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Whispers filled my ears, indiscernible at first, but slowly they became clearer. Insistent even.

We bless this union.

I sucked in a breath. This moment in the ceremony was symbolic, a second given to the Faetia to approve or deny a marriage, though it had been many turns since anyone reported them speaking up in one way or another. Not since King Harald Falk and Queen Revna Falk wed.

Not until now anyway.

Neve’s fingers trembled, and I could tell she was about to pull back, to take her hand off the tree. I wrapped my smallest finger around hers, hoping that would halt her. Hoping to hear more. Long seconds passed that felt like a full turn, and finally, she exhaled. She stayed.

“By the power vested in me by the Crown and the Tower of the Living and Dead, and with the witnesses of the Faetia, the stars, the Fates, and the dead gods above, I pronounce you husband and wife,” Staret Arkyn rolled into the finish. “You may kiss the bride.”

We removed our hands, and she looked up at me, shock gleaming in those brilliant gem-toned eyes. Slowly, my free hand cupped her face, and I vanquished the distance between us.

We’d kissed before, but this was different. Symbolic.

And yet, my lips still burned when they touched hers, as she accepted the kiss and met me. If we’d been alone, I’d have pulled her in more tightly; I’d have tasted her with my tongue.

Instead, I mastered myself, and we broke apart.

The Grand Staret turned to the witnesses. “PrinceVale Aaberg and his wife, Lady Neve Aaberg. May you live long and?—”

A flash of light came from behind, halting the staret before he could finish. He spun and his eyes widened.

The Heart Drassil was glowing a brilliant silver.

“By the dead gods,” Grand Staret Arkyn whispered. “I’ve never seen . . .” he trailed off as the glow faded to nothing, leaving behind a regular Drassil tree. Then, without another word, without so much as looking at us even, the staret stormed out of the courtyard.

Neve swallowed. “What did that mean?”

“I-I’m not sure,” I replied. “I think it might have had something to do with what we heard.” I paused. “You did hear the whispers?”

“I did,” she replied softly, confusion in her tone.

At the edge of the courtyard, someone shuffled. I tore my gaze from her to find that our witnesses stared at us, open-mouthed. Waiting.

“Come, let us join the others,” I said. “Perhaps one of them will enlighten us.” Lord Riis, the eldest and most worldly of all of us, most likely.

“Welcome to the family.” Among our witnesses, Saga recovered first and engulfed my new wife in a hug. “Prepare for madness.”

“I’m ready.” Neve smiled as she hugged my sister back.

Once they broke apart, Saga met my gaze. “So? What was that flash about?”

“We were hoping one of you might answer that,” I ventured.

Blank faces stared back at us. Not even Lord Riis appeared to have an idea.

“Well, the Grand Staret knew,” I said. “I’ll request he explain. Tomorrow.”

Our group looked exhausted, and I had little doubt that the Grand Staret was already deep in the maze of the Tower.

“Sounds good to me.” Saga stretched her arms wide as if already envisioning her bed. “Back home?”

Neve held up a finger. “I need to speak with Lord Riis. And I believe Prince Vale and I will need to sneak in without an entourage around us, anyway?” She eyed me.

“We’ll make an official appearance tomorrow,” I agreed.

Yet another thing to plan. We’d try to break the news in a way that meant as few people were around my father as possible.