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“What I think is that you should finish getting ready. Time is short.”

“Ela.” Kara surprised the Vraxian by taking her hand. “Vahn trusts you more than anyone else on the planet and I hope that after we’re married, you’ll still be his friend even if… well, even if it’s hard for you.”

She knows.The realization pierced Ela like an arrow. Somehow the human had gleaned her true feelings for Vahn.

She looked down at the hand clasping her own, mortified that she’d been so transparent.

“Don’t tell him,” she said stiffly.

“I won’t. And I’m sorry he wasn’t smart enough to realize.”

“It would not matter if he did. He would never have chosen me. I’m just a soldier.”

“So am I.”

“That’s different.Kalehshovercomes all barriers.”

“Look, even if he doesn’t love you in that way, you’re still important to him. You have to stay in his life.”

“How can I?” Ela blurted. “It’s like a knife to my chest.”

“Only because you haven’t found yourkalehshunyet. He’s still out there somewhere and when you find him, you’ll wonder why you wasted so much time pining for Vahn.”

Ela smiled ruefully and shook her head.

“I wish it were that easy.Kalehshis what we all hope to discover but some of us never do. Perhaps I am one of those.”

“I don’t believe that.” Kara let go of her hand as Daa’sten came back carrying a box of accessories. “You’re just not looking in the right place.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sometimes love is right in front of you, but you need to open your eyes.”

Ela wanted to probe further but Kara had turned her attention to Daa’sten. Thankfully he’d found shoes that weren’t so eye-wateringly high. He was also carrying a jewelry box.

“I almost forgot. This was delivered to my offices this morning. It’s from the royal vaults. The Zhaal would like you to wear it.”

“Ooh, let’s see.”

Kara opened the box to find it contained a necklace. It was a thick gold rope chain hung with a large central grey pendant. The design was chunky and heavy, and she was oddly disappointed.

“It’s certainly different,” she ventured.

“It’s the necklace fashioned for the first Castellian Zhaalini three centuries ago,” commented Ela, looking over her shoulder. “It’s worth a fortune.”

“But it’s gold and my dress is silver,” said Kara doubtfully. “Do you think Vahn would mind if I didn’t wear it?”

“The messenger who delivered it wasveryspecific,” said Daa’sten. “He said the Zhaal expects you to follow his request.”

“Fine. Though it’s not something I’d normally wear. Help me put it on, Daa’sten.”

When he was finally satisfied with the way she looked, Daa’sten stepped back to admire his handiwork.

“You look wonderful. The most beautiful human Zhaalini ever.”

“Theonlyhuman Zhaalini ever,” muttered Ela.

“Are my bridesmaids here?” asked Kara. She’d asked Vysh and Hespia for moral support, since they were the closest thing to female friends she had on Vraxos.