by Raine Thomas
“Actually, I’m asking you.” He smiled. “Will you exchange vows with me?”
“You mean…you want to become avowed to me?”
When he nodded, she threw herself at him, making him clutch the rings in a fierce grip. “Oh, yes, I will,” she declared. Then she kissed him, long and deep. “I love you, James.”
“I love you, too, Olivia.” He reached over and handed her his ring. “I’ll speak my vows first and present you with your ring. Then you must repeat them and present me with mine. Then we join our left hands and kiss to seal the vows.”
“I like that part,” she said, smiling widely. “Okay. Let’s do this.” Then, before he spoke, she held up a finger. “Wait. First, I want to thank you for doing this just this way. It’s perfect.”
Smiling back, he said, “I know.” Then he grew serious. “I didn’t really prepare anything, so I’ll follow the model I remember from Gabriel and Amber’s vows.”
She nodded encouragingly. Her smile flooded him with love, and the words were suddenly right there, waiting to be spoken.
“I, James, believe that you, Olivia, are everything that my life has been missing. You embody the very best qualities this world has to offer. I love everything I know about you and trust everything I don’t know. I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and my unbreakable commitment to you.”
He slid it onto her left ring finger.
As she took his hand, she held his gaze and spoke her vows. “I, Olivia, believe that you, James, are everything that my life has been missing. You embody the very best qualities this world has to offer. I love everything I know about you and trust everything I don’t know. I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and my unbreakable commitment to you.”
She placed the ring on his left ring finger. Then they both grinned foolishly and entwined their left hands. Leaning forward, they kissed, allowing their love for each other to fill their hearts and closing their eyes against the brilliant light that represented the sealing of their vows.
From a distance, Gabriel and Amber watched the exchange. Amber sighed and smiled when the symbolic light flared, leaning into her husband’s one-armed hug.
“How long do you think I should wait to inform James that he has to marry her before they can have sex?” he asked her thoughtfully.
After a moment of consideration, she said, “Oh, give them an hour.”
He nodded and reached down to kiss the top of her head. “They’ll be very happy together,” he said after another moment.
Staring into the treetops, she smiled and replied, “They already are.”
Epilogue
The mood was far from cheerful at the Mercesti backup location. It was, in point of fact, about as mournful as their class could manage.
Grolkinei sat with Layla, Kanika and Angius in a small parlor, brooding in a wing-backed chair, his elbows propped on the chair’s arms and his fingertips steepled together. He hadn’t spoken since they congregated nearly an hour ago. In fact, he hadn’t spoken much since they had been rousted from their base of operations.
They all knew Ryce and Cesaro were dead, though they didn’t know exactly what had happened to them since they couldn’t access the caves any longer. Cesaro, a wily Mercesti who had survived more than two millennia—largely by avoiding direct battle—was gone. As a result, so was one of Grolkinei’s key sources of information. Ryce, though significantly younger, had still been a seasoned fighter and loyal to Grolkinei, which was all but invaluable. The loss of him was a stunning blow.
And that didn’t even account for the thinning of the Mercesti ranks caused by the battle with the other Estilorians. All because of Saraqael’s daughter.
His jaw flexed again as he fought back the insane rage that once again threatened to overpower him. Reaching over to the table beside his chair, he lifted a glass of honey-colored liquid and brought it to his lips. Downing most of the contents of the glass in one swallow, he reached over and refilled it with the half-empty bottle sitting on the table.
“We have to consider suitable replacements,” he finally said into the silent room.
All eyes moved to him.
He took another drink. “I would like you each to consider who among our ranks is most useful to our purpose.”
Angius frowned. “And just what purpose is that right now? We have just learned quite soundly that acquiring any of Saraqael’s daughters is all but beyond our reach.”
In a move so fast no one even had time to flinch, Grolkinei threw his glass against the closest wall. Since that wall was made of stone, the glass shattered into pieces that showered over all of them. One of the shards sliced right through Angius’ cheek.
“Do not dare say something is beyond my reach!” Grolkinei roared. His eyes flashed brilliant, dangerous red. He gripped the arms of his chair until his knuckles turned white. “Where there is a will, there is always a way.”
Usually subdued by Grolkinei’s outbursts because he respected the elder’s dark power, Angius now didn’t back down. He was furious over the loss of two of his fellow commanders. After all, now the brunt of the work would fall on him.
“Saraqael’s daughters are obviously protected by all of the Estilorians,” he countered. “Each of the other classes united to acquire that one breeder when they have never done such a thing before. How are we supposed to prevail? Tell me that!”
Kanika and Layla both winced, certain Grolkinei would completely lose his control. But when they looked at their leader, they realized he looked rather stunned.
“What did you call her?”
Angius frowned. “What?”
“You called her a breeder.” Grolkinei pushed himself to his feet. Then he cursed loudly. “Why did I not consider that before?”
The three commanders all exchanged puzzled looks.
“Saraqael’s daughters are half-human,” he said almost to himself as he paced. The crunch of glass beneath his boots didn’t even seem to register with him. “If they can transition between the planes like a Corgloresti, then why would they not also be able to breed like their human mother?”
Now, the commanders’ eyes widened with understanding.
“That has to be it,” Layla said. “That is why they are so valuable to the others.”
“You believe the other Estilorians intend to increase their numbers by breeding with the half-humans?” Kanika asked with an odd expression on her face.
“I do not care what their intentions are,” Grolkinei answered as he strode back to his chair and sat back down. “They could plan to use them like brood mares for the rest of their existences, as far as I am concerned.” He once again steepled his fingers. “No…what I just realized is that their offspring will likely have similar abilities to theirs. Those offspring will also invariably assume some of the characteristics of the male who sires them.”
Angius raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Layla and Kanika both exchanged glances, strangely united in their unease with the conversation’s direction.
His gaze intent, he instructed, “Kanika, you must begin screening all thoughts for anything about a pregnancy among the three daughters. We believe that only Amber is paired, but that does not mean the other Estilorians are not attempting to impregnate the other two.”
Because he paused and stared at her, she nodded in agreement.
He looked at Angius next. “We should meet with Eloy and Baldemar. Both have shown great strides in their training. Baldemar is at least as skilled as Ryce with a sword, and Eloy can defeat everyone but you in hand-to-hand combat. I am willing to take them each under my wing for a few weeks to focus on enhancing their natural abilities. You will do the same.”
Angius simply nodded. The two other Mercesti would handle the tasks that Ryce and Cesaro vacated. That was all that mattered to him.
“And you, Layla my lovely, will continue to infiltrate the thoughts of the Estilorians who are vulnerable to your suggestions. We will lead them to us and rebuild our ranks.”
She bowed her head submissively.
His face transformed with a dark smile. “I can be quite patient,” he said, sitting back in his chair and tapping this fingertips together. “Saraqael’s daughters will not be protected forever. And the moment I discover whether they can conceive, I will do whatever it takes to get my hands on one of them.
“I can also be flexible. If I cannot find a way to cross the planes, then I will send a child of my blood across for me and rule over humanity through him.”
Ini-herit offered his home as the location for the wedding. Olivia had mentioned several times during her stay there how much she loved it. His offer was, of course, gratefully accepted.
Although there was a tremendous number of Estilorians who insisted the wedding should be at Central so that they could witness it, James and Olivia were just not the types who wanted such a large audience for something so deeply personal. Thus, as it had been for Gabriel and Amber, the ceremony was attended only by the elders and their family.
Twilight was settling among the forest clearing while they exchanged their vows. It was the same spot where James received his lesson in touching Olivia, a thought that was at the forefront of his mind as he held her hands in his and repeated his vows after Jabari prompted him.
“I, James, take you, Olivia, to be my wife…”
He spoke his vows clearly and from his heart, but he could only half-focus on what Jabari was saying. How was he supposed to focus when Olivia was standing before him and gazing at him with her captivating eyes?
The dark blue leaves that now joined the light green ones on the thin vines around her eyes only made her gaze have more of an impact on him. She was a breathtaking vision in her simple, flowing white gown. It was sleeveless, leaving the mark on her right shoulder, now with a dark blue olive branch curving toward her light green one, bared. Two long, thin panels of sheer, white fabric crossed over the straight-line bodice of the gown and lay over each shoulder, trailing down the back of the gown to the hem of her floor-length skirt.
Part of her softly curling hair was captured on top of her head in a light-gold circlet decorated with dark blue and peridot gems while the rest cascaded down her back to just beneath her shoulder blades. Thin gold earrings dangled at her ears, the only other jewelry she wore besides her ring.
“I, Olivia, take you, James, to be my husband…” she said in her soft, sweet voice.
He heard the vows in her mind before she recited them, something they were both getting used to. It had only been a little over a week since they became avowed, so it would take more time yet for them to learn how to properly communicate through their shared mental connection. Nearly mirroring his thoughts about her, he heard her thinking that she was the luckiest female in the world.
Beside her stood Amber and Skye in their bridesmaids’ gowns. Amber had even deigned to wear the strapless, rosy pink dress without complaint, wanting the wedding to truly represent Olivia’s tastes. The sisters carried bouquets of white and pink daisies and wore bright smiles as they watched the ceremony.
Gabriel and Caleb were dressed like James in white dress shirts with navy blue vests and matching pants. They went without ties, as none of them liked wearing them. The elders were in a wide assortment of dress to suit their individual styles. It was absolutely perfect.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Jabari declared. “James, you may kiss your wife.”
Grinning widely, he did just that.
They celebrated after the wedding in Ini-herit’s sprawling back gardens. Food stations had been set up by Sebastian along the back deck. Small tables and chairs were situated on the lawn for anyone interested in partaking of the elaborate spread. Music played softly.
“I hope Aurora’s cubs don’t arrive until after we get back,” Olivia said. She was sitting beside James on a bench, her head against his shoulder.
“We’ll keep an eye on her,” Skye promised from her chair across from them. She and all of the others would be leaving in the morning to give James and Olivia some time together to enjoy their honeymoon.
“Thanks.”
Olivia smiled as she once again reminded herself that she had just gotten married. She was trying to store every minute of the experience away to enjoy later, as the day was passing much too quickly.
Not too far away, Amber was slow-dancing with Gabriel. They were in their own little world, lost in each other’s gazes. When they were all getting dressed earlier, Olivia had noticed a very subtle roundness to her sister’s lower belly that hadn’t been there even a couple of weeks before. She imagined the fact of her pregnancy would soon become common knowledge.
Caleb sat beside Skye, sprawled in his chair in a more relaxed pose than she could ever remember seeing from him. Because their chairs were close enough, he had his arm thrown over the back of Skye’s. Whenever she sat back, he ran his fingers through her unbound hair. They were both pretending the touching was casual, but Olivia wasn’t fooled by either of them. It wouldn’t be long before they had to deal with the obvious feelings they had for each other.
Is it tomorrow yet?
She glanced up at James when she felt his thought. Her cheeks heated when she realized why he was asking. They had agreed to wait until everyone had left before consummating their marriage. It would be much less awkward that way.
You’re terrible, she thought with a mental laugh.
Well, at least I can sleep in your bed tonight without having to sneak in and out of it.
She heartily agreed, squeezing his hand. Then she spent the next few minutes filling his thoughts with all of the many reasons why she loved him.
By the time the celebration came to an end and everyone retired to bed, she thought she would drop from exhaustion. It made her glad that they had made the decision to wait. Though when she climbed into bed with James, she had to admit her mind wasn’t entirely on sleeping.
He shook his head at her. “You should be ashamed of yourself, having those kinds of thoughts,” he said with mock disapproval. Then he grinned when she pinched him.
“Don’t even go there. You started it.”
“I can’t help it,” he said, pulling her into the crook of his arm so she was lying against him. She began to idly trace the mark on his right bicep that matched the one on her shoulder, promptly encouraging more inappropriate thoughts. “I now have the most beautiful wife in the world, who, for reasons that escape me, is in love with me.” He tilted his head to catch her gaze. “I keep having to convince myself that I really do get to spend the rest of my existence with you now. It’s going to take me a long while to feel worthy of such a gift.”
She simply melted. “You’re a natural at this husband thing,” she sighed happily. “I’m utterly powerless against you when you wield words like those.”
“Does that mean you’ll change your mind?” he teased.
“No, it means I’ll kiss you chastely goodnight,” she replied in a prim tone, pressing her lips into a tight O and batting her eyelashes at him.
His laughter was exactly the reaction she had been seeking, of course. In the end, their kiss goodnight wasn’t exactly chaste, but they stuck by their decision to wait. And when the nightmares threatened her during the night, James was there to chase them away. He always would be.
Note from the Author
Central took longer to write than the first and third books in the trilogy. It was very challenging writing a book with a clear beginning and end when, by its nature, the story was continuing from the book before it and leading into the book after it. But it was very important to me that Olivia have her own story, and in the end, I had the most fun on her book. Now that Olivia’s story is complete, I hope you’ll check out Foretold, the third book in the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy, now available everywhere e-books are sold.
Website: http://www.RaineThomas.com
twitter: http://twitter.com/Raine_Thomas
Foretold: http://www.RaineThomas.com/books/Foretold
If you missed the first book of the Daughters of Saraqael Trilogy, check it out now, available on your preferred digital platform.
Becoming: http://www.RaineThomas.com/books/Becoming
About the Author
Raine Thomas is the author of a series of young adult fantasy/romance novels about the Estilorians. She has a varied background including such professions as wedding planning and mental health…two fields that intersect more often than one would think. Residing in Orlando, Florida with her husband and daughter, Raine is hard at work on her next series of books about the Estilorians: the Firstborn Trilogy.
Table of Contents
CENTRAL
Copyright 2011 Raine Thomas.
This book is dedicated with love to my brothers,
Prologue
PART I:
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
PART II:
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
PART III:
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two