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Zori hugged her. "Thank you for everything."
"You don't need to thank me, little one. We are family." Irina patted her on the back. "You are everything I hoped you would be, just as you are."
"Don't make me cry. My eye make-up looks too good," she complained, sniffing back tears.
"No tears allowed. Tonight is a celebration," Irina said, cupping Zori's cheeks with her hands. "Now, let's go. I need some spiced wine and to find someone to dance with."
Zori laughed softly. They definitely were related.
* * *
The town squarewas decorated with buntings made of fake flowers and greenery. Food carts selling spiced nuts, pierogi, pancakes, and baked treats were doing a busy trade. There were people with hot chocolate, coffee, wine, and ciders. A band was playing, and people were dancing.
Gargoyles walked about in their true forms, sporting fur capes around their shoulders with slits in the backs for their wings. All the women were in warm dresses and had their capes about their shoulders.
Zori stuck close to Irina, who was greeted everywhere she went. She introduced Zori to so many people that she lost track of their names. Everyone was polite and welcoming. A few gargoyles were giving her an appraising eye, but not the gargoyle she was looking for.
Zori was getting another spiced wine when she felt awareness dance down her spine.Vladik?
His warm presence brushed into her mind.Where are you hiding, my sweet puppy?
Zori got an extra wine from the vendor and walked through the crowd. She felt the second Vladik's stormy eyes found her. He was standing still like he was frozen to the spot.
Zori smiled and may have added an extra bit of sway to her hips as she moved towards him. He wore a black cloak and had a golden torc about his neck. They had somehow dressed to match.
"Wine?" she asked, offering him the mug.
"I'm going to need something stronger to keep my hands off you tonight. You look stunning," Vladik said, accepting the wine but not drinking any.
"You do too. Irina took me shopping. She also said you're not allowed to throw me over your shoulder and fly away. At least for a few hours," Zori replied with a wink. Her swan preened inside of her. She was on board with the being carried off idea.
Vladik looked at the crowd around them. "How many gargoyles have introduced themselves to you already?"
"A lot. I don't know how I'm going to remember any of their names." Zori's lips twitched at the way his eyes narrowed. "I didn't let any of them touch me though a few tried to kiss my hand."
"Which ones? Can you point them out?" he asked, the hint of a growl in his voice. "I told you they will have to prove they can protect you."
"Oh, you big idiot. You're the only one I'm ever going to want," she said and went up on tiptoes and kissed him in front of everyone.
Vladik's body locked up before his hand went to her waist and pulled her closer. There was a hush around them, but Zori didn't care if they did see. She wanted everyone to know who she wanted. Including Vladik.
"All right, that's enough, you two," Aleksandr said as he joined them. "We can all smell you on her, Vladik, for Morana's sake."
Zori wiped some of her red lipstick off Vladik's lower lip. "I wanted to make a point."
"Well, you've done it," Aleksandr chuckled.
It was the first time Zori had seen him in his full gargoyle form, and she had to take a step back. He was huge, almost the size of Kaspian, with his silver hair tied back with a golden clasp, revealing an undercut Zori didn't know he had. He wore a dark gray and silver cloak about his shoulders, lined with wolf fur, and his skin was a pale gray, almost like marble. There were slashes of white in places, which Zori realized were battle scars. He was the leader of the gargoyles for a reason. The scholar, fatherly side of him wasn't all he was.
"You look amazing," Zori said, grinning up at him before kissing his cheek.
"Thank you, blossom. You are too kind," he replied, giving her a fond smile. "You better be careful, Vladik. I might change her mind yet."
"You wish, old man," Vladik grumbled. It only made Aleksandr laugh harder.
The three of them walked together through the crowds, Zori keeping her gloved fingers holding tightly on to Vladik's hand. They ate and drank and laughed. Everyone was having a good time.
Zori thought there would be some kind of religious ceremony and mentioned it to Vladik.
