Page 89 of Tower of Ash and Darkness
My father needs this—there is no pretending it is anything else.
The doors to the temple open, and my eyes are immediately drawn to the front of the altar. Candles line the space like a vast, glowing hearth, the flames casting an almost ritualistic glow across the room. Vampires and humans alike fill the aisles, their faces hidden behind masks, all dressed in black. The tradition is clear—like at an engagement party, where vampires attempt to seduce the bride and groom, this wedding will follow a similar course. The men and women wear masks to hide their true identities, their faces veiled as if nothing is truly what it seems.
When the ceremony ends, we will be led to the ballroom, where the traditional dance will begin. I will dance with each man in the room, searching for my other half. Jason will do the same, though I wouldn’t be surprised if his eyes stray more deeply than mine.
But my gaze will be searching for only one—wherever he may be.
The music pulls me back to the present. I glance up and find Jason standing at the altar, dressed entirely in black. His hair is neatly swept to the side, one hand tucked into his pocket, as though he has stepped straight from a dream. A flash of fire ignites in his eyes as they lock onto mine, and for a brief moment, my heart skips.
But just as quickly, my gaze falls, my steps slow, and the doors close behind me. My father embraces me gently, placing one final kiss upon my covered head. I nod, his approval heavy on my shoulders, before I turn and take the first step toward my future.
As I walk down the aisle, each step seems to echo with a finality, a sense of departure from one life to another. The haunting violin melody in the air makes each step feel like a death sentence—like a crossing into some new, unknowable reality. My chin is held high, my breath steady, though inside, I am anything but calm.
With only a few steps left, a chill creeps up my spine, and my gaze shifts to the right. I feel it—eyes on me, steady and unseen. The kind of gaze that slips beneath the skin, that lingers even when there’s nothing there. A cruel ache grips me, as if memory itself could reach out and hold me. I begin to turn, instinctively searching for the ghost that lingers just beyond the light?—
But before I can search for my shadow, Jason steps forward, his hand outstretched to mine. Solid. Present. A tether to the world I’m supposed to belong to. A living warmth, sudden and steady, breaking the pull of what almost was.
I pause, too many unspoken truths catching in my throat before I place my hand in his. Together, we move toward the altar, the waning half-moon above us shining through a glass window in the ceiling.
Jason carefully lifts the cloak from my face, revealing the deathly crown of black diamonds atop my head. He seems almost mesmerized by them as he unclasps the cloak, allowing it to fall to the floor,reminiscent of a pool of blood. His hands slip to my gloved fingers, but there is hesitation in his touch.
I can feel it. He’s unsure, reluctant.
As if my hands are something to fear, something that could end him in his sleep. The thought stirs a frustration deep inside me. I glance down at our intertwined hands, clenching my jaw as his touch lingers just a moment too long. But as I look up, meeting his gaze, something soft blooms within me. A warmth, small but real, fills the cavity in my chest. It’s as if the girl I once was—the one who loved him all those years ago—is waking up.
A crack in my resolve begins to form.
Jason’s eyes search my face, and I catch an inkling of something real there. A small, genuine smile touches his lips—split and healing, but still stained with what he deserved. Without thinking, I mirror it, offering him a delicate smirk. Not forgiveness. Just acknowledgement.
Time seems to stretch as we face each other in this long, drawn-out ceremony. It feels both endless and fleeting. I thought I had prepared myself for this, for what it would mean, but so much has changed since I was told of this union seven nights prior. My jaw tightens as the priest’s voice echoes in the temple, bringing my thoughts back to the present.
"In this life, thou shalt choose to honor one another in trust. Honor each other with the deepest sincerity, for it is in the truth that thy bond is forged.”
I glance over at my father, his approval clear in his nod. I straighten my shoulders, awaiting the rest of the vows.
“Honor the blood that runs through thy veins, the souls entwined in divine union, and the hearts that now beat as one. For as ye become joined, your hearts are no longer thine own, but held within the grasp of the other, a covenant unbroken. Only fate, in its eternal wisdom, shall determine the fortune of thy days. The treasures ye shall gather, as ye grow together in honor and lineage, will be as precious as gold, as fleeting as the winds of time.”
The mention of children brings a sudden wave of panic. A deepyearning wells up inside me—but it is not for the man standing before me.
It is for something—someone—else.
“It is through this sacred sacrifice that ye shall live, together in communion or parted, as the fates have decreed."
As the priest finishes the vows, Jason slowly withdraws his hand from mine and places it gently against my cheek. His eyes search my face, and I feel his breath quicken as he leans in.
His kiss is soft, delicate—yet it carries so much more.
The atmosphere crackles with a strange static, like when we first kissed years ago. When he pulls back, his face is only inches from mine. Our breath catches in the quiet, and I notice the trembling in his hands, the slight quiver in his body. I tilt my head, surprised by his reaction. The kiss has stirred something deep inside him, something he hasn’t let out in years. He gently rubs his thumb against my cheek, and for a little while, the world feels still.
Then, the sound of clapping and celebration draws my attention to the audience before us. I look out at the guests, searching the sea of masked faces, and spot Sera crying behind hers, clapping joyfully. It’s not uncommon for vampires to celebrate a marriage, as it’s a sacred event for them. But this… this feels like a mockery. Like two mortals marrying outside vampire traditions, outside their place in the world. The applause is there, but it’s thin, filled with an undercurrent of frustration and rage. Everyone knows this is just a part of something larger—a game with much higher stakes than either of us can truly understand.
Jason steps down from the altar, holding out his hand to me. I take it, allowing him to lead me to the ballroom, where the dance will begin.
Where I will search for my other half.
If only I truly believed my soul would find it in him.
The haunting yetseductive melody fills the room, as each man and woman finds a partner, beginning the traditional waltz. This dance can stretch for hours or pass in minutes, depending on how quickly the bride and groom choose to dance with those around them, all while seeking their other half.
