Chapter 31

Winona looked down at Caleb. The morning light traced his outline in gold, and the way he knelt there was as reverent as a devoted believer in prayer. Winona thought of the Alencan savannah beneath the stars, of his back shielding her from the lioness, of all his clumsy yet earnest attempts to change in the days since. Tears finally spilled down her cheeks, but her lips curved into a radiant, relieved smile. She reached out, offering him her hand. Her voice trembled with emotion, yet her words were steady. "Yes, I do." Overwhelmed with joy, Caleb fumbled as he slid the ring onto her finger. It fitted perfectly. He rose and drew her into his arms, holding her as if to fuse her into his very bones and blood. The two embraced each other in the blazing glow of the sunlit golden peaks. Beyond the cable car stretched a world of untouched snow, pure and silent, while within, a love once lost burned anew, fierce and alive. Their wedding did not follow any grand-society convention. Th