Page 46 of Dark Princess Ascending
The gathered crowd watched expectantly as she climbed the steps all the way to the dais that had been decorated with more flowers—white roses and blue delphiniums that matched the wedding party's theme.
As Annani took her place at the top of the dais, a cheer went up from the assembled guests. She lifted her arms and dipped her head in greeting but refrained from addressing the crowd. Today, there would be a slight deviation from the tradition theyhad been crafting since the first wedding of Kian and Syssi.
Jackson and Vlad walked up to the foot of the stage with guitars in hand and plugged them into big amplifiers that had been placed there ahead of time. Jasmine stood between them, radiant in a flowing yellow dress, her smile bright as she looked up at Annani and nodded.
Then, with another slight nod to her accompanists, she lifted a microphone to her mouth and began to sing. Her voice soared pure and strong over the gathering, filling the air with promise and joy.
Under the music's cover, Peter and his groomsmen approached from the side.
Annani's heart warmed at the sight of him. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo, but more than that, he seemed to glow with happiness, and as he climbed the steps to stand before her, she saw no trace of doubt in his eyes.
The groomsmen arranged themselves at the foot of the stage and then came Marina's bridesmaids, a parade of blue dresses and bright smiles.
Finally, Marina herself appeared, and a collective gasp rose from the crowd.
She was stunning. The mermaid-shaped dress seemed to float around her as she moved, and the blue gems sewn into the white fabric reflected the afternoon light. But it was her face that trulycaptured attention—the pure joy and love radiating from her expression as she looked at Peter.
As Marina climbed the steps to join them, Annani felt her earlier prayer echo in her heart. Surely, the Fates could see what she saw—two souls perfectly matched despite the barriers between them.
Surely, they would find a way to keep them together.
Marina reached Peter's side, and as he took her hand, their fingers instantly intertwined. The love between them was almost tangible, a golden thread binding their hearts together.
Annani looked out over the assembled crowd—her family, her clan, each face holding the same hope she felt, the same wish for this couple's happiness.
Jasmine's song drew to a close, the final notes hanging in the air like crystals, and in the silence that followed, Annani drew herself up, ready to begin the ceremony that would bind these two lives together for however long the Fates allowed.
27
MARINA
Marina's heart thundered in her chest as she walked toward Peter, her dress whispering against the wooden steps of the stage. His eyes shone with such love and joy that she almost forgot to breathe. When their gazes met, his face split into a broad, beautiful grin that made her weak at the knees.
"Beautiful," he mouthed as she reached him. "So worth the wait."
She wanted to tell him that he looked incredibly handsome in his tuxedo, that her heart felt like it might burst from happiness, but she held her tongue. With the Clan Mother standing before them on her raised dais, it didn't seem appropriate to speak, even in whispers.
Marina had seen the goddess several times by now, but her presence still took her breath away. The otherworldly beauty, the glowing skin, andthe raw power emanating from her elicited awe and the kindness and love radiating from her inspired adoration.
Annani was a real goddess, or as real as it got, but regrettably, she didn't have the power to grant immortality. That particular miracle, if it came at all, would have to come through Kaia's and Bridget's research.
The crowd's cheers and whistles felt like a precious gift, the warmth of their support washing over her. This was the community that had taken her in, accepted her, and made her one of their own despite her humanness. Wonder and Wendy were grinning as if their own sister was getting married, Lusha was beaming with pride, either at Marina or at her handiwork with her makeup, and in the crowd, Marina's mother dabbed at her eyes while her father held her hand.
Even Peter's mother was smiling and clapping.
Everyone knew the challenges that lay ahead, but today wasn't about that. Today was about love, hope, and new beginnings.
Annani waited for the crowd to settle, her presence commanding silence without the need for words. When she finally lifted her hands, the air itself seemed to still.
"Beloved family," she began, her voice carrying effortlessly across the gathering without the help of a microphone, "we are here today to witness thejoining of two hearts, two lives, two souls who have chosen each other despite all obstacles."
Marina felt Peter's fingers tighten around hers.
"Some might say their path will not be easy," Annani continued. "That the differences between them are too great to overcome. But love—true love—has never concerned itself with such worldly limitations."
Tears pricked at Marina's eyes. She blinked them back carefully, remembering Lusha's warnings about her makeup.
"I have watched Peter grow in the Guardian force to become a leader." Annani's gaze shifted to Marina. "And I have watched Marina brave a new world with grace and courage, earning her place in our community through her strength of character and the purity of her heart."