Hyacinth - By Abigail Owen Page 0,68

close to waking.”

“When?”

Hugh shrugged. “Days. Weeks. Months even. It’s hard to tell.”

Selene reached out and gave the girl’s hand a squeeze. She wondered if yet another mystery would ever be solved. She patted Hugh on the shoulder.

“Thank you. Keep doing what you can for her.”

Hugh nodded and continued his work. Selene and Lila headed out.

“Let’s go find Ellie,” Selene suggested. “I could use some wedding planning time after the day I’ve had.”

Lila grinned. “Now you’re talking.”

Chapter 43

Two weeks later, Selene stood outside the castle’s chapel doors. She listened to the ancient bells chime, calling the congregants to assemble. She smiled at her friends. Lila and Adelaide stood beside her, also dressed in violet blue gowns designed to mimic the style of the bride’s, only without the train. The color of their dresses had been chosen specifically for the way it mirrored the bride’s stunning eyes. The three girls carried bouquets of pure white flowers decorated with sparkling crystals.

Ellie stood next to them in her wedding dress that Lucy had sewn for her, a replica of the party dress Audrey Hepburn had worn in the film Sabrina. Diamond white, it was a strapless satin sheath decorated in velvet embroidery in an elegant, flowery design. It hugged her body and accentuated her delicate curves. The dress was pure Ellie. It was complemented by her bouquet of a tumbling mass of deep blue and purple flowers.

Radiant happiness glowed from her as though she were lit from within. The sun itself couldn’t compete with the stunning young bride today.

The organ music started to play inside.

“Ready?” Selene asked Ellie. A smile of pure joy lit Ellie’s face.

“Absolutely.” She leaned forward and kissed Selene’s cheek and then did the same to Lila and Adelaide.

The girls lined up in front of the door. Griffin moved to stand beside his sister, offering her his arm. One of the servants opened the heavy doors, and Adelaide and Lila went first. Then it was Selene’s turn to slowly, gracefully walk the long aisle that led to the front of the church. She’d been so touched when Ellie had asked her to be her maid of honor that she’d actually cried.

As she walked down the aisle, Selene looked at the faces in the crowd and was pleased by how far her people had come in such a short time. Vyusher stood peacefully side-by-side with Svatura, as well as with their new Louisiana allies and friends. Out there, somewhere, Maddox continued to be a threat, but today was a day to celebrate.

Desmond gave her a wink as she passed, and she held back a small grin. He really was incorrigible. Selene reached the front of the church and sent a sweet smile to Alex, who stood next to Nate and Ramsey.

Now it was Ellie’s turn.

But rather than watching the bride, Selene watched Alex. As soon as the first strains of the bridal march started playing, he took a deep breath and his face lit up as he saw his bride for the first time. Tears blurred Selene’s vision at the look he gave his te’sorthene… love, devotion, adoration, partnership, respect, wonder… She’d never seen a man look at a woman like that before. As if she were perfect. As if she were the center of his entire world.

Selene moved her gaze to Ellie, who was gliding down the aisle on Griffin’s arm, and saw the same look on her face reflected back at Alex.

Selene kept her focus fixed on Alex and Ellie throughout the service, never once giving in to the almost overwhelming temptation to glance at Griffin, no matter how handsome he looked as he stood across from her. She had declared her love to him, but in the weeks following the battles, he still had not said one word to her about it. She’d often caught his gaze on her. But he didn’t approach her.

So Selene kept her eyes on Ellie.

Oren performed the ceremony, and it was beautiful in its simplicity. Ellie and Alex both said their vows in clear, confident voices, their eyes never wavering from the other. Many guests wept silent tears of joy when the groom escorted the bride back down the aisle.

The reception was held in the Great Hall, which blazed with thousands of bright, white candles and was covered with flowers of white, purple, and blue. Wine flowed, music played, and laughter filled the air as all celebrated the union. In honor of Ellie’s gypsy heritage, the bride and groom exchanged and ate salted bread,