Chapter 81
Chapter 81
The whispers had dulled, replaced by an expectant silence.
“Nonsense old friend,” the High Priest said. “There is nothing ceremonial about your presence here.”
Her lips twitched. “For the law within this country, my appearance is completely ceremonial.”
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“Ah, I do forget that.” He chuckled to himself and turned back. “This union will be conducted under my oversight and the blessing of the Goddess. Any who wish to object may do so now.”
Her sharp eyes swept the crowd, daring anyone to speak. No one did. That was almost surprising, considering the circumstances of our union.
I stood straighter, relaxed and even happy. Lucas was probably burning up with jealousy. Owen was floundering, watching his plan Backfire so greatly, and Theodore and I’s plan was all but solidified.
Theodore’s POV
I was a bit dazed by it all. How Violet had the foresight to invite these two, I had no idea, but I was grateful for it. I looked at the High Priestess and froze under her gaze. The woman’s gaze was sharp yet kind, an unsettling mix of familiarity and power that made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. As she stepped closer, her smile softened, though there was something knowing in her expression that I couldn’t place.
“You’ve grown up quite a bit,” she said, her voice light but edged with something ancient.
I blinked. I had never met this woman before, I was sure of it.
“And you’ve got your mother’s eyes. Clear and discerning, just like hers.”
Her words froze me. My mother? I blinked, unsure if I’d heard her correctly, but there was no mistaking the way she studied me. It wasn’t casual; it was the gaze of someone who knew me and perhaps even my mother.
A bit of excitement and hope that I hadn’t felt in too long bloomed in my chest. I searched the woman’s face for some sign of how. We were related through my mother? I wanted to ask, but asking now would only cause problems. Her smile widened, and for the briefest moment, her eyes shimmered with magic and it took everything in me to push down the desire to ask her.
“We’ll talk later,” she said cryptically, leaning back slightly. “This is your moment, Theodore. Enjoy it.”
I turned back to look at Violet, hoping for some clarification, but she was beaming at me as if everything was going perfectly to plan. The warmth in her expression was disarming, even as my mind raced with questions.
Before I could think further, Owen spoke again, his posture stiff and his expression hard.
“High Priest,” he began, his tone clipped, “perhaps it’s best if we proceed without delay.”
The High Priest only smiled at us. Then, he turned to Owen with a look of quiet authority that instantly silenced
him.
“There is no rush, Alpha Owen,” he said evenly. “It is rare to see such a pair at altar together.”
uldn’t help Owen bristled, but the High Priest didn’t so much as blink. Violet’s smile falter with confusion an but grin. They were going to confirm it for her. She couldn’t say that the High Priest or High Priestess would lie for her sake. He gestured to the fake priest still lingering near the altar.
“You can go, young man,” he said, his voice oddly kind and firm.
The fake priest didn’t hesitate, scurrying away. The High Priest moved to the center of the altar and beckoned for
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Chapter 81
the High Priestess to join im. Together, they began to prepare the ceremonial items on the altar. She removed the rings from the pillow before placing them in a bowl. The High Priest poured moonlit water out of a small vial. into the bowl. The rings started to glow. The air turned vibrant and electric around me.
I swallowed. My heart raced as I watched them, feeling more and more certain that my instincts were right. Violet watched on, clearly entranced by the display. The altar lit up. The crowd gasped. The High Priestess caught my eye with a knowing smile. She pulled a long strip of glowing white cloth and dipped it into the water. Then, she pulled it out and it turned into a length of glowing smoke suspended between her out stretched hands.
The warm golden light streaming in turned to cool, noonli mist around us. I felt a deeper sense of peace than I had ever known.
“Take each other’s hands.”
