I heard a sharp whisper, and looked over to see Brett and Bella with their adopted ogre kids who had been rescued from the harpies. Bella was trying her best to keep the little scamps under control. I laughed softly to myself. Derek and I were fortunate that Ben and Rose had been fairly easy as children. It was only when they’d grown up that they became a handful. All the fear, the worry, and the anxiety as they both navigated the supernatural world…let’s just say if I wasn’t an immortal I’d have quite a few gray hairs on my head. It had all been worth it, of course—watching them grow into adults with children of their own gave me and their father pleasure that we’d never even anticipated. The love and strength of our family just seemed to grow.
Jeriad’s son Heath had also come for the day, traveling from the Hearthlands. It was good to see him again, and I wondered if we’d be seeing more of him in the future after he neared the end of his celibacy vow. He was such a good kid, and his rugged good looks were developing more with age, something that the younger female residents of The Shade hadn’t failed to notice.
Arwen and Brock were holding hands, standing so close you couldn’t fit a dime between them. I also spied Orlando, standing near Regan—his eyes flitted over to her continuously throughout the ceremony, while Azaiah glanced at him occasionally, looking unsettled. Near the dragons stood Aisha, Horatio and Riza, the little girl held between her parents; they were obviously elated to be reunited with her, both of them looking down lovingly as she merrily chatted away to herself, sweetly oblivious to what was going on around her. My dad and Kailyn were standing with Hunter, another rescue from the harpy orphanage. The werewolf cub was doing well, his new parents blossoming along with him. It warmed me in ways I couldn’t express to see how Hunter brought out the tender side of my father.
The music started up again, and the two couples made their way back along the aisle. Corrine and Mona had created special ‘confetti’ for all of us—each guest had been given a small paper box to be opened at the end of the ceremony. I lifted the flap of mine, and laughed in delight as four butterflies danced up into the air. They were joined by hundreds of others, their bright wings creating a beautiful, kaleidoscopic drape over the newly-weds.
We all followed them out to the lake’s shore. Amidst the cheering and wolf-whistles, Hazel and Ruby threw their bouquets up in perfect unison. Rose and I jumped back, along with some of the other mothers, while the younger GASP members rushed forward in a delighted frenzy. There were screams of laughter as Field caught Hazel’s—well, it was more of a case of the falling flowers landing in his arms. He rolled his eyes, trying to push it on to one of the more enthusiastic girls, but they wouldn’t let him. Maura, standing next to him, blushed furiously—even more so when Orlando gave her a sly wink.
I noticed Queen Nuriya and Sherus standing near one of the trestle tables, and started making my way over. Sherus had remained on the fire planet after returning briefly to Nevertide, and I hadn’t expected him to return to The Shade. It had come as a surprise to us all when not only had he returned, he had stayed on these last two weeks, spending most of his time with the jinni queen. Their unlikely friendship had surprised us all; clearly there was a romance blossoming there, and I was glad—Nuriya deserved to find love and her own happy ending after all the trauma she’d been through, losing her love along with every other male member of her family, and all she had done for us.
Standing near them, but slightly out of the way, was the Oracle. She had remained in The Shade far longer than we had expected her to. She would be off after the ceremony today, but hadn’t told us whether she’d be returning to Nevertide or not. She looked imposingly beautiful, wearing a dress that Corrine had lent her, one that set off her impossibly pale skin and white-blonde hair. The strange dark markings danced across her skin. She had explained to us that they represented time—the ever-changing moments of the past and the future, forever etched onto her memory. She seemed slightly sad today, and I wondered if it was because she’d be leaving us.
It had taken a while for many of The Shade’s residents to warm up to her—the usually kind-hearted River in particular. She remembered the Oracle sisters too well, but no one could forget the Ancients. Still, most had come to accept the Oracle—she was too kind and gentle for many to be put off for long. I couldn’t help but feel a great deal of compassion for her. Living up in that mountain for most of her life, in complete solitude, was a horrific concept, one I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.