Vows in Blood and Silk

ding is

qu

. Grand halls. Hundreds of guests.

allies. Trusted names. Faces t

ce in a private chapel

. Tall windows. Gu

n h

ially

ite gown. No heavy lace. No lo

acle. Less

. His hands tremble slightly

ve to do this

him a sm

now that's

kers acros

is my

s softly. "It

kes hi

s a mi

at him c

aved l

ay have enda

n respond, th

. Si

oors

nds at t

Straigh

he way he did the

tro

his eyes

hing

osses

triu

cu

thing in the room he

down the a

yes on her from

ust g

ar

likely, on n

s not

a st

es Luca, he of

take

rip i

ea

e," he murm

ru

es

rches h

e says softly,

e escorted s

the

tightens

uld es

nods

n I

ickers in hi

li

ows b

ional

alty. Protectio

e echoes gently t

rings, Luca slides the ban

ru

fo

n his hand, she notices so

ar across

l

hes her

al hazard,"

most s

them husband and wife,

lo

tro

s down to

ss is

sur

slightly at her wais

ent p

war

annot

on is small

e f

music

osphere rem

ugh feel

nce is ca

beside Luca as

ratulate

bserve c

ilver hair studies h

than she looks,

rs without

kno

s slowly an

rns to

ien

ll

n't sound

ld, that is

s a sip

re is armed,

es

nside a

es

hales

like this

es

u're no

pa

etim

y surprise

, one of Luca's guards

ly. "Movement near t

ession does

ndl

r n

r

s hang i

eels her p

hing the wedd

es

f we're d

es

her gla

are

es mee

N

-

guests leave, Isabella steps ou

ght is

st

railing and looks ou

approach b

es not

nside managing your

es," Luca

ds besi

ut not t

trouble toni

es

ll went thro

es

hy

tponing woul

ies the

never s

how it ca

toward him

he

oks a

ts something wo

reath

is worth p

ng p

u a

ds heavier tha

things you

ot wast

ettles be

eels diff

s s

cha

s his face

ant this wedd

N

hy

witne

wh

weak

fr

k love is

motion is

u tied your

es

make you

N

es it ma

ds her

mitt

ls stronger

away first

ause sh

needs spac

p sound cracks t

ns

os

y c

Luca pulls her down be

hields her

hots r

ds s

nt eve

t pounds

own," h

ile," she whis

now y

her

sil

ns

av

onds, a guard appear

ickly. "Warning shot from

not move i

s the d

cul

wly help

hurt?"

N

re sh

ang

most

oo

ares a

is you

es

ow it'

es

e stre

y, "You could have c

es

didn'

ng p

his answe

uld not bend,"

est ti

nge reason to

he only

ies him

tly, "you wanted someone

shifts s

ay

feels da

here for a m

os

ng the

touc

be a

y a

a staff member watc

uickly int

empt

staye

mes almost

ncrease

mber deletes

n to

e not

e

e night set

peace fe

por

rns to

now," he sa

fts he

n't shut

udies

o

re

won

not ro

not

t is

be more dange