Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
A moment later, she appeared in a stunning red sari with gold embellishments that she’d borrowed from her auntie. Bangles adorned her wrists, covering part of the intricate henna work that blossomed up her arms. But it was her red-lipped smile that stretched wide at the sight of her groom that made her dazzling. Her father was at her side, tears in his eyes, as he walked her down the aisle, handing her off to Nate with his blessing.
The ceremony was emotional and a little bit silly. A perfect blend for the day and these people. They exchanged vows that they’d written themselves, eliciting both tears and laughter from everyone in attendance.
Next, Nate retrieved a long, gold-and-black beaded necklace with a diamond at the end—the mangalsutra. The name translated to “auspicious thread.” It was traditionally given by the groom to the bride to join their souls, like a thread wrapping them together. Though Nate had warned her about this tradition, Kierse hadn’t considered what it would feel like to see it in person. As they spoke words of blessings, Nate draped the necklace around Maura’s neck, binding them together.
Kierse gripped Graves’s hand as the final words were spoken. Her bruises from her own binding were still visibly yellow and ugly. Even if this joining was blessed, it didn’t make her feel any less sick about it. Like she was the ill-fated interloper in their midst.
She wished more than ever that she could let her absorption down and have Graves feel what she was feeling. Instead, she endured it all alone. Their connection had been shattered as swiftly as the one with Lorcan was reinforced.
“Are you going to be okay?” he whispered against the shell of her ear.
She nodded. Even though she felt sick to her stomach and wanted nothing but to walk swiftly away from this entire thing. She wouldn’t.
He squeezed her hand and kept it tight in his as Nate and Maura said I dos and kissed. The crowd rose to their feet, cheering on the newlyweds, Kierse, Gen, and Ethan screaming their approval. Even Graves gave them an appropriately timed whistle. Nate continued kissing Maura, perhaps a touch longer than propriety dictated, but everyone just cheered louder.
The cheers were cut short when the doors burst open behind them and in stormed a parade of full-size trolls.
Chapter Seventy-Four
“What the fuck?” Kierse asked Graves.
He pulled her toward him. His first instinct was always to protect her. It was then that she realized that she needed protection—she had no idea how to use her new magic. She was a creature of stealth, and while her Fae abilities still made her physically strong and fast, without her wisp magic, she was at a severe disadvantage. She hated it.
Graves unholstered a gun from within his suit and clicked the safety off. A second later, he slid it into her hand. Well, that certainly helped.
Terror was a living, breathing thing on the rooftop as the trolls kept coming, forming a perimeter around the partygoers, blocking them in. Dreadlords shifted on the spot, surrounding their guests defensively and snarling their anger at the intrusion. Only Nate remained on two feet, holding his wife behind him. The trolls pushed in, finally forcing Nate to shift to his wolf form and jump at the first troll who came after Maura. In the interruption, the second troll got his hands on Maura, lifting her effortlessly in his arms.
“Maura!” someone screamed from the front row.
Kierse held the gun loose at her side, prepared for whatever came next. Had they all become complacent? So used to the way things had changed since the Monster Treaty, they hadn’t expected an attack? What could the trolls even be after, interrupting a wedding? Or…who was controlling them?
“Men of Valor,” Graves said.
Kierse noticed a small woman with black hair cropped at her chin step out onto the roof. The Dreadlords snarled as one at her entrance. She smirked, a wolf’s grin if Kierse had ever seen one. A cadre of monsters of every kind lined up behind her.
Kierse lifted the gun and leveled it at the woman’s head. She wanted to pull the trigger, but if she did, chaos would surely erupt. A troll had Maura. They were surrounded. Fuck.
“Who the fuck is that?” she asked.
“Nova Lee,” Graves said.
“Nate’s opponent for the convocation?”
“Yes.”
“What’s she doing here? Can I just shoot her?”
“We’re about to find out,” he said through gritted teeth. “If she makes another move, put a bullet between her eyes.”
Gen was shaking in front of her, but Kierse could already see her magic gathering at her fingertips. Ethan was doing the same—there was enough plant life on this terrace for him to be beyond formidable.
A Dreadlord rushed at Nova. In the blink of an eye, she shifted into a small, sandy wolf. Despite her stature, she was ferocious and went straight for the throat, ripping it out of the wolf who’d attacked her.