Page 43 of Dark Princess Ascending

"Peter's going to lose his mind when he sees you." Lusha snorted. "If he can still form coherent thoughts."

Marina spun slowly, letting the skirt swirl around her.

For the first time that morning, her nerves settled. This was right.

This was perfect. In a few hours, she would walk down the aisle to the man she loved, and nothing else mattered.

"Okay," Larissa said, her voice thick with emotion. "Final touches. Something old?"

"Wonder's earrings." Marina touched the pearl drops that her friend had given her for the occasion.

"Something new?"

"Here." Wendy handed her a blue butterfly-shaped clip for her hair, and Marina transferred it to Larissa, who clipped it in place.

"Something borrowed?"

Aliya took off a gold anklet. "You can wear this."

"And something blue?" Lusha asked with a wink.

Marina patted her hair. "Check!"

"Naha." Wendy produced another tiny blue butterfly clip, and Larissa added it to Marina's hair.

The women burst into cheers and applause, and even Catrina joined in.

Marina felt tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes.

"Don't you dare cry and ruin my masterpiece!" Lusha wagged a finger at her. "Happy thoughts and not the mushy kind."

"Yes, ma'am." Marina saluted.

Wonder appeared at her side with a fresh mimosa. "Liquid courage. You can always reapply the lipstick."

"To love." Larissa lifted her glass.

"To new beginnings," said her mother.

"To family," Catrina said.

25

PETER

Peter adjusted his bowtie and studied his reflection in Jay's guest room mirror. In a couple of hours, he would be standing before the clan, pledging his life and love to Marina, and he couldn't wait.

Some grooms might be nervous or anxious, but all he felt was giddy excitement. Perhaps Kagra had been right, and he was in love with being in love, but what did it matter what path his mind took to get to this point and make him a happy male?

Fates knew that he faced enough crap in his work to suck the joy out of him, but thankfully, he had Marina to replenish his stores of happiness.

"You messed it up again," Jay said, appearing behind him. "Why do you keep touching it?"

Peter frowned. "I don't see anything wrong with it."

"That's because you're blind. It's crooked." Jay reached from behind him and adjusted the bowtie. "There. Perfect. Now leave it alone, and don't touch it again."

Peter was certain that the thing had been straight before, and Jay had made it crooked, but he decided not to argue and turned around to face his friends.