“There he is,” Leif announces, looking like a proud father.
“The man of the hour.” Zakh smiles.
“I wasn’t expecting anything,” Malik says, extending his hand to shake mine.
I shake his hand, feeling more assured in my decision. “Are you okay with the role?”
“I most certainly am. It’s more along the lines of what I’m trained to do.”
“I thought so. I felt it would be more useful to put those skills to use.”
His smile widens. “Thank you.”
I glance at Leif, who nods his approval, then I look around for Viktor, who I’m sure has already left.
“Viktor’s gone,” Zakh fills in.
“That’s okay.”
“We thought maybe we could talk for a while,” Leif suggests. “Maybe you boys could get to know each other a little better before things become more hectic.”
“I’d like that.”
I know what he’s trying to do. Leif wants us to bond. As much as I just want to get back to Anastasia, I have to do this for him. And maybe for me, too.
Strength in numbers is probably what I need, especially with the Pakhan clearly suspicious of me and having Viktor as my enemy.
Chapter31
Desmier
Today is my wedding day.
The day is finally here and I feel different to how I thought I would.
Leif and I are in the dressing room at Hammond Castle, the wedding venue. This place is more suited to me.
Anastasia and I will be getting married in the ocean view private gardens.
The wedding will take place in half an hour, and everyone, including her, is here and ready.
Leif adjusts the purple sash on my shoulder, making sure it sits perfectly against my Knights tunic. The bearer of the Odin rune wears this sash when he’s getting married.
Leif was entrusted with mine after the Reaping. He’s giving me that proud father smile again, and I slip into one of my moments where I appreciate all he’s done for me.
He‘s dressed in his tunic too, but as he’s officiating the wedding, he’s wearing a white cape with a metal laurel leaf securing it around his neck.
“Your mother would have certainly loved to be here today to see you get married.” Leif’s voice carries that sentiment again.
The same sentiment he uses when he speaks about my mother in times when he knows she would have been proud of me.
There’s more affection in his tone today, for her and for me. It takes me back to when I used to wish he was my father.
“She definitely would. She loved weddings and talked about what she would do at mine.”
“That sounds exactly like her.” He laughs, and there’s an unmistakable sparkle in his eyes. “She’d be so cross though, that we chose a garden. Fryeda liked churches. She wanted to get married in church with lots of guests and her wearing an extravagant gown people would be talking about for years to come.”
That makes me smile.