Courting the Phoenix (6 page)

It wasn’t as rare as the wedding of a Nexus, but it was the first time that the phoenix had negotiated a separate room until the wedding night.

The morning of the wedding, Elly wasn’t nearly as nervous as she imagined she would be. It was simple; she was too tired.

The phoenix had to be married during the three phases of the sun. That meant wearing her dress for a predawn walk into sunrise and that meant having a goblin lace her into a formal gown at four in the morning.

Elly yawned against the lacing.

“Keep still, Elly. I am trying to get an even lacing here.”

“Sorry, Galfor. Even when I had to work for a living, this was a little early for me.”

“Well, this is my revenge for you forcing me to throw out my design pallet and start again. Blue and silver. What self-respecting phoenix was ever imagined in blue and silver?”

“I know. I am a disgrace, but in my defense, I can say that from the records I have seen, I am the only one to go from air mage to flying fireball.”

Galfor patted her spine. “Fair enough. Tualion speaks very highly of you, by the way, and it is very hard to earn my cousin’s respect.”

“He’s a trooper. He drives like a swan.”

Galfor laughed. “His mastery of human technology is his true pride. He has limited magic but excellent hand-eye coordination.”

Elly couldn’t disagree.

Talinora and her mother were already dressed and having coffee and croissants at the table of her suite. “Are you sure that the dress will stand up to fire, Mistress Galfor?”

Elly smiled. “We have tested it, Tali. This is the third gown and the only survivor.”

Andora grinned, “Trust the professionals, Tali. Mind you, at this point, Terric will have her butt naked in the middle of an open field.”

Elly felt her face heat, but the sentiment was true. Dragons had a lot of patience, but he was at the edge of his. After all the waiting, he was done.

A knock on the door brought them to attention. “Ladies, it is time.”

Tali opened the door, and Tualion was there, wearing Terric’s colours. As the phoenix, it was up to Elly to gain her own bondservants but that would come as she grew into her new status.

Elly smiled and kissed Galfor on the cheek. “Thank you for your efforts on my behalf.”

“Thank you for the orb. It has purchased a wardrobe for five decades. By that time, I believe you will be firmly in your position.”

An orb of phoenix fire had been enough magic to purchase Galfor’s services on Elly’s own account. It had driven Terric a little crazy to find that she was giving away some of her magic, but it was hers to give away as she pleased.

The transformation power of a phoenix was legendary, and if Galfor kept the orb, it would rejuvenate her over the coming decades or possibly even centuries.

“Let’s head out then, ladies. Time is wasting.”

Their party headed out and into the elevator, guarded by Tualion.

Elly was wearing a white gown with a six-foot train embroidered with flames and feathers in a satin stitch.

Galfor was behind her, defending the honour of her pristine gown.

When they emerged on the main floor and headed toward the garden, Elly was shocked at how many folk had come for the open invitation. Several cell phones snapped a picture of her, but with the pendant hanging inside her bodice, she looked like any other bride anywhere in the world.

She laughed as the Oak Point Guard appeared in her vision. Even Seesee Montrose had brought her little girl along to watch the wedding. Tiny Gaia was rubbing her small eyes with her fists.

Abby and Xander were seated on her side of the aisle and the scarier creatures from Terric’s family were on the other side. Elly followed her mother and sister up the aisle toward her dragon, and when she joined him, she looked over their invited guests in the seats. They were the new generation on her side and the oldest generations on his. It was yet another point to their balance.

Terric took her hands, and they stood as the sun bathed them in the dawning light. “Together at last, Eilinora.”

“Together at last, Terric.” She smiled and leaned up on her toes to kiss him as the full impact of the rising sun struck her. Her skin caught fire, and it spread out in a wave, billowing down her back and extending her train down the aisle, a carpet of fire and magic that did not burn.

When the flame faded, she broke the kiss and smiled. “See you in six hours. Be here or be hunted down by a firebird.”

“While that sounds like fun, I will be here.”

They went their separate ways, each being congratulated by their family and friends.

Abby smiled brightly. “I am so glad that you stopped running, Eilinora.”

“I wasn’t running, I was hiding. The transformation wasn’t something I was prepared for and have you seen Terric? I can deal with him in shifted form, but he is a little overwhelming to invite into my bed.”

Abby laughed and gave her a hug. “It will all work out. Speaking of, what happened to your father?”

“He and the rest of the society are under tracking arrest. If they come within two hundred yards of me, they will pass out.”

“Nice.”

“Not really. They wanted to stop the process, but the moment that I met Terric, it was irreversible. The only way to stop a phoenix rising is to find her before she meets her dragon.”

“And you had already met him.”

“I bumped into him years ago at an event here at the hotel. After that, the fire started, and it has been growing ever since.”

“Are you happy with the way things have turned out?”

Grinning, she looked around at the gathering filling the grounds and hotel. “They aren’t done turning yet.”

Abby smiled, “So, how are you dealing with the day-long ceremonies?”

“I am used to them. Unlike you, I came into this from the paranormal society. I didn’t have to learn it all from scratch, though I am mystified to still have my air-mage skills.”

“Wow, you got to keep them?”

“Apparently.” She shrugged and suffered Galfor putting a giant bib on her to protect the dress while she had breakfast.

Abby stayed with her during the meal, and Talinora was delighted to meet the most powerful woman in their generation. Andora was star struck and delighted that her daughter’s new status was giving her a boost up the social ladder with the matrons of the high families.

The noon ceremony was simple. They faced each other, held hands and Terric kissed her while she burst into flame once again. She heard gasps in the crowd and laughed when the flame faded. This time, they retreated from the podium arm in arm, off for a garden party and luncheon.

There was dancing, laughter and the hotel staff was scrambling to keep up with the demand. They managed, but Elly noted the stress on their faces.

When they walked to the podium for the final ceremony, Elly felt a lightness in her heart. This was the purpose to her transformation. Light and dark, feminine and masculine, phoenix and dragon.

They met together in this kiss just as the blaze of the setting sun struck them. She felt her beast body flare out behind her and felt the waves of power from Terric.

She heard gasps in the guests and murmurs as their kiss continued until her fire covered him and his covered her.

He nipped at her lips and smiled. “It’s done. I am yours.”

“Now, dearest Terric, what am I going to do with you?”

He grinned, his suit tore and he lifted her in his arms, flying into the air and heading for the honeymoon suite at Hotel Spectre.

* * * *

Talinora sat at the head table, and when the burst of energy above them informed one and all that the phoenix had her dragon at long last, she laughed and raised her glass in a toast to the happy couple.

Andora had her pottery studio up and running, and Talinora had enrolled to complete her courses in business management. Terric had already offered her a job when she graduated.

The party was in full swing, and the amount of magical energy in the room was incredible. A pile of gifts, fifteen-feet high, swayed in the corner and waited for the phoenix and dragon to open them.

It was a good start for her sister. A new start. Talinora looked around at the people that had fallen over themselves to make introductions tonight and a few that had always been there for her. It made a difference to know that some of her friends had liked her when they were outcast mages and still were willing to be at her side now that her sister was a mythical creature.

The phoenix may have risen from the ashes, but it was her family that was getting a new start.

* * * *

At midnight, those who remained at the party looked up to see a streak of fire and a dark shadow playing tag in the sky. The streak of fire was faster, but she always let the shadow catch her.

After all, it was only fair to keep the balance.

At long last,
Courting the Phoenix
is complete. You can guess at what they were up to in their rooms, but that is left to your imagination.

The dragon and phoenix have always been images of air and fire, water and earth. The balance that they affected caused a ripple of prosperity to all around them. Now, with the Nexus involved, this ushers in a golden age for all in the world of the Nexus chronicles. Balance and power and love, oh my.

Thanks for reading,

Viola Grace

http://www.violagrace.com

[email protected]

Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.