Page 74 of Night Meets the Elf Queen (The Elf Queen #4)

She pushed through the door and froze. She might have paid more attention to the floral arches with ribbons dancing in the breeze, creating a tunnel of rich purple and white, or the fragrance of the flowers swirling around her.

Even the luminor crickets and a few torches lit up the twilight evening.

But past the white rose petals scattered over the grass, waited Hel.

He was magnificent.

Her breath caught a little as the corner of his mouth turned up and his dimple appeared.

With his hair pushed back out of his face, it accentuated his beautiful bone structure and bright maroon eyes, more purple than red today.

Tiny luminor crickets fluttered around him making his alabaster skin glow more golden.

She barely heard the muttering of Leif about her radiant beauty or the sniffle of her sister as she slowly walked toward him .

You are absolutely stunning, my love. If Serenity were a person, it would be you.

I was thinking the same thing about you.

She quickened her pace to the beat of the soft string music coming from somewhere unknown, either in the city or by Hel’s doing.

Placing one foot in front of the other, she padded over the grass and rose petals.

She smiled at Thane next to Fennan and Leif.

He nodded once and smiled at her graciously, as if he were truly happy.

It was that moment she realized he’d fully let her go.

She pulled her gaze back to Hel, he waited with an outstretched hand. His fingers curled around hers, and they faced one another. With a gentle smile, and soft eyes, he rubbed his thumbs across the top of her knuckles.

“You’re even more beautiful than last time.” And this time around their vows meant more. It was hard won, after what felt like an eternity of a fight.

“Thank you,” she whispered back.

No Presco stood beside them holding open a book in his large hands.

“I have known you both for longer than I have kept track and it brings me joy to see you come together once again. There is something enchanting about your love, and how you have fought your way back to each other after two thousand years and through all the things that would see you torn apart. It’s a love for songs and stories that will live on through the ages. ”

With a white handkerchief, Aunt Evalyn dabbed at the corner of her eye. One day she would tell her the whole story.

Presco tapped his finger on the page. “The ceremony Hel has requested is not in your native tongue, apologies to those who don’t understand the celestial language of Runevale, but I believe you’ll feel the words, nonetheless.

” The words about being blessed to see the other as they truly were, to cherish and love, were a blur.

Her focus was narrowed on him—on his touch, his magic that seemed to be swirling around her, wisps that caressed her skin creating chill bumps along her arms.

Presco pressed the ring she’d made in her father’s forge days before into her palm. “I’m aware Valeen already has hers, but did you have another piece to add, Hel?”

“I do.” Hel rubbed his forefinger and thumb together and then it appeared. A silver band with star and moon etchings around the outside. He took her hand and slid it on to sit against her original black diamond. “Let this ring be a reminder of my promises and devotion to only you.”

Then she took Hel’s hand and pushed on a simple black band made of onyx, repeating the same words. She leaned forward and whispered, “Our names Zaurahel x Valeen will appear across the band only under moonlight.”

He smiled. “I like that very much.”

A gold chain dangled from Presco’s hand.

First, he wrapped it around Valeen’s wrist, then Hel’s, to symbolize the joining.

He took out a knife, cut their palms and they clasped hands.

They’d done this before in their first life.

It was how their blood was bound through all time, it was the reason she was able to wake him in the tower.

Her lily mate mark on her arm began to pulse and throb. Like it was trying to tell her this was right.

Presco said in the celestial tongue, “Keeper of my heart, bound by blood and by soul,” and they repeated.

“Would either of you like to say anything further?” Presco said.

“I do,” Hel said, and his dark lashes fluttered.

He glanced down a moment then looked straight into her eyes.

“Valeen, I vow to cherish you for all time in any life and in any realm, to give you everything my body and mind can provide. Everything that is mine, is yours. I promise my heart and soul to you. To always be your friend and your lover. I vow to make your enemies my enemies, and to end anyone who stands against you. I promise to forsake all others. I will give you anything your heart truly desires, and if I should ever go back on these vows, may the Maker and the All Mother strike me down.”

A tear she hadn’t even realized was there rolled down her cheek.

His words were everything she could have wanted and more.

Now anything she said would seem wholly inadequate.

She hadn’t prepared for this, so she went with what was in her heart.

“Hel, our journey has not been easy, and fate has not been fair, but through this, I got to fall in love with you all over again. I vow to love you and only you with all my heart for all my days from now to the end of time. I promise to hold your heart and keep it safe, to love all that you are in the worst of times and the best. My soulmate, my heart, my husband, and my best friend.”

His throat bobbed and the luminor crickets’ light caught the glimmer in his eyes. Full of adoration and love.

“Now seal the marriage with a kiss.”

Hel slid his arms around her waist, tugging her in closer.

Their lips were a breath away, “I told you I’d always want more.

” Then their lips met, soft and gentle at first, then she threw her arms around his neck and their love spilled over into passion.

He lifted her off the ground and the few chuckles only made Hel kiss her harder, his tongue sliding against hers.

When he finally set her down and they pulled apart, his smile was gentle but full of true joy.

This male who could be so cruel looked at her as if she were his whole world.

All mine. Forever, Hel whispered into her mind. I’ll never leave again, I’ll never let you leave. It doesn’t matter what happens. You’ll always be mine, love.