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  “What was her name?” she asked.

  Shareis shrugged. “Wouldn’t say.”

  Sighs of relief washed over the crowd when Shareis took her place at the altar. Frasie went inside the house.

  “One very soaked, muddy Proctor is waiting for you,” she announced.

  Nivvy beamed a bright smile, gathered her bouquet and kissed Frasie on the cheek as she bounced to the door.

  Cherin hugged her. “Thank you, Frasie.”

  Nivvy looked down. “Your dress…”

  Mud stains decorated the lower quarter of her skirt.

  “I tried to keep it clean. Cherin, can you cut the bottom off?”

  Cherin laughed. “No Frasie. I’m not ruining your dress.”

  “Believe me, I’m not worried about keeping it. You know how I feel about dresses.”

  “You’ll be fine,” Cherin said.

  “You’re right.” She took a final look at her beautiful friend. “Besides, Nivvy, you look gorgeous, and today that’s what counts.”

  “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “Sleep all day, keep your nose in books, and not get enough sunshine.”

  “I love you, Frasie.”

  “I love you too.” She opened the door. “Now get out there—you sexy woman—and make Shareis an honest Proctor.”

  Nivvy took a few steps, then Frasie realized she needed to be in front. She raced around Nivvy and stopped her.

  “Bridesmaid is supposed to go first.”

  Her handsome Aiden approached and extended his arm. His welcoming smile melted the nervous energy bubbling inside her. She grinned with pride as they walked to the altar. She stood to the left of Farius, leaving room for Nivvy. Aiden stood between Shareis and Jarris, Nivvy’s adopted brother.

  A violinist played music as Nivvy, escorted by Ren and Cherin, proceeded down the aisle. Her exquisite white gown took on an ethereal glow in the mist. Ren and Cherin took their seats while Shareis took Niv’s hand.

  “Sorry,” Shareis whispered.

  Nivvy smiled and shook her head. “Forgiven.”

  Farius cleared his throat. “Words cannot describe what an honor it is to preside over the binding of my daughter, Niv’leana, to her eternal love, Shareis. It is with deep sadness I missed part of her life, but my heart is filled with profound joy as I see her in all her beauty and confidence, now before me. I am honored to welcome her mate to my family. Both Niv’leana and Shareis have prepared vows, so this old man will watch with pride as they profess their undying promises to one another.”

  Niv took a deep breath. “As High Priestess, I have wed many couples. I watched them shake and weave as they kept a precarious lid on their anxiety and wondered what could be so scary about promising to love one another. But standing here, before you, Shareis, I understand it now. It is not fear, but sheer exhilaration. The thought of waking up each morning beside you brings me to a state of such bliss that I now am the shaking, clammy bride. Spending the rest of life with you, my love, is a privilege and a blessing that I will cherish every day of my life. I am yours, Shareis, now, and forever.”

  Shareis smiled, then swallowed hard. “Speaking in public does not come as easily to me. But as our dear friend Frasie advised me, I must speak from the heart. Niv, it is no secret we met under trying circumstances. And yet, despite my sins, you forgave me. You took me into your heart and embraced who I was. And in doing so, you transformed me into the woman I am now. And now, that woman stands before you, hair soaking wet, dress covered in mud, hoping you will continue to let me stay in the indescribable warmth that is your love for the rest of my life.”

  Nivvy wiped a tear from her eye.

  “Niv’leana, High Priestess of the Ael’Shanar, do you promise to take Shareis to be your wife, to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, holding her forevermore?”

  “I do.”

  “Shareis, do you promise to take Niv’leana to be your wife, to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, holding her forevermore?”

  “I do.”

  “Niv’leana and Shareis will now exchange rings, a symbol of undying love. As a circle has no beginning, no end, so shall your vows, your love, and your devotion.”

  She and Aiden both handed them their rings.

  “Niv’leana, take the ring and place it on Shareis’s finger.”

  “With this ring, Shareis, I thee wed. It is a sign of my love. I have chosen you, above all else.”

  “With this ring, Niv’leana, I thee wed. It is a sign of my love. I have chosen you, above all else.”

  Aiden handed Farius a multicolored rope. Niv and Shareis extended their hands while Farius gently wrapped the cord around their wrists.

  “This cord symbolizes your love and your eternal promise to one another. No steel, might, or magic under the heavens shall ever sunder its bond. In its grasp, you are one.”

  Farius took their hands. “By the powers vested in all of us, through which I am blessed to channel, I declare you bound forevermore. A new family is born, and a new chapter begins.” He turned them to face the crowd. “You may now seal this magic with a kiss.”

  Shareis and Niv’leana kissed, then Farius held their clasped and bound hands in the air. “It is my honor to introduce to you to this happy couple. Pray they go in peace.”

  The crowd applauded.

  “This ceremony has now ended. Merry did we meet, and merry do we part. Please, partake in the food and refreshments.”

  Nivvy and Shareis couldn’t stop smiling. Cherin, Mauria, her mother, Solvi, and even some male guests shed joyful tears. The focus was on her friend, of course, but Frasie only had eyes for Aiden. What did their future hold?

  Chapter 5

  Niv wrapped a blindfold across Shareis’s eyes and escorted her into the forest. The ground had dried from the rain, lifting a refreshing scent into the air. The iridescent plants and glowing mushrooms provided a faint hint of light along their trail. After a brief walk, they arrived at her favorite spot—the clearing in the woods that had consumed so much of her free time.

  She had arranged numerous candles, kept safe in open canning jars, on and around the stump, sending soft light dancing across quilts on the ground. She positioned Shareis inside the clearing, then took off the blindfold.

  Shareis remained silent as she scanned the beautiful, rustic scene in the flickering candlelight.

  “This was my favorite spot in the world, Shareis. And now it is again, because you’re here with me.”

  Shareis smiled. “You did all this… For me?”

  “Of course.”

  Shareis ran her hands over the ragged edge of the stump. “I just didn’t expect it. I… I thought we’d stay the night at Ren and Cherin’s house.”

  “Well, we can go back there if you—”

  “No, no… I’m not complaining.” Shareis brushed a lock of her hair from her face. “You continuously surprise me.”

  “I wanted to share this special place with you. And—since this is our first night as a married couple, I don’t want to have to worry about who’s in the next room.”

  Shareis grinned. “You are brilliant.”

  Niv kissed Shareis. “That’s why you married me, isn’t it?”

  She led Shareis by the hand to the edge of the quilts. Shareis looked around them. “Are you sure we won’t be disturbed?”

  She shrugged. “Hardly anyone came here during the day, let alone at night. No one will bother us.”

  Shareis removed her Proctor’s dress, leaving on her black halter chemise. “I’ve got to clean this.”

  “We can do that tomorrow,” she said.

  Shareis tossed it over the stump, then wrapped her arms around her waist as they kissed again.

  “I wanted to leave my wedding dress on for you,” she said. “To have you take it off me. But you’ll have to settle for this boring, simple thing.”

  “It wasn’t practical to leave it on all day.”

>   She slipped off her dress. “But I had the seamstresses make something special—just for you.”

  Shareis’s eyes glistened as she looked at her new, mid-length lace-lined chemise.

  “Do you like it?”

  Shareis’s fingers whispered across her bare shoulder blade. Her heartbeat quickened as her wife lowered one of the thin straps and pulled her closer.

  “I love it.”

  The two kissed and eased onto the quilts. Shareis laid her down and straddled her, then pulled the silky fabric over her head. She ran her hands up her lover’s stomach and caressed her breasts.

  Shareis leaned over to embrace her. Niv’s skin grew goosebumps as Shareis dragged her hard nipples across her. Shareis positioned her chest over Niv’s mouth and sighed as she kissed and sucked on her breasts.

  Niv could feel her lover’s excitement against her skin as Shareis mounted her. She took shallow breaths between passionate kisses as Shareis rocked on her legs. Her fingers dug into Shareis’s back and her muscles tensed as they intensified their pace. Their cadence quickened to a fever pitch, and she climaxed. Shareis continued to thrust against her until her body trembled in the peak of her own pleasure.

  Shareis collapsed next to her, and they both cuddled under the thick canopy of the Jeweled Woods. Sweat beaded on her skin despite the cool late fall air.

  “You’re amazing,” she said.

  “You say that nearly every time.”

  She circled Shareis’s nipple with a teasing, feather-light touch. “Mmm hmm. Because it’s true.”

  Shareis kissed her shoulder, then ran her fingers along her stomach. “I can’t keep my hands off you.”

  Shareis sat up and started kissing her lower abdomen and thighs. She eased Shareis down and faced her away, then grabbed her hips, pulling her to her mouth. Shareis’s thighs twitched as she gave her long, slow licks. She held Shareis close, taking in the irresistible scent of her lover as she focused her complete attention on providing pleasure. Soon, her wife’s hips bucked, and she cried out in ecstasy.

  She held Shareis’s sweat-covered body as she recovered. Her love rolled to her side and started running her fingers along her thighs. She parted her legs, beckoning Shareis to touch her. Shareis sucked on her finger then ran it over her, sending a shiver throughout her body.

  She closed her eyes and cherished the sensations Shareis’s talented fingers provided. She shifted her legs and gripped Shareis’s hair as the passion rose, then grabbed her breasts, tensed, and cried out into the night far louder than she had intended.

  Shareis grinned, then returned to her side. “I see why you were worried about your parents’ thin walls.”

  She chuckled. “I can’t help it.”

  Shareis nestled her head on her breast. “I know. And I love it.”

  She ran her fingers through Shareis’s hair. “I still owe you one.”

  “You know we don’t keep count.”

  She giggled. “How could we?”

  “Today has worn me out,” Shareis said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved every minute of it.”

  “I understand. I’m tired, too. All that worry is exhausting.”

  Shareis looked up at her. “I’m sorry I was late.”

  “Don’t be sorry. You couldn’t help it. I knew you would come.”

  Shareis gave her a critical eye. “Are you completely sure?”

  “Of course.”

  Shareis exhaled. “Good. I was afraid you’d think I left you at the altar.”

  “Not a chance. By the way, who helped free your wagon?”

  Shareis stared off into the darkness. “She didn’t want people to know.”

  “Really? That’s strange.”

  Shareis pulled a quilt over them. “It’s getting a bit chilly.”

  She nestled closer to her. “We’ll keep each other warm.”

  “I love you, Niv.”

  A gentle breeze rustled the canopy above them.

  “And I you.”

  Chapter 6

  Dew soaked through Frasie’s tunic and grass clung to her hair. It didn’t bother her, though. The price she paid for the best shot at a prize buck demanded an early morning sacrifice of comfort. A large slab of venison would make an excellent present for Nivvy and Shareis. A quick release of her bowstring was all that stood between her and her wedding gift.

  Before she could release her arrow, the buck fell. No running, no struggle, and certainly no noise. It just collapsed. A bush partially obscured her view, so she gathered her bow and rushed to investigate. She didn’t quite reach the spot of the mysterious kill when she heard a rustling sound. She figured it might be the wounded animal, but she saw that couldn’t be the case. There was no arrow and its fur seemed undisturbed. She searched the corpse and found its neck slit.

  She looked around but saw no one. Whoever was responsible couldn’t have gotten away this quickly. Besides, why would they leave their meal? She almost asked who was there, but immediately thought better of it. Instead, she sighed and hung her head in an overly dramatic manner, then slowly walked away.

  The bushes rustled again. And again. She paused and waited for a more substantial noise. She raised her hand, keeping her muscles tense. In one smooth, quick motion, she nocked an arrow as she turned. By the time she faced the noise, the answer to her mystery was in her sights.

  The cloaked stranger raised her hands. “Are these your lands?”

  She lowered her aim but kept her bow at the ready. “Yes. Well, not me, specifically. They belong to my family.”

  “I apologize. I had no idea. The kill is yours.”

  She approached with caution. “I didn’t fire my arrow.”

  The woman pointed to the ground. “But you own this land. And I was poaching. I didn’t know.”

  “We don’t have poaching laws in the Jeweled Woods,” Frasie said. “What’s your name?”

  “I… I would rather not say.”

  “I want to know the name of the woman who can slit the throat of a buck without it knowing.”

  “I take no pride in the kill. I only wanted to eat.”

  “There is no other reason to kill,” she said. “At least around here.”

  She knew the lady was about to run. There was no tell-tale sign. Perhaps it was the shift of her gaze, or the distance in her stance. Her instincts told her she would soon dart. And she was right.

  The stranger could run, but Frasie knew the terrain. Branches constantly flung in the woman’s face, but Frasie sprinted around them with ease. After a successful hop across a small brook, Frasie knew she had her. The woman’s foot sunk deep into a pocket of mud, clasping her ankle and sending her straight to the ground.

  A metal whirr sliced the air in front of her. A shiny dagger kept Frasie at bay. “Don’t come any closer.”

  Frasie panted. “I’m not trying to hurt you!”

  “Then why are you chasing me?”

  “You started to run!”

  The woman screamed in frustration. “I surrender.”

  “Surrender to what?”

  “You!”

  She shook her head. “I don’t understand. You help Shareis out of the mud.” She pointed at her. “Yes, you. I recognize you. You attend her wedding, then come on our land and somehow take down a buck with a dagger. I mean… That’s amazing. And then, when I accidentally catch you, you run like you have something to hide.”

  “I am a simple peasant—”

  “Don’t give me that. You don’t hunt like a peasant and you don’t run like a peasant. You are a soldier.”

  “So are you. You’ve killed.”

  “Of course. I’m a huntress.”

  “No… You’ve taken a life.”

  An image flashed through her mind of the guard she killed. His panicked eyes. The blood gushing from his neck. That awful noise he made as he fell to the ground.

  The woman stared into her eyes. “You never stop being a soldier.”

  “Who are you?”

&nbs
p; “I’m a Proctor.”

  “I know that from your dagger. But that’s not what I mean, and you know it. What’s your name?”

  “Lilly.”

  She searched her memory. “Lilly—hmm. How do you know Shareis?”

  “She was a friend.”

  She took a step closer, well within the range of Lilly’s dagger. Lilly increased her grip on the blade in a threatening manner.

  “Any friend of Shareis is a friend of mine.” Frasie offered her hand but kept it ready to pull back at the first sign of movement.

  “I don’t trust you.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “Well, you’re stuck in a mudhole. Your options are limited.”

  Chapter 7

  “Can you walk?” Frasie asked.

  Lilly tried to put some weight on her ankle. “No.”

  She wrapped her arm around her shoulder. “You can lean on me.”

  Lilly pulled away from her. “I’ll make it on my own.”

  She shrugged. “Whatever you want. You know, Nivvy can heal that ankle. She’s amazing. She can heal anything. Well, almost anything.”

  Lilly limped a few steps and propped on a tree. “That won’t be necessary.”

  She pointed to Lilly’s ankle. “You’re not going to get very far on that.”

  “I’ve made it through far worse.”

  She sighed. “Are all of you Proctors so difficult?”

  Lilly turned her head. “Difficult?”

  “Eh… You know, hard to deal with. Stubborn. Frustrating. Hiding your true feelings. That sort of thing.”

  “Stoic.”

  “Is that another word for difficult?” she asked.

  “It means we don’t complain.”

  “Ahh… Then I would be a terrible Proctor.”

  “Proctors also avoid small talk.”

  “I’ve noticed that,” she said. “Shareis is quiet. Most of the time. Unless she has something to say. Then she explains it in detail, but not too much detail. She seems to know exactly how much—”

  “I am in a hurry. Will you point me in the direction of town?”

  She motioned toward Brenloh. “That way.”

  “Thank you. If you won’t hold me for poaching, I’ll take my leave.”