her, young man, your balls will shrivel up and fall off.”

“Sigrid!” Amaya and Freya cried out at the same time, Amaya in shock, and Freya in disgust.

But Arik and I laughed, and my heart melted as he bent to place a kiss atop her white head.

“There is no chance of that, Mormor.” He looked at me, his eyes molten. “I shall love her long after eternity claims us.”

Baldur growled in approval at this declaration, and even Idunn seemed moved by it, nestling more firmly into her mate’s side rather than making a sarcastic comment about human traditions.

“Hmmph.” Sigrid narrowed her eyes, but she couldn’t fight the grin. She turned to the beleaguered priestess and waved her on as she hobbled back toward Amaya, who was still gaping in horror. “Well, keep going, Freya. Why are you just standing there?”

Freya looked like she was praying to the Hearthmother for patience as she commanded, “Please repeat after me:”

We take this cord to bind our hands and our lives together.

We promise to stand by each other in all things.