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She weaved the front pieces back, twisting and twirling the locks and then setting them in place with pins with the same matching pearls. If I’d had any doubt about this being a wedding, the pearls closed the deal. At least the dress was silver, and not white.

Once she finished with my hair, she turned her attention to my face, applying charcoal to my lids and lashes, then blush to my cheeks and lips.

The other women finished up on my dress and then all stood there, appreciating their handiwork, nodding and patting each other on the back.

“Do you want to see?” Luisca asked. She nodded to the mirror in the corner. Even if I didn’t, they’d worked so hard on me that I felt I had to.

I walked over and could barely speak. I looked like a goddess. My hair was caught up in pearls and then cascaded down in heavy blond waves. The silver dress had been transformed into what looked like a beaded web of silver that glimmered with every curve. I’d never looked so good in my life. I hadn’t known I could.

“Are you ready?” Luisca asked. “Samual is going to perform the ceremony. He’s done a few of these before. Since you don’t have any people here, Tiber will present you.”

There was no getting around it. I had to go through with this. I was indeed getting married. It had been much easier to get mated, when I hadn’t known what I was doing.

I nodded, feeling queasy.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m…good.” As long as I managed not to throw up, I’d get through this.

“We’ll be downstairs soon.” She waved the other woman and her daughters toward the door and then turned back to me. “It’s normal to be nervous.”

I nodded.

“Or to wonder if this is the right thing,” Luisca added. “But you’re mated. That doesn’t just happen. This was meant to be.”

Meant to be? She should hear Kaden. He’d tell her it was all about vengeance. I continued to nod, having a hard time looking her in the eyes.

She put her hands on my shoulders. “Do you know how many women, and men as well, have wanted Kaden to mark them? He chose you. Hewantedyou. You’ve met some of our oldest Kradix. They’ve marked many. None transitioned because it wasn’t meant to be. This was not an accident. The only people unsure of your fate together are you two. The rest of us can see it as clear as day that it is meant to be.”

“I’m not so—”

“This is meant to be,” Luisca said, stopping me from airing any more doubts. “I’m so sure that, for the first time in eons, I feel hopeful.”

I tried to smile. I wanted to be happy for her, but all I could think of was how devastated they’d all be when they realized we weren’t meant to be. We were fakes. This whole thing felt like a fraud.

The sound of a violin floated in through the window.

“Come on. That’s the cue.”

She ushered me out of the room and downstairs, where Tiber was waiting. Luisca gave me a kiss on the cheek and then headed out.

“Are you ready?” Tiber held out his arm to me.

“Yes.” Saying no wouldn’t get me anywhere at this point anyway. No one wanted to hear it, not even Kaden.

We walked out of the house and into the courtyard that connected several of the buildings. I could see all the people gathered from where I approached, still in the shadows. It was final. This was happening. Today was my wedding day.

I could see all the people getting to their feet, turning to watch me walk down the aisle. Each face mirrored the same excitement I’d seen in Luisca’s and Tiber’s. This meant something to them, Kaden and me, what we representedmeantsomething. So much, in fact, that they’d gone out of their way to line my path with cut flowers, dress me in this dress, prepare a feast for afterward. Even the people who had looked at me like I was Medusa seemed happier today. Why? Because they thought I brought hope for their race.

They thought today was going to seal our mating. They didn’t realize Kaden and I were set on undoing it as soon as we could.

“I hope you didn’t go too much out of your way,” I whispered to Tiber.

“We enjoyed every second of it,” he said, then patted my hand, smiling in an almost fatherly way as he began to lead me toward the music, the people, Kaden…

I felt myself dragging in a gulp of air, and then another.

“Don’t be nervous,” Tiber said, squeezing my fingers.