Page 54 of The Last Wish of Bristol Keats
“This one acceptable?” he asked.
“My favorite,” she answered. “Always will be.”
His eyes gently creased. “Mine too.”
As she dressed, he noted the shopping bag she had tossed onto her chaise. “Find any steals?”
“Steals?”
“That’s what I’m told you call shopping deals.”
She laughed. “You’ve been talking to Avery and Rose.” She turned so he could weave the laces on the back of her dress. “Yes, as matter of fact, I did—a lovely little flute for my sister Cat. I still need to find a wedding gift for Melizan and Cosette.”
“That’s all they were talking about tonight—the wedding. What do you think about it?”
“I think the timing is unexpected,” she said. “Swiftmight be a better word. But they’re clearly in love, so why not?”
“Right. Why not?” He pulled the laces tighter.
“Hey, easy back there.”
“Sorry.” He let the laces out a bit, and kissed her shoulder. “They were telling me about marriage traditions in the mortal world while we waited for you. There are some strange ones—throwing flowers and taking showers.”
Bristol laughed. “Giving showers,” she corrected him.
He tied off her laces and turned her to face him. “And traditions like getting down on one knee.”
There was something in his face, an earnestness that hadn’t been there seconds ago. “I’m not sure exactly how it’s done but maybe—”
“No, Tyghan. No.” She backed away, shaking her head, but he held on to her hands.
“Why not? You said it yourself. We clearly love each other.”
“Yes. We do.” She took a step closer. “I love you, Tyghan. More than I can even explain. Sometimes it almost hurts, how much I love you. But Melizan and Cosette are rushing their wedding along because they think they might die. And that is fine for them. But that’s not how I want to marry you. I want to marry because we have a lifetime ahead of us. Because we’re going to build something together, have adventures and babies and dreams together. I want to marry you, Tyghan, not because we’re going to die but because we’re going to live.”
His eyes turned dark. “Things happen that we can’t predict, Bristol. People die in battles like these.”
“Then you better not die, Your Majesty. I don’t plan to.”
He nodded, his teeth scraping over his lower lip. “All right,” he finally said, then fell to one knee. “Bristol Keats. I don’t want to marry you today, or tomorrow, or even next week, but when this is all over, I want you to be my wife. And I want to be your husband. Because I want to share dreams and adventures and babies and pizza with you. In the meantime, I’ll study up on the proper way to ask you to marry me so I get it exactly right, because I want you to know I would do anything for you.”
His unproposal twisted her heart in two. She cupped his face between her hands.Yes, we are going to have a long life together. Some things she felt to her core. Tyghan was her destiny.
Music vibrated in the air when they returned to the dining room. It was Rose, playing the piano in the corner. Bristol had almost forgotten that Rose was an acclaimed concert pianist. Her fingers danced effortlessly over the keys, and a serene smile lit her face, her chin tilted to one side, as if she was soaring along with every note, a current of air elevating her to someplace far away. The piece was “Für Elise,” at times very simple, and other times quite complicated. Just like life.
Everyone was transfixed, and Bristol and Tyghan slipped quietly into their seats. Cael angled a silent apologetic nod toward Bristol, and she offered one in return.
Bristol’s breath stilled as she watched Rose. It was like she was seeing two sides of her at once—the soft-spoken young woman and the majestic hawk—both sides coming together in a beautiful way. Finally, her fingers slowed, her hands rising dramatically from the keys, and she played the last few notes. Then she bowed her head in the silence, like she was honoring the composer.
Cael was the first to rise to his feet, as they all applauded her.
Rose shyly accepted everyone’s praise and joined them at the table just as servers descended on the room with the delayed dinner.
But then Ivy hurried in. She went straight to Bristol and handed her a sealed envelope. “I’m told it’s urgent.”
Dishes stopped rattling. Chatter quieted.
Bristol tore open the message and read it.
