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My whole face goes hot. I want to hide behind Kaelen. I want to hide under Kaelen.

Rhydian looks absolutely thrilled. He leans down and murmurs in my ear. "So. How do you feel about a winter wedding? I think we've all waited long enough, don't you?"

I laugh, a little breathless. "A winter wedding sounds perfect."

"Excellent," Zarek says.

And before I can say another word, he sweeps me right up into his arms.

"Zarek! I can walk!"

"I know," he says. He's smiling. It's one of those rare, real smiles that I've come to love so much. "But in that case, we have a great deal of planning to do."

And he carries me straight across the courtyard toward the enormous castle doors, with Rhydian and Kaelen strolling along behind us, looking entirely too pleased with themselves.

Servants race ahead of us to throw the doors open. And I feel like I've stepped right into one of the fairy tales my aunt used to tell me by the fire when I was little. The ones about princesses and castles and dragons.

I never thought I'd be living one of them.

Inside, the castle is even more beautiful. Enormous chandeliers glitter overhead, dripping with crystals. Our footsteps echo on polished marble floors. Grand staircases curve up toward the floors above, and tall windows pour golden sunlight across the halls.

And everywhere, solstice. Garlands wound around every banister. Ribbons hanging from every arch. Huge trees in the corners of the halls, covered in glass ornaments that throw little rainbows across the walls.

People hurry past us everywhere. Servants carrying trays and flowers and armfuls of decorations. Guards. Courtiers in fine clothes. And they all light up when they see the kings.

That surprises me. I'd always imagined kings as cold, faraway people. Untouchable.

But Rhydian calls out jokes to the servants as we pass, and they laugh and call jokes back. Kaelen nods to several of the guards, and one of them clasps his arm and grins like an old friend. People bow, but they're smiling when they do it.

They're not just respected. They're loved.

I think I love them a little more, knowing that.

Zarek keeps carrying me through the halls like it's nothing. And he's giving orders the whole way. Of course he is.

"Summon the finest seamstresses in the city," he tells one servant. "Prepare a great feast in celebration of our bride," he tells another. "And inform the stewards that there will be a royal wedding to arrange."

"The biggest winter wedding this kingdom has ever seen," Rhydian adds. "Bigger. Make it bigger than that."

"And somebody make sure the feast is worth eating," Kaelen says darkly. "I'll check the menus myself."

I'm laughing again. "Shouldn't you maybe ask the bride what she wants before you plan the whole thing?"

All three of them stop.

"Yes," Zarek says at once.

"Of course," says Rhydian.

"Absolutely," Kaelen says.

"Every detail will be your decision," Zarek tells me seriously. "Every one. Whatever you want."

"Even if I want the wedding in the stables?"

He doesn't even blink. "Then we'll have the stables cleaned."

Gods, I love them.