It’s stunning. Candles are lit all around us, whether naturally or by magic, I don’t know, but they make this moment feel…holy.
Jace walks down the aisle with me, and I set my eyes on the prize. My Lucian. My beautiful, wonderful man. The man who saved my life.
“Hey,” I tell him.
“Hey,” he says back, offering me a bouquet of blue roses. “For you, my darling man. Unique, just like yourself.”
Their smell tickles my nose, their scent soothing.
“You look wonderful,” he says.
“So do you.” I take a moment to revel in this moment under his bespectacled gaze, standing beside him in his black suit that hugs every inch of him to perfection.
This is real. This is…really happening.
“Are you ready?” A man coughs in front of me and makes me jump.
I’ve been so focused on Lucian that I didn’t even notice the officiant.
“Sorry. Yeah. I’m ready. Are you?”
Lucian smiles back at me and shakes his head with amusement.
“What do you think?”
The officiant looks from me to Lucian to his book with a big grin and starts the ceremony.
“Oh, what was Ty doing in here?” I whisper.
Lucian leans closer and whispers back.
“He came in saying there’s been a murder. Then, when he saw me, he freaked and ran back out.”
Hm. Strange.
Why would he think there’s been a murder?
Unless…
Is it possible he could sense the officiant Lilith killed yesterday?
“Maybe he can speak to ghosts?” I shrugged, and Lucian turned his attention to the officiant.
“As we stand here today, celebrating love conquering all, I invite Lucian and Yu-jin to share their vows of devotion with us.”
“You first,” I say when Lucian turns to me.
Lucian grins, takes my hands, looks into my eyes, and opens his mouth.
“My dear Yu-jin, I spent so long looking for my purpose in life. For meaning beyond…my nature.” He glances at the officiant, as human as they come, before continuing, “And then I met you, and everything changed. I gave up on people a long time ago. I simply didn’t believe there was anyone worth saving. But you? You came and crushed all my beliefs, all my previous experiences, all my preconceived ideas, and shattered them to pieces. You made me believe in people, but most of all, you made me believe in love. So here’s my promise to return that love, the trust you put in me, tenfold from here to forever after.” My heartmust grow twice its size because I can feel it thrumming in my ears.
How did I get so lucky?
“Your turn,” he says.
“Oh,” I say. “Um…ditto.”
Even the officiant laughs.
