“Oh no,” I say, “You need your strength for tomorrow. You need to eat something.” I walk to her and tug on her hand.
Reluctantly, she gets off the bed. “If you insist,” she says, not looking at all thrilled at the prospect of food.
“I do.” I hook her arm with mine. “You’re just nervous. It’ll pass.” Alita looks at me doubtfully but starts walking. Adriel joins us and the three of us go downstairs for dinner.
Chapter 4
Kegan and Kallen return from the village when we are half-way through our meal, making them both disgruntled. Usually, Tabitha would wait for them, but she’s too stressed to worry about niceties right now. The food was done, so she served it. That means Kegan and Kallen both get lukewarm soup and slightly wilted salad courses. They lose their sour mood when the meat course is served, though. They eat like they’ve spent the day digging ditches instead of decorating the beach and running errands. We don’t usually have meals this fancy but both of Alita’s parents and Raziel and Adriel are here and Tabitha wanted to make it special.
All conversation focuses on the hand-fasting, and Alita is getting more nervous by the second. She would have been happy with a small family ceremony on the beach. Kegan’s dad wouldn’t agree to it, though. After finally consenting to the hand-fasting, he wanted all of the important Fairies to be in attendance so he can put on a lavish show. Alita’s dad will need to have a good hold on her arm to keep her shyness from making her run in the opposite direction of the altar when she sees all of them.
The quietest one in the room, as always, is Tana. Since she generally avoids me, I don’t see her much except at meals. I’m pretty sure that in her mind, I am responsible for everything bad in her life. She often gives me furtive glances which make me really uncomfortable, but I try not to act like it. Since she can sit at the same table with Alita now, she obviously isn’t doing any dark magic, but she still kind of gives me the creeps. I try not to sit across from her.
The rest of the night is spent making sure all the tiny details have been taken care of for tomorrow. Tabitha is crankier than I’ve ever seen her as she orders us about to do this and that. It’s tempting to slip out the back door and hide in the forest until right before the hand-fasting because when Tabitha gets cranky, she finds an endless amount of things that need to be done right this minute. It’s close to midnight when Isla finally steps in and deems everything good enough. Exhausted, we all trudge upstairs to bed.
Everyone except Alita, that is. She left with her parents around eleven to spend her last night as a bachelorette in her room at her parents’ house. Kegan was really disappointed since he is staying here, but I think her parents knew what would happen if she stayed. Okay, we all know what would have happened if she stayed.
Even though his father acquiesced in regards to the hand-fasting, there is still a lot of tension between Kegan and his father. So much so, he has remained at Isla’s instead of returning home. I suspect that also had something to do with being in closer proximity with Alita and a less hostile environment for them to spend time together. After the hand-fasting, they will both live here as Kegan’s father made it clear they were not invited to live at his house. Apparently, it’s customary for young married couples to live with parents at first so it’s huge his dad said they couldn’t. Isla keeps muttering things like ‘I find myself running a boarding house’ and ‘just one day of peace and quiet is all I ask for’. But, she’s the one encouraging us all to stay. Kallen and I suggested that we find our own place and she barely spoke to us for three days. We took that to mean she likes running a boarding house.
Closing our bedroom door, I lean against it. “Did the house really need a fresh coat of paint before tomorrow?”
Kallen grimaces. “At least it only took a couple of hours.”
I don’t know why I’m complaining, Kallen did all the work. Well, he performed the magic, which still had to have been exhausting. I tried to help, but I somehow managed to change the color of the paint to pink instead of white and I was forbidden to get near it again. So, I got stuck doing all the dusting by hand and other drudgery Tabitha deemed necessary even though I know darn well she did all that herself yesterday.
Kallen flops down on the bed. “It will all be over tomorrow.”
Crossing the room, I lie down on my back next to him and hold his hand. “I’m really happy things worked out this way. They belong together.”
Kallen’s response is little more than a grunt. “She could have done better.”
I laugh. “Don’t give me that, you’re happy for them both.”
Rolling onto his side, he gives me a peck on the cheek. “If you tell my cousin, I will have to kill you.”
“I know,” I laugh.
His next kiss is not on my cheek. It’s a slow, sensuous kiss on the lips. I suddenly find myself less tired than I was a few minutes ago. As his hands start to wander, I can’t even remember a few minutes ago. There’s just Kallen and me and I’m in heaven. Our caresses continue until we are finally making love. I am definitely in heaven.
Morning comes a lot sooner than I care for, though. Perhaps if we hadn’t stayed up most of the night, I wouldn’t have dark circles under my eyes and a sour disposition when Tabitha rouses us by coming into the room and opening the curtains in front of the balcony door. I do a quick check to make sure the covers are doing their job of hiding my naked body. It doesn’t matter, though. She doesn’t even spare us a glance after telling us to get up; she just goes to the next room. When did Tabitha become a drill sergeant?
Kallen wraps an arm around me and pulls me close. “Five more minutes,” he whispers in my ear.
“And risk the wrath of Tabitha? No way,” I say, slipping out from under his arm and getting out of bed. Looking at the clock, I add, “Besides, Alita is supposed to be here any minute. She’s going to be a nervous wreck.”
Throwing the covers off, Kallen stands up and stretches. My eyes are immediately drawn to his lean, muscular body. God, I will never get enough of him.
“If you keep looking at me like that, you will not leave this room for another hour at least,” he growls in a deep, sexy voice. I get goose bumps at the thought. So tempting.
“Tease,” I say dragging my eyes from his gorgeous body. I give him a grin over my shoulder as I head to the bathroom for a shower. We don’t have time for a bath.
“May I join you, love?” Kallen says from behind me. How did he cross the room so fast?
“As if you need to ask,” I purr. This will definitely not be the short shower I had planned.
When we are finally dry and decently dressed, Kallen and I walk downstairs into the chaos. Fairies hired to do this and that are moving around everywhere. I don’t know any of them, proving again that I would be a bad choice to decide who gets a visa. Outside is just as bad, but the result is incredible. The beach has been transformed into a beautiful expanse of flowers and garland mixed in with the decorations put in place yesterday. It’s like a garden in the sand. The scents of sea water and flowers combine to create an intoxicating aroma and I take several deep breaths, knowing this hand-fasting is going to be perfect.
“Is it too late to revisit the small ceremony idea?” Kegan asks when we find him about twenty yards from the house, staring at the Fairies moving about.
I understand his attack of nerves. I remember feeling the same thing when Kallen and I were hand-fasted. Dagda had turned it into a much bigger deal than either Kallen or I wanted, which then backfired on him when the body swapping debacle occurred. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“Maybe we could hold the hand-fasting in the Cowan realm instead,” Kegan suggests. “We could leave right now.”
Only half teasing, Kallen says, “Will I need to wrestle you to the altar?”
“You may have to wrestle both of us,” Alita says, joining us. “I am all for the Cowan realm idea.”
“You two need to suck it up,” I laugh. “You’re not going to the guillotine, for god’
s sake.”
Alita sighs. “That might be less stressful.”
“Except for the whole losing your head thing,” I counter.
“There is that, I suppose,” she says with a weak smile.
“Alita, honey,” her mother says as she approaches. “We need to get you upstairs so you can get ready.”
“I will be right there,” Alita promises. Satisfied, her mother turns and disappears into the house. “I do not know if I can do this with everyone staring.”
“Come on,” I say, “You will survive this. I did.”
“Yes, and your hand-fasting was smooth as a boar’s butt. What a fine example to offer,” a snarky voice says from my knees.
I look down at Taz. “Shut up, you weren’t even there.”
“News of such disasters is not difficult to come by,” Taz says. “Fairies love gossiping about you.”
“Please, they’ve been doing that since I got here. It’s nothing new.”
“It is still somewhat disconcerting when you carry on a conversation with a Tasmanian devil,” Alita teases.
“I try to ignore him, but that’s like trying to ignore praying mantises mating under your pillow.”
“That was graphic,” she laughs.
“Must you always insult me?” Taz whines.
“Me? Insult you? I haven’t even come close to the number of times you have insulted me.”
“You do realize you are arguing with a forest creature, right?” Kegan asks. He and Kallen are following us into the house. “And it sounds like you are losing.”
I stick my tongue out at him. “He started it.” That wasn’t childish. Nope, not at all. “Taz, go find someone else to bug,” I tell him sharply. Mumbling something I am positive would make me want to throw something at him, he ambles off towards the kitchen.
Upstairs, Alita and I disappear into her room. Her mother is waiting impatiently for us and as soon as we walk in the door, she starts giving orders like Drill Sergeant Tabitha last night. Apparently, it’s contagious. What is it about weddings that make people so crazy?
For the next hour, Alita’s mother goes about making us as beautiful as possible for the hand-fasting. Since Alita’s mother is Human, therefore non-magical, she does our hair by hand. She weaves tiny flowers into intricate braids in both of our hair.
Gazing at my friend, I realize I’ve never seen Alita without her shoulder length bob falling straight. With her hair up like this, her neck is long and regal and with her natural elegance, she looks more like a princess than I do right now. Truthfully, she probably always does.
My dress is a simple, lilac knee-length silk. It’s form fitting but not too tight. Bits of me won’t be popping out of it. I’m relieved it doesn’t have a bodice like Alita’s. I’ll be able to breathe freely throughout the day.
A knock on the door is followed by Flynn’s baritone. “Alita, may I come in?”
“Yes, father,” Alita says, still admiring her hair in the mirror.
Flynn opens the door and a grin as wide as the Atlantic spreads across his face. “You are the most beautiful creature in any realm,” he says lovingly. I try not to be insulted even if it is true. “It is time.” He holds his hands out to her.
That’s my cue to find Kallen so we can walk outside together to the music the Fairy band is playing. I keep expecting the traditional wedding march from back home, but that’s not a thing here. I find Kallen waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. He is unbelievably handsome in a gray suit that fits him perfectly from his broad shoulders down to his shiny black…sandals?
I raise a skeptical eyebrow. Nodding towards his feet, I say, “Really?”
Kallen grins. “Did you expect Kegan and me to wear shoes in the sand?”
Yeah, I guess I did. “Kegan is wearing sandals, too?” Granted, Alita and I are also wearing sandals but for some reason it seems odd the guys are as well. I’m such a hypocrite.
Kallen shrugs. “Of course, it would be a long day with sand in our shoes.”
“I guess it’s better than Bermuda shorts and Hawaiian shirts,” I say, walking down the stairs.
He gives me a quizzical look. “Do I want to know what those are?”
With a grin, I say, “I’ll make you some later.”
A spark of fear jumps into his eyes. “Perhaps you should describe them to me and I will make them.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m getting better at making clothes.”
He doesn’t look convinced. Instead of a reply, he holds his arm out for me and I curve mine around it. “You are beautiful, my love,” he says quietly. “You will outshine the bride.”
I blush at his compliment and say, “You haven’t seen her dress.”
We walk outside arm in arm to take our places near the altar.
Chapter 5
Officiating the ceremony, Dagda’s eyes shine with pride as Kallen and I walk towards him where he stands at the altar. I don’t know why. Maybe he’s just proud that I haven’t somehow managed to bring hell’s fury down on the ceremony. Yet. I try not to grimace at the thought that I may have just jinxed myself.
“You look lovely,” Dagda says as I take my place to one side of him and a terrified looking Kegan.
My cheeks flush with this compliment as well. “Thank you,” I say softly, trying to ignore the scrutiny I am receiving from the rest of the Fairies present.
Flynn and Alita come into view and the terrified look is washed from Kegan’s face. It’s replaced with the love, and lust, he wore yesterday when he got a sneak preview of her in her dress. Even his father regards his beautiful, soon to be, daughter-in-law with a broad smile. Not in a creepy, lecher kind of way, but like he always thought this hand-fasting was a good idea. I still think he’s kind of a weenie. My new favorite word for people I don’t like.
Dagda doesn’t seem to like him much either because he starts the ceremony off with, “I am honored today to perform a hand-fasting I thought may never occur. Fortunately, love truly does concur all.” He gives a pointed look towards Kegan’s dad who does not look pleased. Um, this is a hand-fasting, not a political arena or some old grudge fest.
Continuing, Dagda says, “Alita, you stand before me a Fairy of intelligence, beauty and charm. Your talents have kept me and the entire realm safe from dark magic. You hold an esteemed place in both my Palace and my heart. It is with great satisfaction that I bind you to the only Fairy I believe worthy of you.”
Kegan’s dad is seething now, but he doesn’t interrupt the ceremony to call Dagda out for his blatant jabs at his prejudice. I honestly don’t know why Dagda is doing this. It wasn’t that long ago Dagda held those very same beliefs. I guess his dislike of the other Fairy runs pretty deep. Hypocrisy abounds here today.
“Kegan, you have been my nephew in heart if not by blood,” Dagda continues. “I have watched you grow into a fine, strong and intelligent Fairy with the unique ability to listen to your heart when it really matters.”
As Dagda speaks, my eyes are drawn to the Fairy taking a seat in the very last row of chairs and I have to work hard to stop a snarl from escaping me. Tana has decided to attend the ceremony, making this the first time she has seen her husband since trying to kill him. I really, really hope she’s not going to choose now to try again. I would hate to kill her in front of all of these witnesses.
Following my worried eyes, Kallen spots her and his lips press together in a thin line. Several Fairies in the audience also turn to look. I know Dagda has seen her when he stops mid-sentence and has to take a moment to clear his throat before continuing. “This hand-fasting is based on the truest of love and you each will hold the other in your hearts forever.” I’m not sure he’s talking about Kegan and Alita now because his eyes are glued to Tana. After a brief glance, she averts her eyes, not acknowledging his pledge of love.
Oblivious to the sideshow attraction, Kegan and Alita are speaking their vows to each other. To my relief, Tana does nothing to interrupt the ceremony and it isn’t long bef
ore Dagda declares them hand-fasted. As soon as Kegan and Alita walk back down the makeshift aisle as a happily married couple, Dagda heads straight towards his wife like a love sick fool. I think he’s afraid she’ll disappear if he doesn’t get to her in time. She probably would.
I groan. Why couldn’t she stay up in her room moping like she does most of the time. She knew her presence was going to draw attention away from why we’re all here. Irritated, I follow my biological father to where she sits. I’m so annoyed, I almost hope she does do something just so I can see how far out into the ocean I can fling her. She’s way too skinny, but the sharks probably wouldn’t mind.
A small crowd is gathering around the wrong couple and trying to act like they’re not listening for something to gossip about later. A few of them look a little scared to have Tana so close, but their curiosity wins out and they linger. I open my mouth to tell them, nicely, of course, to move their butts along to dinner, but Kallen beats me to it. “The happy couple will be receiving for a brief time before dinner is served in the ball room.” I never dreamed I would live in a house that has a ballroom, but Isla’s house is huge.
Blood of the Exiled (Witch Fairy Book 10) Page 4