“It’s that shoulder,” Marin complained. “He only started dropping it this past year.”
“I’ll fix my moves,” Favian told her and sheathed his sword. “Tilia needs to work on her speed. I think the first thing we will learn on our island is endurance. That means lots of running.”
“You guys can wake me up when you get back from your runs,” Finn said.
“Oh no,” I told him. “If I have to suffer, you have to suffer with me.”
“You need to work on your endurance too,” Favian told him. “You aren’t as fast as you could be.”
“I’m still faster than you,” Finn taunted him.
“They are so cute when they squabble like children,” Marin whispered to me with a wide smile.
“My heart is beating so fast, I think I might faint from the manliness seeping from these two,” I said and fanned my face with my hand and then leaned against Marin as though I were going to faint.
“You two are hilarious,” Favian said grumpily.
“And you are stuck with us for a very very long time,” I reminded him.
“I figured I would find you four here,” Jared said as he entered the arena.
“Well of course,” I said. “This is my favorite place.”
“Did you need us?” Finn asked him.
“Me, need my Chief? Of course not,” Jared teased him.
“I offered to rescind the title since I won’t be around much,” Finn grumbled.
“I actually came to ask if I might be able to find out why Faxon was so angry when he returned from visiting you?” Jared asked us.
We all suddenly found various spots on the roof interesting.
“No one?” he asked.
“He stepped out of line and I made him mad,” I said. “Things were said and Finn almost skewered him.”
“Instead he skewered a wall,” Favian whispered.
“What happened?” Jared asked with a frown.
“I would rather not discuss it. It is sort of personal,” Finn said.
“There are no secrets in this house,” Jared told him.
“Please,” I begged. “Let this lie, at least for a little while. Either Faxon will get over it or he won’t and well…I don’t know what will happen then.” Would Faxon stop visiting me? I couldn’t think of my life without Faxon in it.
“Well, try to make up. I was enjoying him not being a grumpy mage and now he has reverted again,” Jared complained.
“I don’t think that will be fixed any time soon,” I admitted.
“It’s about Finn, isn’t it?” he asked softly.
“He does not approve of me being with Tilia,” Finn said and then a board on the opposite side of the arena cracked.
Favian’s eyes widened and he looked at me in silent question.
“Finn,” I whispered. “Why don’t we go inside and show them to their room and then get ready for bed?” I suggested.
“Actually, I was hoping to go on a run,” Favian said and gave me a look to tell me to let him handle it.
“Well, then Marin and I will go get into our pajamas,” I said.
Anger. Regret. Sadness.
“I’ll race you to the docks and back,” Favian said with a smile and then took off before Finn could answer.
“You got a head start, you cheater!” Finn yelled after him and then disappeared in pursuit.
Happiness.
“I am so glad that we have Favian here,” I whispered. “He knows just how to get Finn’s mind off of whatever he is thinking about.”
“They are two peas in a pod,” Marin agreed. “They are so similar that it is sort of baffling.”
“And you two aren’t similar?” Jared asked with a wide smile.
“Of course not. We are completely different,” Marin argued.
“I mean, just because we both like fighting does not mean that we are exactly the same. That is like saying that anyone who likes horses is exactly the same,” I chastised.
“So, are you going to tell me what was said?” Jared asked.
“No. I would rather not repeat the awful things that he said. He was incredibly rude and out of line and I may have made it worse by making him leave. It was a huge mess,” I said.
“What could have set him off?” Jared pondered and turned around to look at something in the distance.
Marin looked at me and smirked. I glared at her and then Jared turned around so we both smiled at him.
“You are hiding something,” he said angrily. “Why won’t you tell me?”
“Because you will get mad and I have had enough of people getting mad today. Can’t we just forget about it and let it lie? We can discuss it when we get back from our wedding trip.”
“Where are you going anyway? You never told us,” Jared said.
“We had not decided until just recently,” I admitted to him.
“And it is a secret,” Marin told him.
“A secret? Why are you all being so secretive?” he asked angrily.
“I’ll fight you for it,” Marin offered with a wide smile.
“Marin, we have to go to bed,” I reminded her.
“Oh fine. Spoil sport.”
“Good night, Jared,” I called as I pulled her away.
“Night girls.”
“Why did you stop me?” she asked with a pout.
“Because if he had won, you would have had to tell him and I would rather not have that conversation with my uncle.”
“You are no fun,” she complained.
“You can spar with him another day.”
“Fine.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Why am I nervous?” I asked Marin as I fidgeted with my dress. We were already bound, so this was really just a formality.
“Perhaps because there are over a hundred people present for our wedding,” Marin whispered, “and they are all going to watch us.”
“Fight an army, not nervous. Walk down the aisle for a wedding and you’re scared?” Deana asked.
“You’re nervous too,” I reminded her.
“Well I didn’t have as long to prepare as you!” she snapped and tugged on one of her curls.
Sebastian and Deana had surprised us all by returning, engaged. Marin and I had immediately agreed to a triple wedding. The seamstresses worked all night to create a dress for her that somewhat matched ours.
“How did your father react when you told him?” Marin asked Deana.
“He was relieved, actually,” she admitted.
“Is he coming?” I asked her.
She shook her head. “No, but he gave us his blessing. He has an urgent matter to attend to or he would have come.”
“Wait, she’s going to upstage us by not wearing a sword,” Marin gasped in fake horror.
I smirked. “Her wedding present was a shiny new sword from Finn and I.”
“Not sure why a shifter needs a sword,” she muttered.
“You can’t always shift,” Marin argued.
“I promised to wear the sword as well as learn to use it,” Deana explained.
“Are you two coming to the island as well?” I asked. It would be great to have two more people to help us fight whatever it was.
“No, Sebastian is going to take up Favian’s duties while we are training,” Marin explained.
“Oh, so she’s going to be stuck around all those beautiful Elvish men? Poor thing,” I teased.
We all laughed together and then the seamstresses came in to help us get into our dresses. It took us longer than ever to get ready, but once we were all dressed and our weapons were on, the three of us stood before the mirror in shock.
We looked like warrior brides.
“The Princess Triumvirate,” The Goddess said happily as she appeared in our room. “You’ve finally formed.”
“Princess, what?” Marin asked her.
“You three are the Princess Triumvirate, the three most powerful princesses in the world. By working together, you can make this world
a better place,” she explained.
“I’m not powerful anymore,” Deana reminded her.
“You’re a shifter, my dear, you are powerful and perhaps if you worked at bringing the shifters together and starting your own territory, you would again have that power.”
“Shifters have a longer than human lifespan, don’t they?” I asked suspiciously.
“Yes, we do. How’d you know?” Deana asked.
“You are very sharp,” The Goddess commended me.
“You’ve been planning this, haven’t you?” I accused her.
She beamed proudly. “Of course. You three will show the world the power of women once again. I bestow my blessings upon you and will be here to guide you as needed.”
“It’s time!” someone called through the closed door.
“I’ll see you out there,” the Goddess said with a wink and then disappeared.
“Gods and Goddesses are incredibly tricky,” I whispered.
“Yes, they are,” Marin agreed.
“Ready, ladies?” Deana asked.
We nodded and then had one group hug before we walked out of the room and towards the back of the Markleville castle where the wedding ceremony was being held. The ocean would be behind us as we took our vows, a place I had found perfect and the others found charming.
Instead of having fathers walk us down the aisle as tradition called for, we decided to walk each other down. It eased the pain of my father not being alive to see me being wed. We checked our swords and weapons once more, linked arms with Deana between Marin and I, and headed down the aisle.
Everyone stood and turned to face us.
Love. Pride. Joy. They filtered through the bond as Finn and the two Elven princes watched us walk towards them.
“Do not cry,” Marin growled.
I wasn’t certain if she was ordering us or herself, but I agreed.
A simple wooden arch had been built on the edge of the cliff with flowers placed along the poles. The two Gods and the Goddess stood between us and the men. They had decided that they wanted to officiate the wedding and no one had objected.
“Swords?” a woman whispered to our right. “How brutish.”
“What would you expect from those three?” another sneered.
“Do not attack them,” I ordered Marin.
“Afterwards,” she promised.
We made it to the front and stood before the most powerful beings in existence. They were not holding back their power and it was almost unbearable to be there.
“Sit,” Aquinn ordered the attendees.
“We come before you this day to marry Marin and Favian of the Elves, Deana of the Shifters and Sebastian of the Elves, and Finn and Tilia of Crilan. The Princess Triumvirate have made their choices for mates and we approve and give blessings to each couple,” the Goddess said in a voice that made me worry she was going to give a prophecy at any moment.
“Marin and Finn are the last two demigods in existence,” Aquinn began, “and these six will be your last hope against enemies in the future.”
Several people began murmuring nervously.
“Today we set aside those disconcerting discussions,” Aquinn said with a wide smile, “and rejoice as they finalize their unions as husbands and wives.”
“Men, please take the hand of your mate,” Marin’s father instructed.
The men stepped forward and we took a collective breath as we admired our men approaching us. They were dressed in white just as we were, but they each had a handkerchief that matched a color of our flowers, red for Marin, teal for me, and forest green for Deana.
“We did well,” Marin whispered.
Deana and I stifled our laughs, but all three men raised their eyebrows at us in question, which caused all three of us to lose it and laugh loudly.
“They can never be serious,” Favian complained.
“It’s part of what makes us charming,” Marin reminded him with her own raised eyebrow.
They each took one of our hands, and stood to our rights. We faced the supreme beings hand in hand with our mates and it felt right somehow.
“Do you men promise to protect, love, and cherish your mates for the rest of your existences?” the Goddess asked them.
“I do.” All three answered.
“Do you women promise to protect, love, and cherish your mates for the rest of your existences?” the Goddess asked us.
“I do,” we answered.
“Exchange rings,” Marin’s father ordered us.
The ring Finn slid on my finger was the most beautiful I had ever seen. Silver with a bright teal gem and two small diamonds on the sides. I put his ring on and his smile widened.
“As Goddess of this world, I proclaim Marin and Favian, Deana and Sebastian, and Tilia and Finn, husband and wife, Prince and Princess, and blessed of the Gods!”
“You may kiss your mates,” Aquinn said with a broad smile.
In unison, the men grabbed us, spun us around their fronts, dipped us, and kissed us.
The crowd cheered and after separating from kissing, we all began hugging each other.
“Celebrate well, children,” the Goddess said with a wide smile and then the three of them disappeared.
A cannon fired at sea. We spun towards it, expecting someone to be firing at us, with swords drawn. Instead, we found Finn’s, my father’s, and Cristoff’s crews aboard two ships, firing out to sea and cheering for us.
“All hail the Pirate Princess!” Cristoff and his crew cheered.
“All hail Prince Finn!” Finn’s and my father’s crews cheered.
Finn pulled me against his side with an arm around my waist. “I told you that our family would come.”
I was crying now as I raised my hand to them and they continued to fire cannons in celebration.
“You guys sure have an interesting family,” Deana said with a smile as she leaned against Sebastian.
“You don’t know the half of it,” I told her and smirked as Finn smiled down at me.
“Go on,” he encouraged me.
I stepped away from our group, stood up on the railing, raised my sword in the air, and shouted, “All hail the Pirate King, Cristoff!”
Everyone grew silent a moment and then they began cheering for him. Cristoff met my eyes, misty just like mine, and bowed to me.
“Treat her well or I’ll steal your treasure!” Cristoff threatened Finn, though we both knew, there was no true threat there.
“All hail Pirate King Cristoff!” Finn yelled and raised his sword in the air.
The crews sailed away and Esmeralda cleared her throat. “Now that the pirate side is gone, let’s reconvene to the reception.”
“Cake!” Marin yelled.
“Cake!” Deana and I yelled back. We sheathed our swords, linked hands, and ran towards the reception.
“Never a dull moment with them, is there?” Sebastian asked.
“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Favian replied as he draped an arm around Finn’s shoulders.
Also by Catherine Banks
Little Death Bringer Series
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Kiss of a Star
Healed by Fire
Taming Darkness
Artemis Lupine The Complete Series
Ciara Steele Novella Series
True Faces
Barbaric Tendencies
Pirate Princess Series
Pirate Princess
Princess Triumvirate
Daughter of Lions
Bitten, Beaten, & Loved
Demonic Contract
The Last Werewolf
Dragon’s Blood
Anja’s Secret
Lady Serra and the Draconian
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