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It’s easily the most magical sound I’ve ever heard in my life.
“Oh my!” Kyra says, cuddling him close. “Look at you! That laugh!”
She’s got tears in her eyes and I grab them both and hug them close, enraptured by this moment.
We walk back home together hand in hand, our hearts full of joy.
* * *
The week passesin a blur and it’s the day of our ceremony. Phemes whisks Kyra and Traisus away early for some ceremonial bathing and I trim my beard and polish my horns to a glow. I can’t believe that it’s finally the day. That it’s finally here.
It doesn’t feel real. It feels like any moment someone will shove me awake and tell me that I have a patrol. Or that Mosar will swoop into my home and tell me that his contract is still valid and that Kyra belongs to him.
But there is no one coming to the door other than my friends who have come to escort me to the temple. There won’t be a lot of people in attendance. My own family refused to come. It stung, but knowing that Kyra will be my lifemate soon lessened the blow.
On top of that, the people that will be in attendance are the ones who want to celebrate with us and that helped me start to heal from those old wounds. I may never fully recover from what they did but I have Kyra and my friends and her friends and they’ve become our family.
It seems like the walk to the temple is over far too quickly. I feel like I need to savor every moment but it’s happening so fast.
For the ceremony, a burnt offering is expected to be presented to our goddess and I thought long and hard about what I wanted to offer. Finally, the solution came to me when I was joking with my buddies at work.
Spending three days hunting it down took a lot of work. I was worried I wouldn’t find it but I finally did, and then capturing it was even harder.
But I finally caught the bastard capucho who stole that robe. And he would make the perfect sacrifice to the goddess. Never let it be said that Zykhus Xabor would be outwitted by a beast again.
The priestess accepts my offering, only giving me a slightly raised eyebrow. It’s an unusual offering, to be sure. Most people bring in a thistle, or maybe a dripir or capra. But she nods and lays the offering on the pyre.
Looks like I got the last laugh.
Our attention shifts as Pheres comes into sight, guiding a glowing, veil-wrapped goddess on her arm. Kyra has arrived. I can’t really see her under all those veils but her hand comes out and gives me a little wave and I almost melt on the spot.
It’s time!
I straighten up, shoulders back with my head held high. I am a strong, commanding man but Kyra leaves me a mess inside. I want to be strong for her today though. I want her to see the man she fell in love with.
But I almost lose it when she takes my hand. I feel like a small one again, giddy with excitement.
“Welcome, my children,” the head priestess begins. “We have gathered forth under the temple to welcome the offering from Zykus Xabor and Kyra Moraine asking the goddess for a blessing upon their union. They have requested to become lifemates and spend the rest of their days as one.”
The other priestesses chant softly in the background as our hands join together. I can barely focus on what’s being said as I try to peer through the layers of veils to see Kyra’s face underneath. I’ll be able to unwrap her veils in private soon.
The thought sends a shiver down my spine.
“The goddess has blessed the two of you with a child but today you seek to solidify your union through bringing an offering. What offering have you brought us, Zykhus?”
“A wild capucho. Meant to signify that I am strong enough to take on any threat to my family. Nothing can ever bring harm to my family as long as I am around.”
“Beautifully said,” the priestess smiles. “And the two of you may light the offering now, sending it up to the goddess.”
Together we light the fire and watch it go up in flames. The chanting gets louder and the priestess begins to recite a prayer, asking for the blessing of our union.
We wait, our hands squeezed tightly together. I’m not sure exactly what we’re waiting for but the priestess suddenly snaps out of her trance and looks at us. “The goddess is pleased with the union!” she declares.
And all of a sudden it’s over. Kyra is now my lifemate. Our friends cheer and even Traisus gives a squeaky yell.
“I love you,” I tell her, leaning down to press my lips to her forehead as best I can over all the layers.
“I love you too,” she says, voice slightly muffled.
