Page 237 of Scales ’N’ Spells: Volume Two

“It’s getting late, and you know every bonding ceremony demands at least a small celebration afterward. The sooner we get them bonded, the sooner they can celebrate, and the less worried I will be about hungover dragons going into battle tomorrow night.”

The wind dragon darted off with a snicker, disappearing down the hall. Alric moved to follow him, his mind probably already on what he needed to prepare to bond them, but Gunter caught his hand.

Alric lifted questioning eyes, and for a moment, Gunter was simply overwhelmed. The world swirled around him. Mere minutes ago, he’d been in the middle of a full-blown panic over the idea of his mate waltzing into Jaeggi territory without protection. Now he was soaring above the clouds with the promise of finally being bonded to his mate. Everything about his life with Nikki was a roller-coaster ride, and he hoped that never changed.

“Alric, thank you,” he finally managed in a choked voice.

Alric pulled his hand free and wrapped Gunter in a tight hug. “You are my dear friend and brother. I am honored to serve you and your mate in this way.”

Gunter closed his eyes for a second and drew in a shuddering breath. Alric had been his friend and confidante for as long as he could remember. He didn’t know where he’d be without Alric in his life, and there was no better person in all the world to bond him to his mate.

With a shaky laugh, Alric released him and stepped back. His own blue eyes looked a little watery, and his smile was overly bright. “Nineteen minutes. The clock is ticking. Don’t be late,” he admonished, and disappeared out the door.

A loud squeal was Gunter’s only warning. He turned, and Nikki leapt into his arms. A laugh escaped him, and he spun them in a circle. In less than nineteen minutes, they’d stand before all the dragons and mages of Burkhard to proclaim their love and devotion to each other. Gunter couldn’t wait.

It took quite a bit longer than twenty minutes to gather dragons and mages together in the throne room. Probably closer to forty, by Gunter’s judgement. But he couldn’t complain since he’d spotted several people in robes and pajamas, hair mussed and looking very confused about the entire proceeding. Nikki might have even squealed when they spotted Tori near the front of the gathering wearing a pair of white bunny slippers, but Gunter wasn’t sure since the slippers had pointed teeth and looked decidedly carnivorous.

The white room dotted with elegant pillars that stretched up three stories was a rarely used area of the castle, but it gave the event some much needed gravitas since Gunter’s panic was rushing the bonding along faster than Nikki had initially wished. Colorful pennants and banners hung from the ceiling as reminders of an era long gone from the world. Each carried the symbols of mage clans now extinct thanks to the Jaeggi, as well as some clans who’d survived.

Nikki seemed particularly pleased by the long red carpet edged with tiny gold dragons in flight. They lifted their chin and tried to take on a regal air, but the mage’s naturally vivacious personality quickly shone through with a large grin.

Gunter couldn’t hold back his own grin. He was bubbling over with joy. Not only was he with his mate, but they were surrounded by dragons. Easily three hundred now filled the room. And mages! So many mages. He’d not seen this many mages in one place since before the Dragon War.

It gave him hope.

But not as much as his Nikki. His mage was smart and feisty. They’d survived long enough to escape and to claim their dragon. Gunter just prayed they could do it one more time tomorrow night.

At the end of the aisle were three small steps leading up to a grand obsidian throne. Alric’s throne.

His king wasn’t currently seated. He was waiting at the top of the stairs with Cameron on his right. They were both dressed in their finest suits, looking very dapper despite the lack of notice. A step behind Alric stood the other three kings to bear witness and bless the ceremony. It was more than a little overwhelming but also touching.

Gunter had selected his favorite dark charcoal suit with a dove gray shirt and a vest stitched with red dragons. The thread even matched the shade of his own dragon. Nikki had chosen a flowing floor-length black skirt they’d recently ordered because it had the proper swirl factor when they turned, paired with a red shirt the same shade as Gunter’s dragon. Upon discovering Gunter’s red dragon vest, Nikki had announced they planned to order many more clothes that matched his dragon, because how else would the world know who Gunter belonged to? Gunter had merely smiled and nodded. He planned for all the world to know who his mage was.

They stopped before the king and consort, but really all Gunter saw was his best friend and the man who’d captured Alric’s heart. The man who’d healed wounds too deep for even the Abe Clan to cure. He swore Alric’s eyes seemed extra shiny, but that could have been his own teary eyes.

“Are you both ready?” Alric asked softly for just the two of them to hear.

Gunter nodded and then looked to Nikki, tightening his fingers around theirs. Nikki grinned back at him and nodded. The mage was so jubilant they practically glowed. They’d clearly taken time to prepare for this moment, as their hair was in a sleek waterfall over one shoulder, and subtle makeup highlighted their gorgeous purple eyes. They looked beautiful, and Gunter had the hardest time not staring.

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice to celebrate this momentous occasion,” Alric started in a loud, booming voice that carried to the very back of the room. He lifted both hands in the air. “We are gathered for the bonding of Nikki Bos, child of Jan and Anika Bos of the most esteemed Bos Clan, to Gunter Burkhard, only son of Erik and Odessa Burkhard of the great fire dragons.”

Gunter sucked in a breath at the sound of his parents’ names. He hadn’t thought of them in years. They’d both died during the Dragon War, lost with so many other mages and dragons. His mother had been a member of the Mylonas Clan, a Greek major clan destroyed by the Jaeggi. He had to wonder what they would think of the mage standing at his side right now. Odessa would have doted on them.

“As King Alric Burkhard of the Fire Dragon Clan and representative of the four kings, I offer our most profound blessing on this couple. May the fires of their love burn brightly all through their days, filling their home with happiness and the laughter of children. May their heartaches be brief, softened by the love of family and friends.”

Nikki gave a little start when the three other kings said in unison, “May they be blessed.”

A new snap of magical energy filled the air, blanketing and protecting all who were gathered. The proceedings had just gotten the stamp of approval from all the dragon kings.

“Turn and take each other’s hands,” Alric instructed.

Gunter turned to his right and smiled when Nikki slid their smaller right hand into his left. The butterflies that had buffeted his stomach as they’d walked to the throne room were suddenly gone. So were all the gathered people. There was only Nikki in his world, and he was going to make Nikki his forever.

His vows swam to the forefront of his mind, as if they’d been waiting for Nikki to unlock them from his heart.

“I, Gunter Burkhard, vow to always love you with all my heart and my soul. I vow to devote my life to your happiness and the happiness of our children. I vow to lay down my life to keep you safe and protect you always. You are my happiness, my heart. You are the fire that keeps me warm, and the light that guides me home again.”

Tears slipped down Nikki’s cheeks one after another, but their smile never wavered. They then leaned over to Alric and asked in a somewhat loud whisper, “You’re gonna help me with this part, right? He didn’t give me time to memorize vows.”