Free Legend of the Forbidden by J. F. Jenkins Page A

it encouraged her a little. However, the tension was still present in his body. “You are important to me, Maya. Anyway, I should get to bed. I'm beat. You coming?”
    She shook her head. “Not yet. Soon.”
    Maya watched as he went back inside the house, and then looked up at the stars. She took in their beauty and smiled. “He'll say yes. I know it.”

 
Chapter Eighteen
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    The next morning Dani and Tyson had a meeting with Lord Bolton again to discuss the content of the ceremony and the guest list. She wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of seeing him again. In fact, a phone call or a letter would have been just as nice. There were a number of ways he could have gotten ahold of the young couple, and he insisted on seeing them in person.
    She and Tyson went to the hotel address Lord Bolton had given to them, and knocked on the door. Lord Bolton answered with a wide grin on his face.
    â€œThank you for seeing me,” he said, and waved for them to enter. “I've heard the wedding plans are coming along nicely. A wonderful thing. Only a few small details to line up, yes?”
    â€œYes,” Dani said. “The location and the ceremony itself are next on the list to plan, and I guess honeymoon details.”
    Tyson coughed quietly. “I have those under control.”
    Bolton laughed and put a hand on both of their shoulders. “Location and the details of the ceremony. Exactly why I wanted to see you. Now, as you know, Terran is beautiful this time of year. There's a gazebo overlooking waterfalls in—”
    â€œExcuse me, my lord, but we're holding the ceremony on Shanrea, remember? So my father can be there. I don't want him to miss it,” she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
    â€œYou don't even want to try and see if the Great Oceina Lord will make an exception for your father's terms of exile? It is the wedding of his only daughter and eldest child, after all,” Lord Bolton said.
    Dani glanced at Tyson and he nodded, trying to encourage her. “On the chance he says no, it would be a shame to make all of these plans for a wedding in Terran and then have to change them last minute. Time is short enough as it is. Shanrea is my home, and I would like to have something of my people to be a part of the ceremony, since the entire thing is Terran in ritual.”
    â€œOf course, it was just an idea, I suppose. Given the situation, I figured you'd want to steer as far away from the Inero ways as possible. Some diplomats still fear this union because of the way it was brought into being. I thought that maybe having the wedding take place in Terran would show how the Inero are not in control and that this would be a happy thing,” Bolton explained.
    He wants me to be submissive, so Inero will seem submissive to the Terran. That's scarier to me. Dani shifted in her seat to try to look stronger. She didn't want him to think she was some kind of a pushover.
    â€œShanrea has always been an island of peace. I think the right message will be conveyed.”
    â€œMy lord,” Tyson said with a shaky voice. “If people fear our union, the other tribes I mean, then maybe it would be better to cancel the whole arrangement? Not to say I don't care about you, Dani…elle, but then it can at least be something we choose on our own? Show that the old pacts of the war no longer hold ground? That's what concerns the other Lords the most, I would imagine. Our marriage was sold in return for Terran commitment in a fight they should have never gotten involved in and a plot for genocide.”
    â€œThank you for the reminder,” Bolton said, and glared at Tyson. “Your union is also a symbol of hope. I've told you this in the past many times. It is important you marry another dragon. Our fate depends on it. And redemption for both of our people is also needed. Among other things.”
    Dani watched the Great Terran Lord and noticed