Page 94

I spotted Cassian near the fountain, speaking with my father. Cassian's dark eyes met mine across the courtyard, and he inclined his head. My father laughed at something Cassian said, completely at ease.

The absurdity of it hit me all over again. Six months ago, I'd been a conservator who didn't believe in soulmates. Now I was marrying an immortal Curse at an estate full of supernatural beings, after our love had balanced Heartbreak itself. And my family had no idea how we'd been tested.

“Destiny.”

I turned to find a woman approaching—tall and graceful, with warm brown skin and silver-streaked black hair pulled into an elegant twist. She wore a deep purple dress and moved with the kind of confidence that suggested she was used to being noticed.

“I'm sorry, have we met?” I asked.

“Not formally.” She smiled. “I'm Amara. I'll be handling your paperwork when you transition later.” She extended her hand, and I shook it. Her grip was firm and cool.

Transition. What a nice and concise way of saying Tristan and I will be leaving the country and taking on new identities so no one from my old life could see neither of us were aging. We'd leave everything to our new identities, but we wouldn't be able to return to America for at least twenty years. Someday, twenty years would seem like the blink of an eye to me, but right now, it scared me.

“I wanted to congratulate you,” she went on. “What you and Tristan have done is extraordinary.”

“Thank you.” I glanced around to make sure no humans were within earshot. “It's still strange, knowing that people are watching us, wondering if what happened with us could happen for them.”

“Let them wonder.” Amara's smile turned wry. “Hope is a powerful thing, even for those of us who've been around long enough to know better. You've given the Curses something they haven't had in a very long time.”

“What's that?”

“Proof they're not condemned to be alone forever.”

Before I could respond, Tanvi appeared at my elbow. “Destiny, we're ready to start. Your mother is looking for you.”

I followed Tanvi through the manor and into a small antechamber off the ballroom in the west wing. Through the doorway, I could see rows of chairs set up facing a flower-draped arch. The chairs were filling quickly, guests settling into their seats with murmured conversations and laughter. Tanvi left me there, with my parents and bridesmaids and went to take her seat.

My mother fussed with my veil one more time before my father escorted her to her seat at the front. He hurried back to take my arm and puff out his chest. With his graying black hair, he reminded me of what I was giving up to be with Tristan. Tristan would never go gray, never walk our daughter down the aisle. We would never give my parents grandchildren, never have grandchildren of our own. But when I thought of Tristan, I didn't care. Children had never been a priority for me, and honestly, never seeing Tristan age or aging myself was an amazing gift. It was silly to lament not aging. I wasn't a fool. I knew I'd gained far more than I'd lost. Ironically, Heartbreak would save us from the heartbreak of losing each other to the grave.

I put my hand on my father's raised forearm and smiled at him. I would do everything I could to stay in my parents' lives until they passed. I couldn't let them face death without me. If I had to, I'd tell them.

“I'm so happy for you, sweetheart.”

“Thanks, Dad. And just so you know, I'm sure about this. He's my forever love.”

He beamed at me as the music started—a string quartet playing something classical and beautiful. Our cue. My cousins, dressed in gowns of pale pink, started the walk down the aisle. As the last one went, Dad and I moved into the doorway.

Afternoon light poured in through the tall windows at the end of the room and the right wall, illuminating the faces of everyone I loved. My family sat on the left, my friends, including Sabrina (who waved at me), scattered among them. On the right, the Conclave members occupied the front row, with other Curses, revenants, and witches filling the seats behind them.

And at the back of the ballroom, beneath the arch of white roses and trailing greenery, stood Tristan, his groomsmen lined up to the left.

He wore a charcoal suit that fit him perfectly, his blond hair pulled back from his face. His eyes found mine across the distance, and the smile that broke across his face was so full of joy that my breath caught.

We started walking. Instead of the nerves I've heard are normal, joy rose inside me so uplifting I felt as if I were rising with every step. The aisle felt both endless and too short. Curses on the right stared at me with curiosity, longing, and hope. At the end of the seats, I passed my mother, who was already crying, with my aunt beside her, beaming at me. Tanvi, to my right, wore an expression softer than I'd ever seen on her. My bridesmaids formed a line opposite the groomsmen.

I reached Tristan, and my father placed my hand in his. We'd done away with the “who gives this woman” crap, but I had still wanted my dad to walk me.

“Take care of her, son,” my father said.

“Always.” Tristan's voice was steady. “You have my word.”

My father stepped back, and Tristan and I turned to face Cassian.

The Curse of Forbidden Fruit stood behind the arch, serene and handsome in his formal black robes. His dark eyes swept over the assembled guests, and the room fell silent.

“We are gathered here,” Cassian's voice resonated through the hall, “to witness the union of Destiny Takeda and Tristan Bane. This is a marriage built on choice, trust, and a love that has already been proven in ways most of us will never experience.”

I felt Heartbreak pulse gently between us, a quiet acknowledgment of the truth in Cassian's words.