Page 53 of Revenge (Warriors of the Drexian Academy #6)

Chapter

Fifty-Three

Ariana

T he reception tent glowed with thousands of tiny lights that twinkled against the fabric ceiling like captured stars, the ocean breeze carried the scent of salt through the open sides of the pavilion, and servers in crisp white uniforms weaved between the tables with silver trays of champagne.

I sipped my bubbly and smiled as I watched Serge and Reina spinning around the black-and-white checkered dance floor.

The holographic band had somehow transformed “Don’t Stop Believin’” into something that sounded like a big band classic from the 1940s, complete with brass section flourishes and swing rhythms. The tails of Serge’s blue suit flew behind him as he dipped Reina dramatically, her hair sparkling under the lights.

“They’re quite a pair,” Volten murmured beside me, following my gaze to the dance floor. His perfectly fitted dark Drexian uniform stretched across his broad shoulders, and he had clean-shaven cheeks.

Despite Volt making my pulse flutter, my attention drifted to the head table, where Sasha and Deklyn sat close together, their heads bent in intimate conversation.

Deklyn had loosened his formal collar and rolled up his sleeves, while Sasha had kicked off her heels and tucked her feet up under her.

They looked completely absorbed in each other, hands intertwined on the white linen tablecloth.

“She looks happy,” I said softly, warmth blooming in my chest as I watched my sister laugh at something Deklyn whispered in her ear. “Really, truly happy. I haven’t seen her like this since we were kids.”

Volten’s gaze followed mine to the newlyweds. “Deklyn looks like someone hit him over the head with a brick. A very pleasant brick.”

I laughed, remembering how stunned Deklyn had looked when Sasha had thrown herself into his arms before the officiant had finished the ceremony. “A pleasant brick is one way to describe Sasha.”

“And her sister,” he said under his breath.

I elbowed him as I laughed, and he gathered me in an embrace. “You’re a very pleasant brick whom I adore.”

“You do, do you?” I peered up at him, feeling the alien bubbly rush to my head.

“You know I do.” He tipped his head toward the bridal couple without releasing my gaze. “What about it?”

I blinked at him. “What about what?”

“What do you say to marrying me?”

I eyed him, wondering if he’d had too much bubbly. “Don’t tell me you’re getting wedding fever too. Between you and Serge, I’m going to be surrounded by hopeless romantics.”

Volten shrugged, his expression surprisingly serious. “There isn’t anyone else I plan to marry.”

His words robbed me of breath. I stared at him. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

Before he could respond, Kann dropped into the chair right behind us. “You two aren’t dancing?”

“I was asking Ariana to marry me,” Volten said.

Kann’s jaw dropped as Britta came up behind him and circled her arms around his neck. “What’s going on over here?”

“I was waiting for Ariana to agree to marry me,” Volten said, holding my gaze.

Kann stood and smacked his best friend on the arm, but he was grinning. “It took you long enough to ask her. You know, I always envisioned us having a double wedding.”

“A double wedding?” I croaked as I sank into a chair, still trying to catch up with the rapid way things were unfolding.

“Not without me,” Fiona announced, appearing beside our table with Commander Vyk in tow.

She was stunning in a pale green dress that set off her blonde hair, and even Vyk looked less intimidating than usual with the collar of his formal uniform loosened.

“Ariana’s my best friend. If anyone’s having a group wedding, I’m in. ”

I turned to stare at Volten, who was watching my reaction with obvious amusement. “You’re creating chaos.”

“Am I?” His eyes sparkled, but I could tell he’d noticed I still hadn’t answered his question.

Fiona pulled out a chair and plopped down beside me. “Speaking of weddings, Vyk, shouldn’t you tell them our news?”

I looked between Fiona and the stern commander, noting the way his usually rigid posture had relaxed slightly and how his hand rested possessively on the back of Fiona’s chair.

“You’re engaged?” I practically shrieked. “Since when?”

“A little while ago,” Fiona said, her cheeks flushing pink. “But we’ve been so busy with rescues and holochamber malfunctions and fake weddings that became real weddings, I hadn’t found the right time to announce it.”

Commander Vyk cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable with the attention but unable to suppress completely what might have been a smile. “I thought the timing was right.”

“The rescue made him realize that life can turn on a dime,” Fiona whispered to me.

Morgan and Jess then joined our table, both of them looking like they’d been enjoying the free-flowing alien booze.

“What’s all the excitement?” Morgan asked, pulling up an empty chair.

Britta leaned forward conspiratorially. “Did you know that Fiona and Commander Vyk are engaged?”

Both women’s mouths fell open in perfect synchronization, their gazes darting between Fiona and the stoic commander.

“Engaged?” Jess squeaked. “When did this happen?”

“A few days ago,” I supplied, still processing the news myself. “Apparently, they’ve been too busy to mention it.”

Fiona waved a hand dismissively. “Enough about me. What about you two?” She fixed Morgan with a pointed stare. “I see the way you and Tivek are together.”

I watched with interest as Morgan’s cheeks turned pink and she suddenly became very interested in her glass of champagne. Maybe there was more I didn’t know about the enigmatic adjunct and his Assassin girlfriend.

“Jess and Morgan are still cadets,” Fiona said before Morgan could respond. “No one gets hitched when they’re still in school. At least, they shouldn’t.”

Jess nodded emphatically. “Exactly. Torq and I are focusing on our training right now.”

The music shifted to a slower song, which I recognized as “Baby’s Got Back” arranged as a jazz ballad. Across the tent, I watched Sasha and Deklyn rise from their table and move onto the dance floor, her train trailing behind them.

“They look perfect together,” Jess sighed as she rested her chin in one hand.

I had to agree. Sasha’s face was radiant as Deklyn spun her carefully, mindful of her dress, and when he pulled her close for the slow parts of the song, she looked like she was exactly where she belonged.

Britta’s hand found Kann’s on the table. “After everything they went through, it’s nice to see them get their happy ending.”

“Agreed,” said Vyk, his voice gruff as he curled an arm around Fiona.

It felt a little surreal that I was sitting beside the man who’d just casually asked to marry me, feeling like the ground had shifted beneath my feet.

I could well remember the day I’d arrived at the academy ready to prove myself and honor the memory of the sister I’d thought had died.

I recalled being determined not to be distracted by cocky Drexian pilots who weren’t used to working with females or humans.

A couple of years later, I was happily teaching at the Drexian Academy, I’d met my future husband, who was the first cocky Drexian pilot I’d encountered on Drex, and I’d mounted a rescue to save my sister.

I couldn’t imagine a better turn of events for all of us.

“Another round?” a server asked, appearing beside our table with a tray of champagne.

“Definitely,” I said, reaching for a fresh glass and draining half of it in one gulp.

Volten’s eyebrows rose. “Easy there, pilot. We still have to fly home tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” I repeated, suddenly realizing that after tomorrow, we’d all scatter back to our regular routines. Sasha and Deklyn would start their married life, probably stationed wherever Inferno Force was based. The thought of losing her so soon after we’d reunited made my stomach gnarl.

“Let’s dance,” Volten said, standing and holding out his hand.

The holographic band launched into “Karma Chameleon,” and Volten spun me onto the dance floor. His hand settled at the small of my back, and when he pulled me closer, I could smell his distinctive scent that was clean and masculine and made me want to bury my face against his neck.

“You can even dance,” I murmured into his chest. “Is there anything Drexian warriors can’t do?”

“How to propose properly, apparently,” he said, his voice dry. “I seem to have skipped a few steps back there.”

My heart stuttered. “Volten?—”

“I know it was sudden,” he continued, spinning me again. “But seeing your sister and Deklyn made me realize that life is too short not to reach for what you want.”

The song was ending, but he didn’t release me. Instead, he pulled me closer, his forehead resting against mine as the last notes faded away.

“I want you, Ariana,” he said, his voice barely audible over the surrounding chatter.

“I want to wake up next to you every morning and fall asleep beside you every night. I want to fly missions together and argue about navigation routes and come home to the same quarters. But most of all, I want to promise myself to you in front of everyone.”

My throat felt tight. “Volten...”

“I know I should have asked properly. I should have planned something romantic and private, but we’re pilots. That’s not our style.”

I laughed. “No, it’s not.”

Then he dropped down on one knee. “Ariana Bowman, best pilot I know, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

I stared into his eyes. He was right about life being too short. We’d all learned that lesson over the past few weeks, watching friends get captured and nearly lost, seeing how quickly everything could change.

“Yes,” I said, the word escaping before I could second-guess myself.

His face lit up like the sunrise. “Yes?”

“Yes, you impossible, arrogant flyboy,” I said, laughing through the tears that had somehow started flowing. “I’ll marry you.”

He jumped up and lifted me off my feet, spinning me around as I laughed and cried and felt like my heart might burst from happiness. When he finally set me down, he kissed me deeply, right there on the dance floor, not caring who was watching.

When we finally broke apart, breathless and grinning, I realized the entire tent had gone quiet. Everyone was staring at us.

“Did I miss something?” Sasha called from the head table.

“Volten just proposed!” Fiona shouted back, raising her champagne glass. “Looks like we’re going to need more wedding planners!”

The tent erupted in cheers and applause. Serge actually squealed with delight, his hands fluttering in the air as if he might faint from the excitement, while Reina clapped wildly.

Sasha was on her feet instantly, Deklyn right behind her as they rushed over to us. She threw her arms around me, still in her wedding dress, laughing and crying at the same time.

“I’m so happy for you,” she whispered fiercely. “I’m so, so happy.”

“A new wedding to plan before this one is even over!” Serge dabbed at his eyes. “This is the most wonderful day of my entire career!”

“So,” I said to Sasha as she finally released me, “looks like you started something.”

She grinned, reaching for Deklyn’s hand. “Good. It’s about time everyone stopped being so careful and started taking chances on happiness.”

I couldn’t have agreed more.