Page 22 of Fractured Souls
I didn’t care what we had to do—whatIhad to do—Lorcan would make it out of this alive if it was the last fucking thing I did.
CHAPTER8
Lorcan
“These are wedding dresses,”I said in a dry voice that didn’t match the flush on my cheeks or my nervous energy. Rhett chuckled at my observation but didn’t comment, continuing to play a unique looking board game with Desmond. The djinn offered a smile, but he also didn’t respond, both of them seeming to find my statement funny.
You know who didn’t find it funny? Dean and Draven.
“They are, little lamb,” Draven agreed, letting out a long sigh.
“Fucking ridiculous,” Dean rumbled, causing me to shake my head. Because itwasridiculous, and honestly sort of adorable, especially considering that Adriel was all but ignoring our commentary as he and Cash reviewed what appeared to be security plans for the event.
No, not the event. Thewedding.Let’s call it what it was.
“That’s because a wedding is exactly what this ceremony is,” Zander added helpfully. His gaze had been trained on me since we’d gathered in the sitting room following my nap. That was when the castle attendants brought in a series of dresses that were one hundred percent wedding dresses.
Luckily I’d already managed to shower and make myself presentable.
“Wedding dresses are normally white,” Adriel finally said, the pink tips of his ears belying his indifferent expression. He totally knew the bullshit he was trying to pull.
“These aren’t white,” I agreed, looking over the most delicate and beautifully crafted gowns I had ever seen—I wasn’t sure they were even made of cloth. Each one looked like it had been handcrafted with stars that twinkled in shades of purple, blue, and silver. The only reason I hadn’t grabbed one yet was that I was authentically concerned that my hands would just cause the ether that bound them to disintegrate—that’s how delicate they appeared.
“Nothing else to say?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“I already told you all about the ceremony,” he pointed out, smirking. “You knew exactly what this was.”
Except I freakin’ hadn’t! Although…alright, the ‘soul mate’ thing probably should have given me a hint.
“Fine,” I grumbled, eyeing the dresses and grabbing my favorite before stalking into the bathroom. The men were already dressed in matching black suits, though the silver accents on Adriel’s made him stand out among the group. They all looked lethally handsome, which I think was part of Adriel’s plan. He knew how they affected me, making me so freakin’ distracted that I hadn’t further questioned this literal wedding ceremony that was about to take place.
Honestly, I wasn’t nearly as nervous about this as I should’ve been.
I hung my chosen dress on a hook in the bathroom, excited to put it on, wedding dress or not. It twinkled in colors of the lightest seafoam green that would hug me tight from my chest down to my thighs, then began to deepen to a rich, dark blue as it flared from the knees to create a mermaid silhouette. A fitting choice, right?
Deciding to just go for it, I discarded my comfy robe and slipped on my heels so I didn’t have to bend over later to do so. Stepping into the dress, I slid it up my legs and over my hips before putting my hands through the diaphanous but tight long sleeves. From the front it was fairly modest looking with a normal neckline, but the back dipped low on my spine, adding a touch of sexiness.
The dress also fit the Kingdom of Night perfectly, the fabric matching the dancing lights in the sky. I swear, this place was by far one of the most beautiful and unique places I’d experienced, and that included the cosmos. I could practically feel the magic from the realm trying to reach out to me, trying to form a bond, and I would easily admit that it was a hard call to deny.
“Need help?” Zander asked, his face peeking around the door. I nodded, loving that he had somehow known I would need help with the buttons that ran up the small of my back. I tried to not shiver as his hands worked easily to pull the material tight, the dress fitting as if it was literally made for me.
If I found out that was the case, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least.
“Thank you.” I tilted my head up, and his gold eyes ran over me.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured, and my cheeks flushed, loving the feel of his magic against my own. I could tell that Zander felt both comfortable here and extremely uncomfortable. I had to assume that it was because he had lived here before, but obviously not peacefully.
I also couldn’t deny that his compliment made me feel…well, a lot of different things. Of course I’d heard that I was beautiful a million times before—that was what being a siren meant. You were beautiful to everyone. But when my men said it? When Zander said it? It made mefeelthat way, and I hoped that one day I could see myself the way that they saw me.
“Well, I probably should if it’s my wedding.” I scowled, causing him to chuckle, and I nearly patted myself on the back for keeping the conversation light and not awkward. Something that seemed to constantly be a struggle for Zander and me.
“A wedding we’re going to be late for if we don’t leave.” Adriel’s voice had me shooting him a teasing look before I grabbed Zander’s hand and pulled him with me towards the main room. I didn’t make it far before Adriel stopped me and Zander walked past, leaving me in the star elf’s clutches.
“Hey.” Adriel cupped my jaw, his cocky bravado disappearing. “You’re okay with this ceremony, right?”
His actual concern had me melting. “Yeah, just giving you shit, Adri.”
“That nickname.” He groaned and shook his head, but I could see the relief in his gaze. “I promise the others won’t be far—they’ll be feet away at most.”
