Page 129 of Kingdom of Dance

But any further protest was cut off as Zinnia, her eyes laughing, silenced his lips with her own. He made no more attempt to disagree.

* * *

No dragons were present at the wedding the following day, and nowhere near as many humans as had crowded Amell and Aurelia’s wedding. But Zinnia couldn’t help thinking, as Basil escorted her along the wind-blown clifftop where he’d married Wren almost two years before, that it was her own wedding that was perfect.

She and Basil had fought hard to keep the affair small—her brother’s true wedding gift to her—and other than the smattering of necessary courtiers, the familiar and greatly appreciated castle servants, the small collection of genuine friends, and the military representation Basil’s general had insisted upon, there was no one present but family.

Which, in Zinnia’s case, still constituted quite a lot of people.

Zinnia was really only interested in one person, however. Obsidian looked incredibly dashing in his black lieutenant’s uniform, his dark eyes blazing as he watched her approach to the traditional sound of the conch shells. For once, he looked anything but brooding. Joy shone from him, and something even more beautiful to behold—hope. Exuberant, unfettered hope for a future that promised to be much brighter than the past.

It took Zinnia’s breath away.

The wind whipped at the silk skirts that blossomed from a simple fitted bodice embroidered with flowers, and her unrestrained hair whipped against her mostly bare shoulders. Not that a little ocean breeze had ever bothered her. Her steps were eager as she crossed the grass, her feet encased in a brand new pair of slippers, which she fully expected to last her for months, if not years.

Unless she wore them out dancing the night away with Obsidian, of course, as she fully intended to do. Even her mother had seemed resigned when Zinnia had announced that she refused to dance with anyone but her groom at the evening’s festivities.

She could see her mother now, at the front of the crowd, wiping away a few happy tears as Obsidian’s mother patted her bracingly on the shoulder. Zinnia held back a chuckle. She was glad that her soon-to-be mother-in-law had decided to move to the capital, rather than remain alone at the home she’d shared with her husband and son. Obsidian would be glad to have his family nearby.

Of their own accord, Zinnia’s eyes flicked eagerly back to her soldier. When she reached him, and his hands took hold of hers with unabashed possessiveness, she could have sworn she felt that warm spark deep within her ignite a little. She listened in a cursory way to the formal ceremony, content to watch Obsidian’s face.

When he slipped a ring onto her finger, however, she let out a little cry of delight. It was beautiful, the delicately wrought silver reminding her of the incredible branch he’d taken from the dragons’ realm. But there was no gem set into it. Instead, a sliver of crystal graced the band, glowing white as the officiant talked on.

His eyes on Zinnia’s, Obsidian reached a finger toward the ring, not quite touching it as he muttered something. She knew without being able to sense it that he’d released some magic, because the crystal suddenly sparkled with a myriad of colors, brighter and more beautiful than any diamond.

“Obsidian,” Zinnia breathed. “It’s beautiful.”

His eyes were brimming with love as he smiled back at her. “The magic will fade with time unless regularly renewed,” he informed her. “Take it as my promise to always be nearby to replenish it.”

“That’s the best promise I could ever be given,” Zinnia said, her eyes moist.

Disregarding the officiant, who was attempting to continue the ceremony over their murmured conversation, she threw her arms around Obsidian’s neck and tipped her head up invitingly.

“It’s not time for that yet,” the officiant broke off his speech to say, sounding a little flustered.

“Yes it is,” Zinnia informed him, her gaze still fixed on Obsidian, whose eyes laughed back at her. “It’s a royal order.”

“But…oh, all right,” the man capitulated.

Zinnia heard titters from the crowd and a disapproving cluck that undoubtedly came from Lilac, but she ignored it all. A brief grin crossed Obsidian’s face, then he lowered his lips to hers, and everything else faded away. All that mattered was the joy of this moment, and the promise of the future they would build together…the future that had dawned for Solstice. One free of malicious dragon magic, and—in Zinnia’s case, at least—filled with love.

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