Page 27 of Sanctuary and Spices (Tales of the Ardent Veil #1)

RONHAR

T he vines peeled back slowly, letting starlight filter through their woven canopy. Jani lay curled against my chest, her breath warm against my skin. My markings still glowed from our bonding, painting patterns across her bare shoulders.

“Look at that,” I murmured, brushing a fallen Jhrya petal from her hair. The flower gleamed gold and silver, nothing like its usual pale blue. “I’ve never seen them bloom that color before.”

Jani lifted her head, studying the transformed garden. “Did we do that?”

“The bond did.” I traced the curve of her spine, savoring how she pressed closer. “Everything’s different now. Steadier.”

“Show me how.” She caught my hand, pressing it against one of my markings. “I want to understand.”

“Here.” I guided her fingers along the spiraling pattern. “They’re not just decoration - they’re part of what we are. They channel energy, emotion...” I broke off as her touch sent sparks through my nerves. “Connection.”

A cheer erupted from the festival beyond our sanctuary. “Did you see those readings?” someone shouted. “The whole station’s stabilized!”

“About time,” another voice answered. “The environmental controls were going haywire.”

Jani grinned. “I think we fixed more than just us.”

“Apparently.” I pulled her closer, nuzzling her hair. “Though I’d rather focus on us right now.”

“Mmmm.” She stretched, catlike, then froze. “Wait - the festival! We abandoned our booth!”

“Lyrian’s handling it.”

“You trust him with our food?”

“I trust him to keep people away until we’re ready.” I caught her hand as she started to sit up. “Stay. Just a little longer.”

She settled back against me with a happy sigh. “You make a compelling argument.”

Beyond our green walls, the festival hummed with life - music, laughter, the constant background noise of celebration. But, in here, wrapped in living vines and moonlight, nothing existed except us.

“Tell me more about the bond,” Jani asked, her fingers tracing idle patterns on my chest. “How does it work?”

“It’s...” I searched for the right words. “Like finding a missing piece of yourself. The markings show it physically, but the connection goes deeper. We’ll always know where the other is, how they’re feeling. The bond amplifies everything we share.”

“Everything?” She shifted against me suggestively.

Heat pooled in my belly. “Definitely everything.”

Her laugh turned into a gasp as I rolled us over, pinning her beneath me. The vines swayed overhead, creating dappled patterns across her skin.

“We should rejoin the festival,” she said, but her hands were already sliding into my hair.

“They can wait.” I kissed down her throat, feeling her pulse jump. “I’m not done with you yet.”

Time lost meaning as we lost ourselves in each other again. The garden sang around us, crystals chiming in harmony with our shared pleasure. When we finally emerged from our sanctuary, the festival was in full swing.

“There you are!” Erynn bounced over, her purple hair catching the light. “I was starting to think you’d spend the whole night in there.”

Jani blushed. I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

“The bond’s stable now,” Malik said, approaching with his datapad. “But the readings are unprecedented. Look at these energy patterns.”

The screen showed waves of color, pulsing in perfect synchronization. “Is that... us?”

He nodded. “The whole station’s responding to your bond. Even the oldest systems are aligning with the new frequencies.”

“Well, well.” Lyrian materialized from the crowd, smirking. “That’s quite a light show you two put on. Even the garden noticed.”

The Jhyra had transformed completely, their petals streaked with gold and silver. Even the preserved ingredients seemed to shimmer.

“It’s beautiful,” Jani breathed.

“It’s going to draw attention,” I growled, pulling her closer as I noticed the growing crowd of onlookers.

“Let them look.” Soryn pushed through the gathered humans and aliens, his scaled face creased in a rare smile. “They should see what a true bond can do.”

“Speaking of which.” He clapped his hands together. “We need to celebrate properly. A wedding, perhaps?”

“A wedding?” Jani looked up at me, her eyes bright.

“If you want.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “Whatever makes you happy.”

“Oh! Oh!” Pix bounced in place, their antennae quivering with excitement. “We could use crystal resonance chambers for the lighting! And maybe some controlled plasma bursts for atmosphere-”

“No explosions,” I said firmly.

“Small ones?”

“None.”

“We’ll help organize everything,” Erynn cut in before Pix could argue further. “It’ll be perfect - a blend of both your traditions.”

Around us, the crowd murmured with interest:

“A human-Devaali wedding?”

“Has that ever happened before?”

“Look how the plants respond to them...”

I tensed at the attention, but Jani squeezed my hand. Through our new bond, I felt her happiness, her certainty. This was right.

Jani laughed, the sound warming me from inside out. “A wedding,” she said softly, testing the word. She looked up at me. “What do you think?”

The plants leaned closer, as if waiting for my answer. My markings pulsed in time with my heart as I studied her face - this woman who had changed everything, who fit so perfectly into my arms and my life.

“If it’s with you,” I said, “I’ll celebrate however you want.”

The vines swayed as if in approval. The station’s hum aligned perfectly with the steady beat of our bond. And Jani’s smile outshone every crystal in the garden.