  &quot;I now pwonounce you man and wife,&quot; the priest intones, drawing enthusiastic applause from our audience. My eyes and Dmitri's are locked, with enough affection flowing between us to make a cat sick. &quot;You may kiss de bwide.&quot;
  My fiancé's hands gently lift the veil from my face. I tremble with anticipation.
  &quot;Finally,&quot; Dmitri breathes just before his lips claim mine. Complete surrender and complete bliss. The applause from the pews fades into a faint roaring noise. All that matters now is us. He dips me back until my hair touches the floor, then abruptly sweeps me off my feet as our lips separate and spins me around a couple times, his face a picture of adulation. I can't remember ever being this happy, myself.
  Once Dmitri settles me back on my feet, we join hands and run down the aisle together, as best we can in our formal wear. His groomsmen and my br

  Deafening silence. Where is Dmitri? Anxiety floods my consciousness, which has been set quite ill at ease by the disappearance of my necklace. Within me swirl shards and broken fragments of things I used to remember. My arms are around Kyla, whose face looks like she's feeling the same thing I am: Something just broke. I gently release her and rise unsteadily to my feet. I have to find Dmitri.
  &quot;Aerys?&quot; a warm, velvety, anxiety-tightened male voice questions. I turn towards the voice and my eyes are captured by a pair of flaming orbs.
  &quot;Dmitri,&quot; I breathe, relieved that he is close by. For a moment, we just stand staring at each other, taking each other in. There's a hole in his tuxedo shirt, which is stained with blood. His eyes reveal tightly coiled anticipation, desire, anxiety. All I want is to set him at ease.
  The next moment, we're in each other's arms, cl

&quot;I now pwonounce you man and wife,&quot; the priest intones, drawing enthusiastic applause from our audience. My eyes and Dmitri's are locked, with enough affection flowing between us to make a cat sick. &quot;You may kiss de bwide.&quot;
  My fiancé's hands gently lift the veil from my face. I tremble with anticipation.
  &quot;Finally,&quot; Dmitri breathes just before his lips claim mine. Complete surrender and complete bliss. The applause from the pews fades into a faint roaring noise. All that matters now is us. He dips me back until my hair touches the floor, then abruptly sweeps me off my feet as our lips separate and spins me around a couple times, his face a picture of adulation. I can't remember ever being this happy, myself.
  Once Dmitri settles me back on my feet, we join hands and run down the aisle together, as best we can in our formal wear. His groomsmen and my bridesmaids follow close behind. As requested, the guests shower us with congratulatory remarks and f

Chapter 64 The Reception