Page 228 of Fallen Stars

Adrian motioned for the two to kneel, and Elara looked back at Enzo as she knelt opposite him.

Leo stepped forward.

“A king in our kingdom kneels for no one. Not his family, not his citizens, nor his country. But for his wife —for his queen—he will bow.”

Enzo inclined his head. “She already knows I like to be her throne.”

Elara slapped his arm, tutting as the others chuckled.

“It is also Helion tradition to bind you together with a golden thread,” Isra added, stepping forth. She produced a long and beautifully sparkling ribbon. “This ribbon is sacred. It has been passed down by seers in Helios for generations. Like the threads of fate, this has its own magick, one to further bind and bless two souls —two souls who are equals in every sense of the word.”

Enzo took Elara’s right hand in his left, squeezing it gently. Elara had never felt such an overwhelming love.

Isra gently laid the ribbon over their two hands. “With this first knot, your souls will promise to find each other, no matter how far you tread.”

Isra looped the ribbon together before wrapping the two sides over and under Elara’s and Enzo’s hands.

“With the second knot, your love will transcend time and space. It will be a love spoken about eons after this ceremony, when this world is but a star in the sky.”

Isra created a second knot before repeating the same motion.

“And with the third knot, your magick will be tied, and you will be able to drink from each other’s powers.”

Elara’s eyes widened as she gazed at Enzo. “What?” she whispered.

“I didn’t know either,” he replied, grinning.

“May your lives be filled with love, with peace, and an eternity in each other’s arms,” Isra finished, closing her eyes. Ice blue magick spilled from her, bringing with it the scent of pine and peppermint. Elara heard a cheer, finding Adrian and Leo clapping and cheering. Her heart was thrumming against her chest, her face aglow with happiness.

“And now for the Asterian part of the ceremony,” Merissa declared, sashaying up to the small stand. “Being part Asterian, it’s only right I do the honour,” she winked.

Isra and Leo kissed Elara on the cheek, hugging Enzo too before making their way to their seats.

“In Asteria, gifts are given—ones that speak to their beloved’s soul. And with it, vows are made—promises to each other.”

Elara had thought long and hard what to gift Enzo for their wedding. And had settled on a first edition of The Mythas of Celestia. She had made Eli track it down, communicating through their ring. If anyone could locate it, it would be the god of knowledge, and he had deposited it via crow when they were still sea-bound. She felt the smooth foiling of it beneath her thumbs as she presented it.

“Enzo, I grew up believing that true love only existed in the books that I read. Within the pages, trapped in my palace, I would dream of being shown a love that I read about. And then I was told my prophecy. And I gave up on my dream. I resigned my fate to fall in love with a Star.

“But then, you shone into my life.” Elara bit back a sob. “And you showed me…” She sobbed again, finding it difficult to breathe. Enzo squeezed her hands, tears brimming in his own eyes. “You showed me what I never thought I deserved. You gave me patience, knowing what we thought was my fate. You gave me comfort. You gave me reverence. You made me feel like more than just a princess with a prophecy. Enzo, everything you touch turns to gold. And you took a sad, lonely girl, who had no faith in the world or in love, and made her shine.”

She produced the book, her tears flowing freely now. She heard a sob and turned in alarm.

“I’m sorry,” Adrian said, pressing his hands to his eyes. “That was just so beautiful.”

She heard Isra snort behind them and grinned through her tears.

“This book was the first thing we had in common.”

“Except for your simmering sexual tension,” Isra called out.

“And monstrous egos,” Leo winked.

Everyone laughed.

“You sat with me when I was broken and read this book to me every night until I fell asleep,” Elara continued. “This story is a part of ours. It speaks of the mythical creatures that we now know were waiting for us, of the world we once ruled. And so, my darling nearly-husband, I gift this copy to you.”

Enzo took the book from her, his hands shaking, and flicked it open. “You annotated it?” he breathed.