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Hekkel! The very situation he’d tried to avoid had happened.

His mother followed on the heels of his father, who was breathing smoke and fire.

Jaryk had never seen him so angry. The officiant looked concerned; all six writhing antennae periscoped on the king.

Falkor smirked like this was a grand lark but moved out of the way to observe from afar, and a wide-eyed Karma scurried over to stand beside him, leaving Jaryk, Kismet, and the officiant to face the king.

His bride trembled, and he shifted closer, forming a barrier between her and the king’s wrath. How dare his father scare his soon-to-be wife this way? He would not let his father browbeat her the way he’d done to him. Paternal interference stopped now.

“I do,” he stated loudly and clearly.

“Then, by the power vested in me by Cosmic Mates, LLC, I proclaim you legally bound in matrimony in accordance with the aforementioned provisions,” the officiant said nervously.

“You will rescind that proclamation immediately!” the king bellowed.

“On what grounds, Your Majesty?”

“On the grounds I so order it.”

“My humble apologies, but I must have a legal reason. Is one of the parties already married? Is one of them mentally infirm?”

“My son must be mentally compromised, or he wouldn’t be doing this.”

“Rullok…” His mother placed her hand on the king’s arm.

“You will invalidate this marriage!”

The officiant wavered. “Do you wish to reconsider?” He looked at Jaryk.

He clasped Kismet’s hand. “No.”

“N-no…” she replied in a shaky voice, and he squeezed her hand. He regretted she’d been subjected to this; it had to be daunting. His father’s ire was a force of nature.

He’d expected him to be furious, but not quite this enraged.

Of course, he hadn’t planned for him to find out until well after the ceremony at a time of Jaryk’s choosing when he could control the conversation.

He’d tried to keep the wedding secret, but an arrival of humans, followed by a Cosmic Mates officiant, would have been noted and reported.

His astute father would have made the connection.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty, but they are married. Cosmic Mates marriages are recognized as legal by all members of the planetary alliance.”

“I would expect something like this of you .” His father’s scowl wiped the amused smirk off Falkor’s face. “But not from you . You have greatly disappointed me.” He glowered at Jaryk before stomping out of the library.

He faced his mother, who was shaking her head. “I thought, for sure, it couldn’t be, so when we heard, I told Rullok it was probably just a rumor. How long has this been going on?”

“Long enough for me to know that Kismet is the one I want.” He hated lying to his mother, but his parents had to believe the marriage was real, or they might merely postpone his engagement to Alia instead of canceling it. Or his father would continue to browbeat the officiant.

“This marriage affects the entire kingdom.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“As we arrived late to the wedding, perhaps you would care to introduce me to your wife.”

“Mother, this is Kismet Kennedy of Earth. Kismet, my mother, Her Majesty Queen Myka of Kaldor.” He released his new wife’s hand.

His mother offered a rueful smile. “No doubt this is not what you expected of your wedding. My apologies.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she replied in a trembling voice.

“This is Kismet’s sister, Karma.” He extended a hand to where she stood next to Falkor.

His mother eyed their two siblings. “Is this a double wedding?”

Falkor choked.

“Oh, goddess no!” Karma exclaimed.

“Pity. My younger son could use a stabilizing influence. However, it is just as well. I doubt Rullok could handle another unexpected wedding. Karma, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

“You, as well, Your Majesty,” Karma replied.

His mother sighed and looked at Jaryk. “I recommend you give your father a few days to cool down before approaching him.”

“Thank you, Mother, I will.”

“Again, my apologies,” she said to Kismet. “The king’s objection is no reflection on you, but results from his frustration. He assumed he had a firm handle on what was going to happen, and he now feels blindsided.”

She was being politic and polite. The king’s anger went way deeper than that—and there was justification for it. A marriage to Alia would have solidified an alliance between two powerful families. But he didn’t regret his actions. The king could find another way to solidify the alliance.

The queen left. Everyone in the room relaxed.

“We must finalize the marriage. You both must sign.” The officiant produced a tablet from his bag.

“Wait—are you saying the marriage isn’t valid unless we sign?”

“Correct.”

“You didn’t tell my father that.”

“No, Your Highness.”

Apparently the officiant hadn’t been as cowed as he’d appeared. Jaryk laughed and signed his name with flourish. Kismet followed.

“Now, if there is nothing else you require, I shall take my leave.”

“Of course. I will have someone escort you out so you don’t get lost.” He rang for an aide, who appeared within seconds. The officiant departed.

Kismet pressed her lips together. “Your mother didn’t seem to have any objections to Falkor marrying a human. Why is it okay for him and not you?”

“Because he’s the heir, and I’m the spare. I only become important if something happens to him,” Falkor said flippantly.

“That’s not true,” he lied, reacting to the underlying hurt in his brother’s tone.

His parents loved them both, but it was true that Jaryk had greater political worth. He’d never considered the emotional impact on his brother. Was that why he got into so much trouble? To get the attention he lacked?

“Aren’t you going to kiss the bride?” Karma demanded.

“Kar, really?” Kismet tilted her head. “Maybe Kaldorans don’t kiss—”

“Is that something newlyweds do on Earth?” he asked. Kaldorans did kiss; he enjoyed kissing very much—but it wasn’t part of the marriage ritual.

“Yes, wedding vows are sealed with a kiss,” the sister said.

“Kar, I’m going to illkay ouyay .”

“I don’t understand what that means.” His language implant didn’t translate.

“That’s because she’s speaking pig Latin. It’s not a real language,” the sister said.

Kismet’s eyes shot sparks. “How about real Latin, then? Eo te occidere .”

He still didn’t understand. However, the ceremony had been awkward enough with the king bursting in. If following an Earth tradition would make her feel more comfortable, then he would comply.

He stepped close to her and tilted her chin.

Her eyes widened with surprise then fluttered shut as he lowered his head.

He touched his mouth to hers, brushing her lips.

She exhaled a little sigh, and her sweet, exotic breath mingled with his.

His heart stuttered for a beat, and heat ignited low in his belly.

A little shocked, and a whole lot guilty, he pulled away.

His heart and fidelity belonged to Charday, even if they hadn’t seen each other in months.

He hadn’t expected to feel anything from a perfunctory, ceremonial gesture rubber-stamping a fake marriage.

But, in this moment, his marriage felt real.

“Um, I ordered a light meal to be prepared for us. Perhaps we should go?”

“Um, all right.” She licked her lips. Heat flashed, and he felt an urge to kiss her again. This time for real.

He considered inviting their siblings as a buffer, but he had a hunch they would cause more awkwardness than they prevented. “You will be living in my suite. Your clothes have already been moved over,” he said to Kismet.

To his brother, he said, “Show Kismet’s sister to her suite, please.”

“Suite?” Karma said. “A closet you mean.”

He frowned. “Closet? I don’t understand.”

“Technically, she was given a servant’s room,” Kismet explained.

“I assumed she was the handmaid.” Falkor shrugged.

“Get her other quarters!” He scowled. “She may take over Kismet’s former suite or relocate to the family section.”

“Family section,” Karma said.

“I’ll let you notify the appropriate staff and arrange that,” he said to Falkor.

“Me? Why not you?”

“Because my bride and I are going to lunch.” He cupped his new wife’s elbow and ushered her out of the room.