Page 64 of Shattered Magic
Smith and Argyle were brushing their formal suits into pristine arrangements.
“So, have any of you been to something like this before?”
Tremble shrugged. “The wedding of a demigod? No. This is going to be a very specific event for the history books.”
“I didn’t think that they were allowed on this realm,” Benny mentioned.
“And yet, here we are. They are more benign than demons, so I believe there has not been a reason to fight them. Plus, many of them have taken up a position in the mage guild. That is probably having some effect.” Smith smirked.
Benny checked her makeup and turned back to her partners. “So, are we ready to raid the buffet?”
Argyle chuckled. “We are. It was very nice of Zerul to put us up in the mansion.”
Benny led the way to the door. “Yeah. It was very nice of him. We must have caught him at a weak moment.”
Smith smiled. “He was definitely distracted.”
They laughed together on their way through the hall to the ballroom. It was going to be quite the party.
* * * *
Hari was getting dressed with the other ladies, and looking around, she smirked. “This looks like a nymph convention.”
Asta chuckled. “I believe that was the idea. I also saw a reveal orb getting set up by the local mages. So, we are going to see our power signatures overlaid on our bodies.”
Eon chuckled. “Glad the ballroom has high ceilings.”
They chuckled at that. Twelve women in total were smiling in long Greek-style gowns wrapped with gold cords and made of different shades of silk.
To Hari’s eyes, they looked more like a bridal party than offerings. “Well, the dresses explain why no one was worried about the fit of these outfits.”
Gen chuckled. “They do tend to fit any size, and a light fold can accommodate any height.”
They were all wearing sandals with kitten heels, and Hari smiled at the new faces that friends had recruited in the group. Everyone met the criteria for the evening, and they all had an amused expression as they looked at the other ladies, all knowing that Zerul was already taken.
Hari led the way to the ballroom with her wings out and stared at the mix of males whom the governor had invited. Arkus was watching intently for Vega’s appearance, and he didn’t relax when he saw her. He tensed up.
Hari made her way to the spot on the floor that held the mix of memories. She stood as the other ladies took their positions and softly laughed as Arkus diverted Vega from her position. One of the backups took the spot.
There was a chime, and Zerul’s door opened. He stepped out in a formal black suit, and his horns had obviously been polished.
He walked toward the first in line, which was Livia with her wings out. Then, there was a pulse of energy from the crowd, and the ladies changed. Asta’s long ponytails were soft grey bunny ears, one of the other ladies had delicate doe horns, and Eon looked very tall. Gen had her bat wings. One of the ladies had gleaming scales, and another was made of stone. The woman in white flames was a surprise, as was the jackalope and the lady just glowing softly as the spare.
He spoke softly to each of them until he got to Hari. He smiled slowly. “Anhara, my consort. A woman of cunning, patience, and stamina.” He went down on one knee and pulled a ring from his pocket. “My dearest mate, will you be my partner, my consort, and my own from now until the day we mutually part this coil.”
Hari looked down at him and stared.
He grinned. “Do you have an answer?”
“My answer is yes, but I was wondering about looking down at the top of your horns and calculating forever.” She felt the flush in her cheeks.
He grinned and slid the engagement ring onto her finger. “I wonder what position would engender that angle?”
Her face got hotter.
He chuckled and got up for a congratulatory kiss. “It looks like your bridesmaids are already dressed. Come with me.” He looked at the others and nodded. “Ladies, this way.”
Hari took his hand, and they walked out of the ballroom and onto the grounds. She covered her mouth in astonishment. Flowers everywhere. An arbour covered with flowers was set, and the happy exclamations behind them showed that the ladies were just as affected.