Iram intoned formally, “I present husband and wife. May they have health, happiness, and long life.”
The watching crowd clapped, Melchior even letting out a whistle, and Mei Li laughed in pure delight. Shunlei’s hand found hers, and she could feel the wedding band on his finger, much as he probably felt hers. Doing the Baderian version of the wedding ceremony hadn’t allowed for the exchange of rings with the vows, so they’d slipped them on beforehand. Mei Li found that she didn’t mind it.
They were drawn away from the garden and back inside, where a feast was laid out along the tables. They were placed at the head table, which overlooked the room on a slightly raised platform, the other tables moved down on a winch and pulley system to the correct height for the rest of the guests. The aromatic scent of all the foods made Mei Li’s stomach rumble. She’d barely eaten, as it had taken forever to be officially washed, blessed, and dressed. It was mid-afternoon now, and she was nearly faint from hunger.
Only after they were seated did Shunlei turn to her and whisper, “I forget, when can we remove the headpieces and veils?”
There had been some confusion on that. Mei Li’s homeland held firmly that the veil stayed on until the couple reached their honeymoon suite. Bader, apparently, had different rules on that score. “I don’t remember either? But I don’t want to eat while fighting the veil.”
A passing young priest heard them and leaned in long enough to whisper, “Wait until the wedding cake is served to you. Then you can lift and remove each other’s veils.”
“Thank you,” Shunlei whispered back. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he confessed to her, “Your human traditions are elaborate and confusing.”
“You’re telling me.”
On light feet, a young girl in a pure white smock approached with a flat cake balanced carefully in her hands. She set it down between them on the table with a look of intense concentration on her face that only eased once the cake was safely delivered. Then she stepped back with a relieved smile. “May this cake bring you full bellies through all seasons.”
“Thank you,” Mei Li responded. She turned to Shunlei and carefully pulled the headpiece off, holding the beads still so they didn’t smack him in the eye in the process. She set it aside and then stayed still as he did the same to her, carefully lifting the veil off her face and away so it trailed decoratively down her back.
Then finally, finally they could eat. Mei Li ate a bite of the cake, letting the fluffy layers of moist, sweet heaven melt in her mouth. She wasn’t sure how, but somehow half the cake disappeared in a minute flat. Magic, perhaps?
Well-wishers appeared, coming to the table and offering their congratulations. Mei Li paused in eating, greeting each in return, side-stepping some of the lewder hints from the people who were already too far into the wine.
Melchior proved to be the last of them, and he had a wide smile on his face as he spoke. “I’d never have thought when you stumbled across us, Mei, that this day would come. That I’d have a sister of my heart marrying a brother-in-arms. I’m both pleased and perplexed on how this came about.”
She truly did adore this man. “I feel the same way about it, in truth.”
Melchior leaned in to confide in a lower tone, “We’ll understand if you want to take a season off and rest.”
“We’ll do so this winter,” Shunlei answered with a quick glance at her. “My wife is determined not to leave you shorthanded, and truthfully, I feel the same. We hope to find a good place as we travel where we can retreat when the snows hit.”
“Horvath will welcome you with open arms,” Melchior promised. “I’m not saying any airy promises. The Prince of Horvath has guaranteed us all places to stay this winter.”
Something Mei Li had not known. “Thank you, Melchior. We might very well take him up on that.”
“Good, good. Also, I understand a keg of wine is coming this direction shortly. If you escape now, you’ll miss the rowdier after-party.”
Mei Li was very much in favor of that. She’d been to some wedding celebrations that went straight until dawn. No, thank you. She had other plans for her wedding night. “Warning taken.”
With a wink, Melchior retreated back to his table.
Shunlei leaned in to her side to whisper, “Should we leave now?”
“In the next minute or less, yes.”
He popped the last bit of cake in his mouth and then stood, offering her a hand. Mei Li took it, waving to the few people that called out to them, and beat a retreat outside. She thought they were going to the suite but instead Shunlei led her out to the wider temple courtyard. No one was there, everyone at the feast, and it was honestly nice to stand there and let the mountain air stream through her hair for a moment.
Shunlei stepped several paces off to the side and shifted to dragon in a smooth transition. Mei Li had a split second to wonder what he was doing before it hit her—of course, the flight. She’d been so focused on the human ceremony that she’d almost forgotten their plan to do the dragon ceremony afterwards.
He extended a claw to her, and she folded in against his chest. This would necessarily be a short flight, but the length of it didn’t matter. Flying together did. Tucked up against his chest, he thrust hard and lifted them both into the air. She clung as tight as she could, enjoying the wind as it swirled around her. A smile lingered on her face as they flew in a lazy circle around the temple.
Flying with Shunlei was always a pleasure. Today, it meant something more. It meant everything. She tried to take it all in at once, sure that her mind would retain the way the sunlight splayed over the mountain and the way the temple glistened against the dark green trees ringing it. Hopefully, she’d remember the feelings as well as the visuals. This wasn’t a day that she wanted to fade in any way.
Shunlei did several laps before silently taking them back down, using a side entrance this time. He must have asked ahead, as he knew precisely where to go once they landed to reach the suite set aside for the two of them. It was a perfectly lovely room, with its own attached miniature garden and a fenced-off hot spring for their private use. The canopy bed had a light netting that went around it to fend off the bugs and give them the option of leaving the windows and doors open, enjoying the night air.
Mei Li had every intention of taking advantage of all those things. But first things first. She closed the door firmly behind them then spun about, catching her husband by the waist and tugging him firmly toward her. “Come here.”
Shunlei obediently came, tilting his head down to meet hers in a kiss. Mei Li loved every second of that kiss, but tonight she wanted more than this. She tugged at the outer jacket, letting it spill to the floor.
Lifting his head, Shunlei asked hopefully, “It is tradition for a husband and wife to come together on their wedding night, correct?”
“Yes,” she answered firmly. Then mischievously tacked on, “And even if it wasn’t, I want you.”
In a rush, he confessed, “Thank all deities, me too, why are you wearing so many layers?”
“You too,” Mei Li fussed. “Off. All of it, off!”
They pulled at each other’s clothes and then fell to the bed, laughing and squirming, enjoying the exploration as they learned how they liked to be touched. The intimacy went deeper than the physical touches they exchanged, reaching down to the heart and binding them together in a different way. It didn’t distract from anything but rather added another level. By the end of it, Mei Li finally understood why people were all a bit fixated on love making. She fetched up against Shunlei’s side, tucked in against him with her head pillowed on his chest.
He turned his head enough to kiss her softly on the forehead. “I love you.”
She smiled against his skin. “Love you, too.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Not letting fear make the decision for you.”
“I almost did. In the end, I want all of the time with you I can possibly steal.”
Teasing him, she poked him in the ribs. “Just remember, you promised today to love me when I’m old and wrinkly.”
“Love is blind, remember? I won’t see any wrinkles.”
“Oh, you are smooth. Good husband, good husband.”
“Are you…are you patting me like I’m a dog?”
“Maaaybe.”
Shunlei immediately started tickling her for that. Mei Li laughed and squirmed and tried to catch his hands, but he was decidedly quicker than her reflexes. She ended up flat on her back and begging for mercy, breathing hard.
Maybe her wedding vows should have included no tickling.
Well, no. She wouldn’t change a single moment of today for anything.
Two years later
Mei Li ducked behind Shunlei’s back, using her fire-proof husband as a shield long enough to grab the next talisman she needed. This fire imp had caused all sorts of trouble in this land of drought and dry grassland, setting two different towns on fire and seemingly intent on continuing. Shunlei and Mei Li had been sent ahead to scout the area to see if they could spot it, with every intention of reporting back and leading the rest of their party toward it.
Well, you know what they say about intentions.
Now here she was, frantically trying to do the job of three people, running around and dodging the imp’s fireballs while Shunlei tried to battle it to a standstill. It was alarmingly quick on its feet and slick. Shunlei had put a claw on it twice, only for it to wriggle free at the last possible second. She had no rope traps on her—curse the luck—and was instead trying to create a make-shift trap to keep it still long enough to vanquish it entirely.
Of course, it knew what she was doing, and kept shifting areas. Mei Li would swear, but couldn’t think of any words strong enough off the top of her head.
Shunlei’s tail whipped about and sliced through the air. He broke off the attack with a yelp and growled, “He just bit me.”
“Bite him back,” Mei Li suggested around a pant. She was really getting winded with all of this sprinting about.
“Oh, you’re so funny.”
“I do try.” Finding the three talismans she needed, she darted out again, slamming two talismans to the earth before sprinting again to the other quarter. Her calves and thighs screamed in protest, but she didn’t let it slow her down any.
The imp was an ugly thing, barely the size of a child, pot-bellied and with a mouth full of teeth. It snarled at her, then snapped against Shunlei before darting forward, only to be checked by Shunlei’s wing. They would have been able to defeat this thing much faster if Shunlei had been able to use dragon fire. But in this dry, arid grassland they didn’t dare. The fire would get away from them far too quickly.
From behind her, she could hear a horse’s hooves thundering against the hard soil. She didn’t spare even a glance, trying to get into the right position to block the imp. It failed before she was only half-way there as he managed to squeak through Shunlei’s guard and out to the other side. Not far, though. Shunlei whirled and blocked him.
Still, it was just enough that her placed talismans wouldn’t link up with each other properly. Mei Li seriously felt like crying out of frustration.
The horse skidded to a stop and she risked a glance this time. The rider was a fit man, probably near her age, and he had the obvious power of a mage. Her hopes rose, and she called out to him, “I’m trying to do a trapping spell!”
“Earth based?” he called back, already flinging himself free of the saddle. “Which variation?”
“Nine pins!”
“Got it!” His hand dove into the bag strapped to his waist and he came out with a handful of talismans, written not on yellow paper like hers, but a thicker, white parchment. “Take dragon side.”
That seemed best, as he was no doubt uneasy with her dragon-husband. Well, that would change later once proper introductions could be carried out. Mei Li retreated toward Shunlei but gave him plenty of room to maneuver. Shunlei, after two years, knew very well what a nine pin trapping spell involved and where not to stand while mages were throwing it about.
The new mage was stalwart in his stance, not giving any ground, and deft with his hands as he quickly placed the four talismans down. Mei Li was quick to do the same, and it was a race between them on who could put the final talisman down. In the end, he beat her to it, and then they both clapped their hands, spreading magic into each talisman and activating them. With a snap, the trapping spell flared into existence like bars surrounding their quarry.
Whirling, the imp looked in every direction and then snarled viciously upon seeing itself trapped. It flung itself at the bars only to be shot back as the magic reacted. With a whimper it spun and fell to the ground, curling into itself with pain.
Mei Li had no sympathy for it. She stood there panting for breath, sweat pouring down her temples and the back of her neck.
“Thank you ever so much,” Shunlei said to the mage. “We’ve been struggling with this thing for the past hour.”
Surprised at being so cordially addressed, the mage stared at Shunlei for a full second before finding his voice. “I’d heard the imp was here from the last town I was in. When I saw you battling it, I thought to lend a hand.”
“We do appreciate it.” Mei Li straightened, feeling like she finally had her breath back. “Archery is not in my skillset, even using magic. And we didn’t think it wise to use dragon fire under these conditions. It became a game of tag. Which I don’t appreciate.”
“I can imagine.” Extending a hand to her, he introduced himself. “I’m Kare Tamu, mage and scholar.”
Mei Li’s hand found his on automatic, which was just as well, because her mind had gone perfectly blank for a moment. Kare Tamu. Kare Tamu?! Ye little deities! The first Tomes had finally arrived. She lit up in a smile that might have come out a little demented. “Mage Kare, you have no idea how happy I am to meet you. I’m Mei. This is my husband, Shunlei.”
Kare blinked at her, then stared uncertainly at Shunlei. “Ah, a pleasure. I heard that right? You’re married?”
This reaction never got old for Shunlei, and he chuckled for a moment before switching forms. In his human form, he took a moment to settle his sleeves before calmly crossing to Kare. “Indeed, we are. Well met, Mage Kare.”
Kare had obviously not been aware dragons could shift forms, and he seemed utterly flabbergasted, his jaw dangling for several seconds. With a hand, he slotted it back into position and croaked, “Well met. Heavens above, but you two really are a bundle of surprises, aren’t you?”
“We get that often,” Mei Li answered cheerfully. She really couldn’t have been happier with how today turned out even if she’d planned it herself. Aching, sore muscles included. “Mage Kare, you said you’d heard of the imp from the townspeople and came out to hunt it down? You do that often?”
“Ah, well, not really on purpose. It’s more that I’ve been studying the change in magical patterns over the past few years, and I keep stumbling into situations.” Kare had an affable sort of look to him, like the boy next door, and he rubbed at his short, wiry black hair in a rasp of his hand. “I understand there’s a group dedicated to magical problems, funded by the Prince of Horvath, and I keep hoping I’ll run into them. They’re sure to have many answers for me.”
“Congratulations,” Mei Li informed him, practically bouncing on her toes. “You’ve found them. Well, two of us, at any rate.”
A blinding white smile lit up Kare’s face, his white teeth in high contrast with his dark mahogany skin. “Have I really?”
“You have,” Shunlei assured him. “And we’ll be glad to take you back to the rest of our party and make introductions. We came ahead to scout the area, see if we couldn’t locate the imp. And we did, but didn’t have time to fetch everyone else.”
“Yes, I can see how that would be the case. Well.” Kare looked one second from hugging them. “Today is a very good day, indee
d. Um, we should deal with the imp first?”
Mei Li nodded in perfect accordance with this. “Yes, imp first. Let’s drag it back to the town. There’s a bounty on its head that we’ll happily split with you. Then we’ll regroup with our party.”
“Sounds splendid.”
They killed the imp without fanfare, then took down the nine pins spell. Shunlei picked up the corpse like a high lady would a dirty dishrag and carried it as far away from himself as he could manage as they walked back to the town. She felt a little sorry for him as Mei Li wouldn’t have wanted to carry that stinking carcass back either.
She walked alongside Kare, answering the many, many questions that the man had. Mei Li wasn’t even surprised that he’d been making notes on his findings as he’d traveled and had a journal full already. It took effort. It took discipline. But she didn’t cackle like a demented soul.
First of Tomes: Acquired.
Finally.
Dragon Ages
Cream – newborn
Yellow – 5-10 years
Orange – 10-20 years
Red – 20-100 years
Green – 100-300 years
Blue – 300-1000 years
Purple – 1000-3000 years
Black – over 3000 years
Name Pronunciations
Abe – AH-bay
Acala – ah-CAW-la
Bader – BAY-der
Bai – bye
Bohai – boh-hi
Budworth – BUD-worth
Cavanaugh – kaa-vuh-nuh
Chen – chen
Dolan – doh-lin
Edan – AY-din
Elora – EE-lore-ah
Enlai – EN-lie
Ernest – er-nest
Gen – g-en
Giselle – JI-zelle
Hawes – haw-z
Horvath – hor-vath
First of Tomes (The Tomes of Kaleria Book 2) Page 26