Page 25 of Braden

While Braden was away on duty, Elodie had made a quick trip home to her own planet to pack up her life there. The king had insisted on sending a two person security team with her since she was now a key royal employee and the man and the woman had become her fast friends and been invaluable in helping her sort her things, pack and ship what she wanted to keep to Ardanna. Elodie had felt like an imposter with her own high level security guards but it did make the job easier and less lonely.

She hadn’t been required to give any further statements about Chet’s various crimes after all. He’d been killed in a mysterious accident while in transit from one prison to another. Elodie was told by the local SCIA agent that Amarotu Combine involvement was suspected but unprovable. “You don’t have to worry,” he assured her. “The Combine has no interest in you now Chet’s gone and there won’t be a trial.”

Once Braden returned home and resigned his commission, they planned their wedding. He’d given her a beautiful family heirloom as an engagement ring before he’d deployed. There was no martinet of a wedding planner, no slate of scheduled activities, no designer dress…Elodie wanted simple. She wore a white dress that molded to her curves the way Braden liked to see her and which she enjoyed wearing. There was a hint of lace and a small train. She wore a veil which had been handmade and was another Hartwell family heirloom and Braden’s mother cried with happiness when Elodie put it on.

Braden’s nieces and nephews were bridesmaids and flower girls and ringbearers and groomsmen in a collection of their most colorful clothing. Duke Nikko stood as Braden’s best man and Tamarind and Renald made a lightning 24-hour visit so she could be the matron of honor in one of her own designer dresses.

All in all it was the best day of Elodie’s life to date.

The reception was at one of the family’s restaurants surrounded by a mountain meadow and afterward Renald played tisba in the field with Braden’s friends and family members which Elodie was sure everyone involved was going to remember forever. The superstar was gracious and full of fun, passing shots to little kids and allowing himself to be tackled by the youngest nephew.

She and Braden had taken their honeymoon at one of the family’s remote chalets high in the Ardannan mountains and it was there they’d started flying together. There were a few other aergerone shifters in the extended family and over the centuries a method had been devised for their mates to fly with them.

Elodie heard a trumpeting call above her, breaking into her happy memories and she raised her head to scan the sky, shielding her eyes with her hand. Braden in shifted form came diving from the sun, to pull up with ease as he spread his huge wings and landed on the expansive balcony. He furled his wings and shook out his feathers and turned to stare at her, making the crooning sounds of affection. Elodie picked up the harness and saddle and made quick work of getting it buckled to his neck and shoulders. The first time she’d attempted it under the tutelage of one of Braden’s aunts had been an utter disaster, leaving herself and the aunt laughing so hard they could barely stand. Now she was an expert, a veteran of many rides.

Checking the buckles and straps to be sure everything was snug, she stroked the soft golden feathers at his neck and stood while he slid the tip of his beak over her cheek. She grabbed her coat from a nearby chair and shrugged into it. The air got cold at the heights Braden was going to soar. She got herself into the small saddle and took a tight grip on the pommel. There were no reins. Braden wasn’t a horse—he’d fly wherever and however he wanted but she knew he’d always be mindful of her safety and comfort. Elodie had signals she used to let him know if she needed him to land. And if somehow she managed to fall, she had no doubt he’d catch her.

Once she was secure, she called out,” We can go now.”

The wings snapped out behind her and Braden leaped into the air, his powerful legs giving him a jump start so he could catch the updraft and then they were spiraling aloft. As the mountains and valleys fell away beneath her, Elodie threw back her head and laughed for sheer joy.

Life with Braden was so much more than she’d ever dreamed of having and she’d never regret asking a good looking stranger to be her fake date for the wedding of the century.