Page 42 of Secretly Married To My Monster Alien Boss
But when Zamolxy insisted on officiating your union, you bowed and gave him the customary golden coin.
While Rynar had decided to blend human and Deruzians traditions for his clothing, Zamolxy had gone full Deruzian. He’d even dressed in the special crimson ceremonial robes, its golden symbols glimmering in the light Earth’s star emitted. His white eyes were set on Alissia.
Observing.
Rynar clenched his jaw and averted his gaze to the crowd waiting for the ceremony.
Deryg was still looking at him strangely, as if he couldn’t quite believe he’d polished his horns for Alissia walked down the aisle, statuesque in the white dress that hugged her curves just right, with the jewels Rynar had given her around her neck. His twin hearts stuttered.
She was gorgeous and proud as she walked down the aisle, her brother right beside her. The piece of cloth she’d called aveilcovered her face. But even through the embroidered fabric, Rynar could see her eyes.
And he couldn't stop staring.
Neither could she.
As soon as their gazes met, Alissia froze midstep. Rynar seemed to have forgotten his lungs liked air.
The rest of the garden faded away into blurry images and small echoes as they shared this moment.
They seemed to be having the same thought, mirrored between them.
Are we really doing this?
Strangely, the moment wasn’t marred with dread or bad omens. The feeling resembled excitement. As if Rynar couldn’t quite believe he was marryingher.
Sadly, the spell was broken by Zamolxy’s raspy voice.
“The union can proceed,” he boomed, breaking the stillness. Rynar released a sigh of relief. Zamolxy hadn’t sensed the lie. Curious.
The monk turned to the human priest. “Shall we start? Do we need to sacrifice thela-mbbefore or after?”
The priest blinked one too many times. “That’s…that’s not how we do things. Anymore.”
“Pity,” Zamolxy said. “Our ancestors enjoyed a good battle against the beasts that roamed the plains.”
“Well, a lamb isn’t a beast. It’s small and doesn’t have any teeth or claws. It’s a baby of its species.”
Zamolxy’s eyes hardened. “What triumph is there in slaying a youngling that cannot defend itself?”
The priest’s mouth opened and closed. “None. Which is why we don’t do it anymore.”
Rynar shared a smile with Alissia, as she began to walk toward him again. Everything in this wedding was out of the ordinary.
The ceremony went on, a soft lullaby of a song floating in the background. Alissia kissed her brother on the cheek as they parted. Damian gave Rynar a solemn nod, with a flinty glimmer in his eyes; he had the same determination in his gaze as Alissia. It was a simple gesture, but one which meant the same on Deruzia as it did on Earth:Be careful–or else.
Rynar knew Damian’s human strength was no match to his own. Which made the gesture that more courageous. He appreciated the young man for being protective of his sister.
Damian took his seat on the bride’s side–another curious custom. On Deruzia, witnesses stood together. The couple was creating a new existence and that meant their loved ones also blended in.
The soft tune seemed to swell along with Rynar’s twin hearts as Alissia finally stood in front of him. His hands rose and lifted herveil, just like he’d seen in those human wedding videos he’d studied.
He wanted to get the traditions right.
While Alissia had been out searching for a dress and finding decorations for the garden, Rynar had been on the hunt for a ring. He already knew which one he would have wanted on her finger, but it was locked away in the unbreakable vaults of Di’Avol Bank, back on Deruzia. He had no chance of getting his hands on it until after he received his full inheritance.
He’d tried finding a similar ring, but they all paled in comparison to the original. None of them felt right for Alissia, no matter how many millions they cost.
So he’d gifted her the one jewelry set he had taken with him before leaving Deruzia. Something to remind him of what he’d lost and what he could gain, if only he allowed himself to hope. The same one his father had gifted his mother after their own union, to bring good luck to their shared future.
