Page 52

The Gods are Here

I t isn’t fair that Nikhail is so gods-damned handsome.

That was the thought that kept running through River’s mind while she waited for the bonding ceremony to begin.

She sat primly in her chair, thanks to years of training.

The air fae was across the aisle from her, and River was trying—and failing—to keep her eyes on the currently vacant dais at the front of the room.

They were in the smaller of the two ballrooms in Waterborn House, the one her mother reserved for special occasions. Even as a young girl, River had understood that the residence was a ridiculous size, as it only housed four people.

After meeting Ember and hearing about the plight of the unhoused and impoverished in the Southern Region, River thought it was downright wasteful. If she owned Waterborn House, she’d sell it and donate all the proceeds to helping those in need.

But it wasn’t her home, and this wasn’t her day. At least the room was being used today.

Guests dressed in their finest outfits filled neat rows of rented chairs. Black-out curtains covered the windows, but the room was still well lit. Red and black roses were strategically placed throughout the space, and the decorations were elegant but not overstated.

River barely took note of those, though. She only had eyes for Nikhail.

The handsome air fae was always put together, but he’d stepped things up to another level today.

He looked like a model ready to walk the catwalk during Golden City Fashion Week, with his tailored black suit and gleaming shoes.

His dark hair was perfectly styled, calling for her to run her hands through it.

His arms were bent, resting on his knees as he casually chatted with Atlas and Therian, who sat on either side of him.

Seeing Nikhail at ease and surrounded by his friends was far more attractive than it had any right to be. Power emanated from him even now, as if it couldn’t stay away from him. River would be lying if she said it didn’t speak to her and her magic.

Just being near Nikhail calmed her more than anything else ever had. Even her morning jaunt to Isolation Lake through the fresh layer of snow hadn’t done nearly as much to soothe her magic as being close to the air fae did.

At the lake earlier, she’d let out all her frustrations and fears about what was to come. Between Tertia’s comments at dinner last night and her father’s continued state, her magic had been turbulent this morning.

Nikhail turned his head, his amber eyes catching hers. A smile stretched across his lips, and he wiggled his fingers, waving at her. The action was so carefree that she smirked and waved back.

After what they’d shared in the library and solarium, this simple greeting didn’t feel like enough.

She wanted to cross the aisle and sit with him, but she couldn’t do that yet.

It wouldn’t be fair to spring their relationship on Ryker in public.

The least they could do was talk to him in private, give him time to adjust to the idea of her and Nikhail together before they told anyone else.

River shivered at the thought. How had she gone from thinking that Nikhail would leave her yesterday to pondering how best to make their relationship public? In a way, it felt like they were moving fast, but in her soul, it just felt… right.

She believed Nikhail when he said that her curse didn’t scare him, that he wanted to be with her regardless of how dangerous she was. Maybe it was stupid, or maybe it was because of the way his presence soothed her magic, but she wanted what he was offering—a chance not to be alone.

Fabric rustled beside River as the scent of vanilla wafted towards her.

She yanked her gaze from Nikhail before her mother could catch her looking at the air fae, studying the front of the room instead.

A cellist sat on the edge of the dais, bow in hand.

She was human, judging by the curve of her ears, and she wore a modest, black, long-sleeved evening gown that pooled at her feet.

The real centerpiece of the setup was a bigger version of the arch that had been present at Icar and Myan’s bonding ceremony. Covered in the same roses as the rest of the room, it was dark and beautiful—perfect for Ryker and Brynleigh. They’d arrive soon, and the ceremony would begin.

Not soon enough , River thought morosely as her mother’s vanilla scent grew stronger.

“Red isn’t your color, River. I’ve told you that a myriad of times before.” Tertia’s quiet, disapproving voice came from her left as she claimed the seat beside her.

“Good afternoon to you, too,” River said calmly, digging her nails into her thighs and urging herself not to snap at her mother.

She liked this dress. It was dark red, tight on top and flowy on the bottom, with a scooped neckline and loose see-through sleeves.

The garment fell to her knees, which, according to her mother, was the “appropriate” length for a woman of good repute to wear to formal functions, and three-inch heels were on her feet.

She thought Tertia would be happy with the choice—the sleeves covered her tattoo—but apparently, that was wishful thinking.

Nothing River did would ever make her mother happy.

Even though her eyes burned, she refused to let the tears fall. Not today, on her brother’s day. Her fingers rose and clasped Nikhail’s necklace, drawing strength from it.

Thank all the gods, before Tertia could say something even more cutting, the cellist started playing. The lyrical notes of an old fae waltz filled the room, saving River from having to speak with her mother any longer.

She recognized the song as one of her father’s favorites, and more pressure built behind her eyes.

Even in his choice of music, Ryker was honoring Cyrus.

If not for the Stillness, her father could’ve been here, sitting next to Tertia.

But no, he was upstairs, caught once more in the web of illness slowly stealing his life.

River ran a finger under her eyes, urging her tears to remain inside so that her makeup would remain intact.

The music swelled, and conversations quieted. Fabric whispered as people turned and looked over their shoulders, eager to see the soon-to-be bonded couple. For her part, River was just excited to see her brother. She knew he’d been waiting for this, anticipating it even more than his wedding .

Fae bonding ceremonies shared some similarities with weddings, but there were stark differences between the two.

For one, there was no officiant presiding over the ceremony. For another, this ritual was magical in nature. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, a marriage wasn’t an irrevocable commitment. Even though divorce was frowned upon, at least amongst the fae community, it was possible.

That was not the case with a fae bond. Much like the Tether tying the Last Vampire King to the Sunwalking Queen, this was a commitment that would last forever. Eternal, it could never be broken. It was for this reason that fae so rarely bound themselves to another.

The cellist reached the end of the song, and the doors at the back of the room opened. Everyone, including Tertia, stood and faced the back.

River’s heart swelled in her chest, momentarily forgetting her mother’s hatred, as a grin spread across her face.

Standing in the doorway, every bit the powerful fae male she knew him to be, was Ryker.

His shoulders were back, his hair was perfectly styled, and his eyes gleamed with joy.

He wore a black suit, the only splash of color coming from his red tie and matching pocket square.

He was beaming, and pride emanated from his pores as he gazed adoringly at his wife. No one could doubt their love.

If Ryker was the picture of a powerful fae male, Brynleigh was the image of vampiric strength.

Black bat wings were spread behind her, a reminder of the power running through her veins.

Her dress was a draped crimson number with cutouts on the sides and a slit running up her thigh.

Shadows hovered around her legs. Her blonde hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders, adding a soft touch to her look .

The cellist resumed her music, and Brynleigh slipped her hand into Ryker’s. Her shadows slid through the room as the couple moved towards the dais.

River caught her brother’s eye as he passed, and she grinned. “You’ve got this,” she mouthed.

If someone had asked River three years ago whether she thought her brother would ever form a bond with someone, she would’ve laughed at them. But that was before the Choosing, before Ryker found the other half of his soul in Brynleigh.

Her eyes misted as the pair climbed the dais and faced each other. Her chest thrummed with so much emotion; she thought her heart might burst.

Brynleigh’s shadows melted away as she reached for Ryker’s other hand, and the pair shared a smile that spoke to the love between them.

River’s neck warmed, and she felt someone’s eyes on her.

Even though she should’ve been paying attention as her only brother made the most serious commitment of his life, she could no sooner command the sun to stop shining than she could keep her head from moving.

Her breath caught in her throat as a heated amber gaze filled with longing locked with hers. Her lips parted, and the entire world vanished as she lost herself in Nikhail.

He was looking at her the same way that Ryker was looking at Brynleigh. Like she was his whole world. Like he wanted to spend every single day of the rest of their long lives with her. Like he would do anything for her.

That was crazy, right? They were so new that she hadn’t even told her family about them yet. For the gods’ sake, she’d never even met Nikhail’s mother and sisters.

It felt crazy and rushed and far too soon for thoughts like this .