Page 139 of Jace
“Will you… Damn, sorry…” Now Sire’s getting choked up.
I lift my gaze from Viv and glance around the room. Our love is making tears contagious. Most of the queens are dabbing their eyes, Mom and Sasha too. Even Grant, the fucker, quickly swipes one away.
Guess through their initiations, they saw me sitting, suffering and alone without Vivian. Guess they want this for us as much as I do.
“Ahem. Will you love Jasha…” Sire coughs, asking Vivian, “Sorry, I mean, will you loveJaceabove all with your heart?”
Goddamn, he’s killing me.
More than any brother, as boys, Sire witnessed how I was punished for my heart.
With a voice full of emotion, he continues, “Will you give our brother, more than any other, a life worth fighting for? Will you honor him, even in death, as his queen?”
“With all my heart,” Vivian promises.
“Deliver them?—”
“Wait,” I interrupt before he finishes. “I, uh, I have something…”
I lift a ring from my pocket, holding it poised over Vivian’s right hand. “Will you honor me, Vivian Tate, and wear this as myqueen?” She blinks, and I swallow the lump in my throat. “It’s a Russian wedding ring with three gold interlocking bands: yellow for fidelity, white for friendship, and rose for love. Inseparable, like us. But if you don’t like it, I?—”
“I love it.” Vivian offers her trembling hand. “I’ll proudly wear it for you.”
“Forus.” I slide the ring down her finger.
Sire side-mumbles, “Now, can I finish?”
Grant sniffles. “Please, fucking do.”
Soft laughter ripples across the room before Sire prays, “Deliver them safe from wrath and danger. Preserve their bed and fill their home. Let them see their children’s children.” I lift Vivian’s new ring to my lips. “Crown them, king and queen together, tonight, and in the stars forever.”
I kiss her ring before kissing her, tasting the happy tears on her lips as The Queen begins a round of applause.
It’s jubilant for a moment before Axel rises, taking over the ceremony from Sire.
Wow. This is it.
Seeing Axel, our first King, standing before us floods me with peace. I’m suddenly struck with a divine sense of completion.
This is the final vow.
Seven kings love seven queens.
Our family has prevailed.
Love defeated Hate.
In a way, I don’t want it to be over. The journey of filling every throne has been like one of my romance books that I don’t want to end.
Sasha remains the last one, but being our only sister, she deserves her own story as Axel entreats, “Which brother here will vouchsafe as a second king, declaring this union honorable and protected? Who here will pledge that should Vivian’s firstking perish, he will guard our queen and their children in his stead?”
“On my honor, I do.” Nick stands, taking a kiss from Zar before he joins us.
Axel smiles. It’s so fucking rare, it’s like the sun rising over a glacier, his icy eyes sparkling with our final oath. “Will you, Jace, accept Nick as Vivian’s second king?”
My throat tightens. “Proudly, I do.”
Vivian reaches her ringed hand for Nick’s. “Proudly, I do too.”
