Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
His eyes widened.
“Five hundred?”
She nodded.
“Sometimes more.”
Taurex frowned.
“Why so many? What is the need for so many people to attend a Joining?”
She laughed.
“You ask that like weddings are tactical operations.”
He frowned.
“They do appear logistically complicated.”
“They can be,” she said seriously.
“Then limiting attendance seems prudent,” Taurex pointed out.
Terra’s smile widened.
“You know, most men just show up and say, ‘Whatever you want, honey.’”
His frown deepened.
“That seems irresponsible.”
Terra laughed again, and Taurex felt the familiar warmth move through his chest. He had missed that sound far more than he should have.
But before he could think about it too long, a cheerful woman with short black hair emerged from the kitchen carrying a large tray covered with small white plates. Each plate held a narrow slice of cake with a different filling or frosting.
“Sorry to keep you waiting!” she said, setting the tray between them. “I’m Marcia. You must be Terra and Taurex.”
Taurex nodded.
“That is correct.”
Marcia’s eyes flicked upward toward his horns, though to her credit she recovered quickly.
“Well, congratulations on your upcoming wedding.”
Taurex felt his chest tighten but Terra gave the woman a bright smile.
“Thank you. We’re really excited!” she said. “And I’ve heard you make the best wedding cakes.”
“Well, we like to think so.”
Marcia smiled as she settled into the chair across from them and began arranging the plates.
“So I pulled together a little bit of everything. We’ve got classic vanilla bean with buttercream, chocolate ganache, almond with raspberry filling, lemon with raspberry mousse, red velvet with cream cheese, carrot cake, coconut cream and our champagne cake with strawberry.”
Taurex looked at the array in surprise.
“All of these are for us?”
Marcia grinned.
“Well, of course! You have to taste them all before you can pick just the right one!”
Terra leaned closer to him.
“We’re supposed to try everything.”
Taurex nodded.
“I am more than willing—they all look delicious.”
Marcia handed them each a fork.
“Well, dig in then. Let me know what you like.”
The first cake was vanilla. Terra cut off a small bite and tasted it.
Taurex watched her expression closely as she considered it.
“Mmm, this is good.”
“Only good?” Taurex asked.
She gave him a look.
“What’s wrong with good?”
“You made a face,” he pointed out.
Terra frowned indignantly.
“I did not.”
“You did.”
“What kind of face?”
Taurex attempted to reproduce it, and Terra stared at him.
“Do I really look like that?”
“When evaluating food, apparently.”
Marcia covered her smile with one hand. Apparently they amused her somehow.
“I’ll just step in the back for a moment,” she said to them, leaving the table.
When she was gone, Terra pointed her fork at Taurex.
“Fine. You try it.”
“All right—I will.”
Taurex took a bite. The cake was pleasant enough, soft and sweet with a rich cream coating but nothing special.
He swallowed and gave his verdict.
“It is acceptable.”
Terra’s eyes widened.
“Just acceptable?”
“Yes.” He shrugged. “I like it but it’s not exceptional.”
“You know, it doesn’t have to be perfect,” Terra said.
Taurex frowned at her.
“Just because we are only pretending to marry is no reason to serve mediocre cake.”
Terra shook her head, but the corners of her mouth were twitching as though she wanted to smile.
“You’re taking this way too seriously.”
Taurex looked at her.
“No, this is important. I intend to treat this with the same gravity as if we were really getting Joined.”
“Oh…okay.”
Terra’s smile faded slightly and for a heartbeat, the false nature of everything they were doing seemed to hang between them.
Taurex looked down at the plate.
“In Monstrum Joining ceremonies,” he said, choosing his words carefully, “food has significance.”
Terra leaned closer.
“What kind of significance?”
“The newly Joined pair feeds one another,” he told her.
“Oh, we do that too,” Terra told him.
Taurex looked at her.
“You do?”
“Yes—during the cake cutting the bride and groom feed each other the first bites of cake.” She gestured at the different cakes with her fork. “So how does it work in a Monstrum ceremony?”
“The male feeds his bride the first bite of food from his plate and gives her the first sip from his cup,” he said. “Among my people, the gesture signifies that he will always nourish and sustain her. It is not necessarily a sweet food, though some regions use ceremonial fruits or breads.”
Terra propped her chin in her palm and smiled.
“That’s actually really beautiful.”
“It’s practical,” Taurex told her. “A Monstrum must be able and willing to sustain and care for his bride. He must be willing to give his life to save hers. He must put her happiness before his own always.”
“Wow…” Terra was looking at him with an emotion he couldn’t quite interpret in her eyes. “Is that really how Monstrum feel about their brides?”
“If a male is lucky enough to be given a bride by the Goddess, he will do anything in his power to protect and care for her,” Taurex told her. Somehow they were looking into each other’s eyes, and he found he couldn’t tear his gaze away. “He will lay down his life for her without a second thought,” he added.