Page 130 of The Fighter
“It’s nice of you to offer, but the whole academy would be buzzing about it if a group of you mutants showed up. One of you is noticeable but a whole group is fucking terrifying to most people. Raven would hear about it for sure.”
“So? Let her hear that her friends have her back.”
“No, Zas. She’s too much of a fighter. She wants to do this on her own.”
“Don’t stress about it. We’re not police officers who knock on people’s doors and ask permission to come in. We’re trained soldiers who climb up walls or rappel down from rooftops. We might be large men, but getting in and out without being detected is what we’re trained to do.”
Taking another sip of my beer, I pondered out loud. “His name is Kaiser Martinez. I’ve met him a few times and I know he’s on the list of invited guests for the wedding ceremony.”
Zasquash snorted. “Why? If he’s a jerk, he shouldn’t be invited.”
“More than a thousand people are coming, Zas. The place is going to be bursting with every person of importance and with Raven and me being police, he was included.”
“So, what do you want to do?” Solo moved to the edge of the couch.
I thought about it and gave a sly smile. “Let’s just be chill about it. We’ll show Kaiser a private part of the manor and explain to him that Raven has a husband and some good friends that would get very upset if she isn’t treated fairly.”
Zasquash grinned. “That’s right. Nobody fucks with our Raven. She could get in trouble for beating up her headmaster, but I’ll gladly do it for her if needed.”
“Let’s hope that it doesn’t come to that. Problem is that Martinez is good friends with my boss.”
Solo crossed his arms. “I wouldn’t worry about that. You and Raven are friends with me and while Magni heals, I’m the acting Commander of the police force and the army. Honestly, I went through enough hazing myself when I joined the Huntsmen. I won’t tolerate anything less than fair treatment of any recruit at his academy and I’ll be happy to tell him that.”
Zasquash raised his beer up. “If Martinez is smart, he’ll know not to go whining to anyone about this.”
We clanked our beers and emptied the bottles before leaving my house.
“When you return here, you’ll be a married man,” Solo pointed out as we flew away, heading for the Gray Manor.
That thought made me smile.
Raven
It wasn’t the thousand people watching me as I walked into the ballroom that made me shy. It was Leo’s reaction to seeing me dressed up with the white dress, the make-up, and my hair styled.
At first, he gaped, and then as I came closer, I could tell that he was swallowing hard and blinking back tears.
Taking the last steps to stand with Leo in front of Khan, I smiled and whispered, “You look handsome.”
Leo was wearing his formal police uniform that enhanced his wide shoulders and amazing behind. Reaching out to me, he took my hands. “You look like a goddess, Raven.”
With a shy smile and soft crinkles around my eyes, I whispered loudly, “Don’t get used to it. This will probably be the only time you see me in a dress.”
With a big smile, Khan began his speech: “It was a blessed day when Raven and nine other children from the Motherlands first arrived at the Northlands back in 2437. Never had any of us men seen seven girls at once and I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I was always hoping that you girls would choose to stay and become Northlanders yourself.
“Raven, you were always one of a kind with your curiosity and desire to learn how to fight like a boy. Those among us who have had the pleasure of teaching you can testify that you’re a fast and technically skilled fighter.
“Your father, Boulder, and I often mused about what kind of man it would take to catch your interest. We should have known that you’d pick one of the Northlands’ finest. Leo has shown that he has intelligence, ambition, bravery, and superior fighting skills. You couldn’t have chosen a better partner, Raven.”
Leo and I smiled at each other.
“Traditionally, when a woman marries it’s for protection, but with you two, we all know that’s not the case. Nor are you marrying for money. The only thing that ties you together is mutual love.” Khan paused. “In this day and age, true love is something so precious that it’s worth far more than a million dollars.”
Murmurs of agreement were heard from the audience as Khan continued, “It’s my privilege to ask you, Leo da Vinci, do you take Raven Pierson Boulder to be your wife?”
“I do.”
“Do you promise to protect her, respect her, and love her?”
