Page 62 of Silver & Smoke
When they reached Wilder, Malik hugged his brother, and a few muffled laughs sounded from the small crowd as he practically dwarfed Wilder. When he hugged Thea, he lifted her bodily from the ground, which only resulted in more laughter.
Talemir chuckled and stepped forwards, taking Malik’s free arm and guiding him to the seat they’d brought for him. Wren blinked back her tears at the tenderness between the two men.
At last, Wilder took Thea’s hands in his and smiled. Wren’s heart seized at that smile – not begrudging Thea her happiness, not for a second, but... in the light of such love, she wished that she could give the Warsword at her own side the same public acknowledgement. That it wasn’t another man’s ring on her finger.
Kipp clearing his throat brought her out of her thoughts. ‘I’m sure I’m not the only one who is relieved to find themselves here at last,’ he said with a smile. ‘Finally, we get to witness the union of Wilder Hawthorne, the Hand of Death, and Althea Embervale, the Shadow of Death. They have asked me to keep this short and sweet – and devoid of my usual charming humour...’
A laugh bubbled from Wren’s lips – a tall order for Kipp indeed.
‘So, I will simply say this,’ Kipp continued, his smile warm and genuine as he looked from Wilder to Thea. ‘It’s been an honour and a privilege witnessing you both fall in love, watching you overcome adversity, both in wartime and in times of peace. The Furies made you for one another, and what an absolute joy it is to be here at your wedding today.’
Wren wished that she could give Torj the same sort of celebration, the celebration he deserved.
‘Wilder, your vows, if you please?’ Kipp said.
It was like the rest of the world did not exist for the Hand of Death. He had eyes only for Thea as he spoke. ‘I had a vision of you when I was held prisoner in the Scarlet Tower all those years ago...’ He drew a shaky breath. ‘It was not of darkness and torment, or the war that was unfolding around us at the time. It was ofthis.’ He took a ring from his pocket and held it out. ‘It was a vision of slipping a simple silver band onto your finger, of calling you my wife.’
Wren saw Thea’s lip quiver, but Wilder continued.
‘Thea, no amount of time with you will ever be enough. Am Iworthy of you? No. But I will spend the rest of my days trying to be, with everything that I have. We have belonged together ever since you spied on me atop these very cliffs. I have longed for the day I could call you my wife, and now you are... I love you, and I always will.’
Wren’s tears spilled as Thea’s did, and the sniffling around her told her she wasn’t the only one feeling the onslaught of emotions.
Wilder slid the ring on Thea’s finger and smiled. ‘You’re up, Princess.’
Thea’s answering smile was radiant. ‘Ever since I met you, life has been one giant adventure. As your apprentice, as your friend, as your enemy, as your lover, there hasn’t been a dull moment. We have been through so much together and apart, not to mention when I hunted you across the midrealms for a year... But my world does not exist unless you’re in it. I love you with all my heart, from the depths of my soul, and promise that I always will, until the last of my days.’
Thea slipped a larger version of the same silver band onto Wilder’s finger, and they beamed at one another.
‘Well, not that I haven’t already seen enough of this, but... you may now kiss the bride!’ Kipp declared.
Wilder swept Thea up in his arms, oblivious to the rose petals that were being thrown around them, and kissed her soundly.
As Wren palmed away her tears, a warm presence pressed against her left side. The familiar scent of black cedar and oakmoss wrapped around her senses, and a large hand covered hers, just for a moment.
And then the Bear Slayer was gone, off to congratulate the happy couple.
CHAPTER 33
Torj
‘A warrior’s second can count for everything’
– Bear Slayer, Warsword of Thezmarr
IT WAS JUSTlike Wilder and Thea to get married on the brink of war, and Torj loved them all the more for it. As Kipp had said, they were made for each other – steel meeting steel in a fiery blaze. They moved together through the throng of well-wishers, fluid like one body of water through the valleys of the realms. They were always touching, always together, speaking a silent language only the two of them understood. Radiating joy, they laughed and kissed and embraced their loved ones with absolute certainty. Torj only wished he could be so bold, so resilient in the face of all that loomed ahead.
He had watched the tears stream down Wren’s face as the Warswords exchanged vows, unable to draw her into his arms, unable to press a kiss to her brow. Gods, had it made him ache. And amid the festivities of a real wedding, it was impossible not to think back to when he and Wren had played the role of husband and wife. It hadn’t mattered that it was all just a ruse; laying claim to her with that word for the world to see had felt so right.
He gripped his goblet to keep the tremor in his hand at bay and stayed to the edges of the celebrations, not wanting to detract fromthe happy couple. Wilder was right... This was something to fight for.
The scent of spring rain and jasmine came to life around him as the crowd parted, allowing Wren through, that intoxicating fragrance thoroughly tormenting him as she drew nearer.
What are you doing, Embers?he called to her through their bond.
The corner of her mouth twitched as she replied,Coming to talk to you, Bear Slayer.
As much as Torj wanted to be with her, they couldn’t risk Lucian’s wrath – not now, not when they had come this far.That’s not a good idea. Lucian—
