Fateful Magic (The Star-Crossed Series Book 8) by Rachel Higginson Read Free Book Online

the
most-perfect smile.
    He looked like a god up there, something out of
fiction.
    But he wasn’t. He was very real. And he was going to
be my husband.
    I felt a surge of Magic at that thought. The dormant
life-force in me suddenly burst to life and I picked up my pace, anxious to
bind myself to this man I loved so incredibly.
    My father gave us away and Avalon started the service.
Talbott didn’t say a word to me, almost like he couldn’t. Instead, he took my
hands and gazed at me with a look of pure adoration, one that I would never
forget.
    I didn’t listen to a single word Avalon spoke the
entire time. I was too busy staring into Talbott’s eyes and getting lost in those chocolate depths.
    A thousand thoughts swirled around in my head. Grateful ones that we’d been able to get to this point in our relationship
and our lives. Fearful ones for the things that were
yet to come. Excited ones for the future I planned on sharing with this
man. And happy ones. So many happy
ones.
    “Lilly.” Avalon broke through my blissful haze. “Repeat after me.”
    And I somehow did. Through some kind of miracle, I was
able to hold Talbott’s searing gaze and repeat the
old-fashioned vows Avalon gave me.
    “In the presence of God and these our family and
friends, I take you to be my husband, promising with Divine assistance to be unto
you a loving and faithful wife so long as we both shall live.” Talbott beamed
with pride, especially when I continued, “I commit to never leave you, to
follow you. For where you go, I shall go, and where you remain, I shall remain.
Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I
shall die and be buried beside you.”
    And then it was his turn. “Lillian Elizabetta Mason, iubita mea, in the presence of God and these
our family and friends, I take you to be my wife, promising with Divine
assistance to be unto you a loving and faithful husband so long as we both
shall live.” I had never heard more beautiful words ever spoken. I understood
the soul-shaking pride that Talbott had felt not moments before. And then he
continued and I thought I would burst into a million happy pieces. “I commit to
never leave you, to lead you. For where you go, I shall always be, and where
you remain, I shall always remain with you. Your people will be my people, and
your God will be my God. Where you die, I will follow immediately for even in
death I will never leave you.”
    “The rings,” Avalon said in a voice I was confident
held a wealth of emotion.
    Kiran handed over the rings
that we would exchange. Talbott’s was indestructible
platinum, but a simple band. I had my dad have it inscribed. It simply said, “I
want to know you more.” Those were the words that set our entire adventure into
motion and I would always hold them true. I would always want to know him more. Always.
    And I couldn’t wait to show him that part later.
    Avalon continued with his instructions, “Lilly, place
the ring on Talbott’s finger and repeat after me.”
    “I give you this ring as a sign of our covenant. With
all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.” The ring slipped onto his finger
and something eternal and never-ending clicked together inside me. He was my
husband.
    For now and forever.
    He repeated the words and slipped the most-valuable
possession I would ever have onto my finger. “I give you this ring as a sign of
our covenant. With all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.”
    Tears slipped down my cheeks. I couldn’t help it. I
stared down at the pretty silver band and the emerald stone centered in the
middle. The stone was large but not too big. It glittered at me under the
twinkling lights, promising happiness for the rest of my life.
    Because that was what Talbott was for me. No matter what we faced in the months, years, and
decades to come, Talbott would always be my center, my calm in the storm… my endless
source of joy.
    It would take us a while to learn to