Page 15 of His Summer Prince

“No, let’s not. God knows what your mother will come up with. She might want to bring the wedding date forward.”

“You want to do it now?” Juniper asked, stunned. “Here?”

“I don’t see why not,” Elior said. “We’re ready. And like Wren said, we don’t want to take any risks. What’s done is done.”

“Alright…” Juniper said, hesitating.

Elior gave her no time to reconsider. “Excellent. We’ll commence then. Regarding the wording… Can the vow be ‘honor and protect’ for both of us? I don’t want Wren to have to say ‘honor and obey.’ It doesn’t feel right. This is not a bond where one of us will be required to submit to the other. Wren is doing me an enormous favor by entering a soulbond with me. I’m not going to ask for more than that; it’d be insolent. And I don’t want to bring social standing into this.”

Tradition demanded the lower-ranking spouse submitted and offered themselves to the higher-ranking one during the wedding ceremony. With Elior being a prince and him a shepherd, Wren would be expected to defer to Elior if this were an official marriage.

“You want me to marry you as equals?” Juniper asked.

Elior nodded. “Yes.”

“It’s improper…”

“Everything about this is improper. We might as well do this the way we want to. Besides, we both tend sheep. There’s really no difference.”

Wren pressed his lips together to hold back his laughter. Elior was unbelievable, and he loved him for it.

Juniper rolled her eyes. “Fine. If that’s what you want. Should we change the rest as well?”

Elior frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, the vows normally contain the word ‘husband.’ I’d imagine you’d prefer—”

“Husband is fine,” Elior said quickly and turned to Wren. “Right?”

“Right,” Wren said with too much vigor.

The puzzlement on Juniper’s face grew by the minute. They’d be lucky if she didn’t change her mind. “And you’re sure…?” She gestured between them.

“Yes!” Wren and Elior said in unison.

Resigned, Juniper dropped her shoulders and shook her head, eyebrows drawn toward her hairline. “I can’t believe I’m going through with this. Though I appreciate you asking me as a friend and not ordering me as my prince.”

Oh dear, she shouldn’t be so grateful. Judging by the dangerous spark dancing in Elior’s eyes, he would’ve done exactly that had she not agreed. It would’ve caused its own set of problems and damaged Elior’s friendship with her, but when push came to shove, Wren doubted he cared.

“Shall we get started?” Elior asked. Neither of them wanted any further delay.

Juniper shuffled closer. “All right. Put your right hands next to each other, palms down.”

Wren squeezed Elior’s thigh, and they followed her instructions. A sense of calmness settled over him. With their souls connected, nobody could claim Elior. Their bond would defy even a fae as mighty as the Winter King.

There might be consequences, but Wren didn’t care. Should he be nervous that he was getting married? His mother would have a fit if she found out.

Juniper cleared her throat, then spoke the ceremonial words.“Today, I bear witness to the wedding of Prince Elior of the Summer Court and Wren Taylor.” Elior brushed his thumb over Wren’s fingers, sending a spark through him. “The magic of the summer forest shall bind their souls. Prince Elior, do you vow to honor and protect your husband and stay by his side in life and death?”

“I do,” Elior said with such conviction, that a shiver raced down Wren’s back.

“And Wren Taylor, do you vow to honor and protect your husband and stay by his side in life and death?”

Juniper looked him in the eye, but all Wren could focus on was Elior’s warm presence brushing his side. They should never be further apart than this. “I do.”

Juniper spread her hands in front of her, palms facing the sky. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then the sunlight falling onto her palms thickened, individual rays becoming visible. They formed a ball of yellow light that danced inches above her palms. She closed her hands around it, bright rays bursting through the gaps between her fingers. When Juniper parted her hands, the light faded, and she held two thin plates of gold in the shape of stylized suns.

“May your souls unite and your marriage be blissful.” Juniper cupped the backs of their right hands, pressing the golden suns into their skin.

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