Brushing the excess snow from his hair, coat, and boots, Hollis entered the kitchen. Inadvertently tracking water across the floor, he made his way toward the stairs that would guide him to his floor to change. Just as he rounded the corner, he stopped short of colliding with Rhysand.
With raised brows, he opened his mouth to apologize, but Rhysand held a hand up. Jaw tight and brows set, he nodded toward the open door of the library.
"Madja has an announcement."
Hollis's stomach plummeted to his feet as the hair on the back of his neck prickled. Swallowing silently, he nodded and followed Rhysand to the library, where everyone (except Nesta) waited.
Supplying a soft smile that didn't quite reach her tired eyes, Madja nodded, "I think we're all here. Nova has requested that we proceed with the ceremony."
Rhysand closed his eyes and nodded while Hollis' jaw dropped as his eyes widened.
Quiet filled the space as Madja continued, "Not of want, but of necessity. Bear this in mind, Hollis. Her choice is nothing that goes against you or your character, but she is ready to complete the marriage so that lives may be spared."
It wasn't a foreign concept to Hollis. He understood, likely more than anyone, as he'd spent his entire life with the knowledge that one day his life would be tied to another, not out of love, but obligation.
He hated it.
He wanted nothing more than to marry for love as his parents had before him, but he had always known that his choice didn't matter. Not in this regard. And though his soul wept, his spirit rejoiced that there may be an end to all this. The starvation and the frigid temperatures. The sickness that took over the Dawn Court and the barren seas in the Summer Court.
Feyre gripped the armrest of the sofa and breathed deeply through her nose. She wasn't surprised, none of them were. They'd all known what Nova would choose…she'd always choose others over herself. It was like being told your family member had a terminal illness; everyone knew the inevitable, but knowing the outcome since the beginning didn't spare this dagger to the heart.
"She's requested that only myself, as a witness. And a Priestess be in attendance, if that suits Hollis's desires as well."
Raising his brows, Hollis merely nodded.
Viviane nodded, "We can summon our-"
"I think not," Nesta's voice cut in as she strolled into the library flanked by Emerie and Gwyn, "We have our own, thank you."
Looking up from the floor, Rhysand couldn't contain his smile, "Emerie…Gwyn. It's good to see you."
"Likewise," Emerie smiled and exchanged an embrace, addressing the room with a soft sigh. "Our girl always does get up to trouble, doesn't she?"
Gwyn took the seat next to Ana and took her cold hands in hers with a slight frown. "Nesta informed us of everything. Why did you not tell us? We could have helped…"
Soft in her voice, Ana managed a small, defeated smile. "If you need to question my motives, then Nesta did not tell you everything."
Though Nesta did not look Ana's way, her eyes flashed as she leaned against the wall nearest Cassian, who too wore a deep frown.
Frowning, Gwyn nodded, "We'll discuss more later. I imagine it's time for the ceremony?"
Madja nodded with a curt smile, "This way."
Together, Gwyn and Hollis followed Madja, where they'd soon seal the fate of the world.
Nova stared vacantly ahead at the wall as she tried to focus her attention on anything except the throbbing in her back. It radiated from the center and out to her fingertips and toes. It was like pulling all your muscles at once and being unable to alleviate any of the pain.
She was suddenly very eager to retake the tonic.
Just as she began to dare herself to move and take some pressure off the tender points of her body, there was a knock at the door, and it slowly swung open. As expected, she stared at Madja and Hollis, but then her gaze settled on someone else, and her eyes widened.
"Don't you dare try to get up," Gwyn smiled softly as she approached her bedside and kneeled. "Emerie is just downstairs, and injured or not, if she suspects you're not behaving yourself, I see it within her right to address the behavior accordingly."
Nova grinned as tears touched her eyes, and though she couldn't do much more than give her a tender squeeze, she nodded, "I've missed her reprimands."
Furrowing his brows, Hollis watched their exchange and committed it to memory.
"Shall we begin?" Gwyn asked gently, glancing over at Hollis, who nodded.
Nova pursed her lips, "Yes."
With a nod, Gwyn removed her satchel from her shoulder and laid out the massive, aged tome on top of Nova's bedspread.
"Hollis," she addressed, "You may kneel to the right of the bed. This will not take long as we won't be exchanging only but the necessary vows. You both understand that this is a binding, lifelong commitment. It is too powerful to strip away. It cannot be undone. You will see into each other in ways you haven't before."
Nova and Hollis exchanged a glance and nodded in synchrony.
Taking from within the confines of her satchel, she pulled out a golden ribbon that shimmered as if dusted with a translucent powder and said, "Take each other's hand."
So they did.
Nova laced her fingers through Hollis's cold ones and frowned down at their hands as something strange stirred within them. Together, it was as though a rushing flurry filled their bodies with a peculiar form of static. It occurred to Hollis then that they'd never really touched before- had this connection always been there?
Arms resting against each other, Nova glanced up at Gwyn, who recited from the text.
"Do you, Princess Nova Archeron of the Night Court…" Nova curled her lip at the title but said nothing as Gwyn continued. "Take Prince Hollis of the Winter Court as your husband?"
Nova half-expected there to be some question about cherishing or loving until death, but Gwyn said nothing of the sort…and she was grateful. To make a promise like that was one Nova would have felt obligated to honor, but how can you love someone you've known for less than a week, most of which under the influence of a pain reliever?
"Yes…I do."
She could agree to this.
She could take him as her husband, show the world…the universe they're joined, and that be that."
Gwyn tied the shimmering ribbon to her left wrist and addressed Hollis, "Do you, Prince Hollis of the Winter Court, take Princess Nova Archeron of the Night Court as your wife?"
Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, Hollis nodded, "I do."
The relief on his shoulders was nothing compared to the sickening twist of his stomach, but perhaps this could work. Maybe Thesan was wrong…maybe they could be joined without the intimacy of marriage, leaving them free to be with whom they choose.
He glanced down as Gwyn tied the golden ribbon to his right wrist and looked up again as she offered a small, sad smile.
"I do officially pronounce you as husband and wife, the Winter and Night Courts joined as one. It is now that the ceremony is sealed with a kiss."
Nova's heart dropped as she clenched her jaw and glanced sideways at Hollis, who appeared just as pale.
Sighing, she said, "Well, I can't very well move toward you."
"Sorry," Hollis's ears burned bright red as he tried to still his breathing. How had he found the courage to kill her tormenter with an icy shock to the heart, but bringing his lips near hers was one that genuinely caused fearful nausea? Just get it over with, he thought, it's best to do it and be done than prolong it.
So, without further hesitation, Hollis leaned toward her and, as soft as the first fallen snowflake, pressed his lips tenderly against hers. Soft and warm, they morphed against his, but their combined gasps were not ones of pleasure as they looked down at their joined hands. Beginning at their fingertips, her right and his left, vines weaved their way up their arms, both in similar design, with one distinguished aspect. While Hollis's tattoo was black in harsh comparison to his pale complexion and glittered like specularite, Nova's was stark white against her bronzed skin and sparkled like fresh midnight snow.
Together, the vines crawled up further, reaching their tricep before descending to meet in the middle, where an image was conjured into fine-lined petals. They were both the same shade —an off-white that looked soft in its delicate detail.
Seeming to glow, they stared at the artwork in awe.
"They're Moonflowers," Nova murmured.
Hollis glanced at her and then back down to their glittering tattoos, both equally beautiful and different.
"I've never seen markings like these," Gwyn nodded. "They're quite spectacular." She pursed her lips and nodded to the ribbons. "Tradition says the ribbons are to be removed after the marriage has been consummated."
Nova glared at Gwyn before letting go of Hollis' grip, untied the ribbon, and let it fall onto the bedspread.
"Tradition can respectfully fuck itself."
Hollis couldn't stop the snort that escaped him as he removed his ribbon as well and let it fall onto hers. "I couldn't agree more."
Now, leaning back against the pillows, Nova cringed, and Madja moved toward her, tonic already in hand.
Smiling gently, Gwynn squeezed her knee, "You'll be frolicking through the forests soon enough. Do not overexert yourself."
"Will you send Emerie in some time before you need to leave?" Nova asked with a slight frown, holding the now half-empty elixir bottle, but her eyelids were already beginning to droop.
"Yes, of course. We won't be leaving for some time yet, so you need not worry about our departure. Now sleep," Gwyn murmured and kissed Nova's forehead as she finished off the remaining tonic, pulled under before she could manage another word.
Hollis, still kneeling by her bed, looked down at their nearly identical markings and pursed his lips.
"I hope it's enough…"