Chapter 1
SABA
‘Beloved, we are gathered here to witness the union between two hearts, souls, families, and dynasties.For all eternity.’
The absoluteness of the words struck the slight, dark-haired woman so hard that she nearly keeled over.
It didn’t help that the diamond-studded veil, which clung to her skull, was so heavy and stifling that it made her head spin.
A resonant voice pierced the air, carrying through the tension.
‘The vows shall begin. With the groom, theŠarof the Sauvage Family.’
Shrouded in her thick mantle, Saba had no view of the bridegroom the priest spoke of.
Yet she trembled at the title of the unseen man she was about to marry, and in doing so, become theŠarim.
The Donna of one of the most powerful families in the flotilla.
The wife of one of the most feared lycan shifter wolves in the Wildlight Expanse.
A bird called in the distance, and the sounds of waves crashing on the lake shore they stood beside reached her ears, blending with the accusatory whispers she imagined, whipping about in the wind.
A rumbling voice, deep and full of resonant power, reverberated, sending a jolt through her.
‘My lord, I, Mak, have betrothed you, Shakhete Lisades, to be my wife. I give you this band as a sign that I shall share all I have with you from this day and this hour onward.’
It was the utterance of a man accustomed to being obeyed.
Also, ‘Mak’. What a gorgeous name.
‘Your hand, bride.’
Saba shot her hand out from under the veil as another reached for it.
A shudder went through her at the touch, an electrified arc that jolted her to the core.
Still, the grasp that enveloped her was firm, yet gentle, as a cold circle of metal slipped onto her ring finger.
She withdrew her hand back under the veil, gazing down at the jewel.
A single pear diamond, the purest, most valuable gem, sat atop the ornate band.
Its unique pattern glittered with a fiery, rainbow sparkle, creating a halo that bounced off the available light, even within her shroud.
She was so stunned by its beauty that she forgot everything else until the Luminary’s voice broke through the stillness.
‘Behold! She is beautiful! Behold, she is ethereal! May her groom be evermore enamored.’
The gathered guests echoed, ‘Behold! She is beautiful! Behold, she is ethereal!’
Saba dragged her gaze from her hand, her eyes misting with frustration, unable to protest.
FokkShiloh and her scheming!
Moments later, it was her turn to make the eternal promise.
She fought back a sob and spoke with as much clarity as she could manage through the thick veil.
