Free Ascend (Trylle Trilogy, #3) by Amanda Hocking

Garrett asked.
    “Yes,” Loki said, shaking off the intensity he’d had a moment ago, and grinned broadly at Garrett. “She’s all yours, good sir. Take care of her.” 
    He patted Garrett on the arm once for good measure and gave me a quick smile before heading back over to the refreshment table.
    “Was he bothering you?” Garrett asked me as we began to dance.
    “Um, no,” I shook my head. “He’s just…” I trailed off because I didn’t know what he was.
    I watched Loki as he drained another glass of champagne, and then he left the ballroom just as abruptly as he’d entered.
    “Are you sure?” Garrett asked.
    “Yes, everything is fine,” I smiled reassuringly at him. “Why? Am I in trouble for dancing with him?”
    “I don’t think so,” he said. “It’s your wedding. You’re supposed to have a little fun. It would’ve been nice if it was with the groom, but…” He shrugged.
    “Elora’s not mad, is she?” I asked.
    “Elora doesn’t have the strength to be mad anymore,” Garrett said, almost sadly. “Don’t worry about her. You’ve got enough to deal with.”
    “Thank you,” I said.
    I looked around the dance floor. Willa was dancing with Tove again, and when she caught my eyes, she gave me a what the hell look. I’m assuming that was referring to my dance with Loki, but Tove didn’t seem upset. That was something at least.

8. Morning After
    Even though I had on a wedding gown that had to weigh at least twenty pounds, I’d never felt so naked in my life.
    I stood at the foot of my new bed in my new bedroom. These had been Elora’s chambers, but they were mine now, mine to share with my husband. Tove was next to me, and we both just stared at the bed.
    When the reception started winding down, Tove’s parents, my mother, Willa, Garrett, and a few other ranking officials, including that disgusting Chancellor, had ushered us up to the room. They were all laughing, talking about how magical this would be, then they shut and locked the door behind us.
    “On wedding nights, when a Prince or a King were married, they used to close the curtains around the four poster bed,” Tove said. “Then the family and officials would sit around all night, so they could be sure that they were having sex.”
    “That is really disturbing,” I said. “Why on Earth would they do that?”
    “To ensure they would produce offspring,” he shrugged. “That is the only reason why they arranged marriages.”
    “I guess I should be happy they’re not doing that with us.”
    “Do you think they’re listening outside the door?”
    “I really, really hope not.”
    We kept staring at the bed, refusing to look at one another, and I don’t think either of us knew what to do. I wanted to wait long enough until I was certain everyone had grown bored and left, but past that, I had no idea how this night would go.
    “This dress is really heavy,” I said finally.
    “It looks like it.” Tove glanced over at my dress and the piles of train that had been tacked up on the back so I could dance. “The train itself has to weigh like ten pounds.”
    “At least,” I agreed. “So… I’d like to get out of it.”
    “Oh, right.” He paused. “Go ahead. I guess.”
    “Well… I need your help.” I gestured to the back of it. “There’s like a thousand buttons and snaps to undo, and I can’t reach them.”
    “Oh, right, of course.” Tove shook his head. “I should’ve known.”
    I turned my back to him and stood patiently while he undid all the buttons and snaps. It seemed ridiculous when I thought about it. This dress was meant to come off, but it took him at least fifteen minutes to get them all undone. And the whole time, neither of us said anything.
    “There you go,” he said. “All done.”
    “Thank you.” I held the dress in the front to keep it from falling off, and I turned to face him. “Should I… do I need to put pajamas on?”
    “Oh.” He rubbed his hands on his pants. “Um, if