The Moon Temple looked different when Lara entered it as a bride.
She had seen the place before.
She had stood beneath its high silver arches during official ceremonies, treaty signings, and one deeply unpleasant religious lecture that had lasted four hours and contained fourteen separate warnings about improper posture.
But today, the temple had become something else.
Moonlight poured through the open ceiling despite the sun still hanging beyond the horizon.
Ancient Celestian magic gathered the pale light and drew it downward in luminous ribbons, allowing it to drift across the white stone floor like mist.
Silver flowers climbed the pillars, their petals opening whenever someone passed.
Along the walls, dark red flames burned in crystal bowls without smoke, a deliberate addition from the Demon Realm.
Stars and fire.
Lara's chest tightened.
They had done it.
They had truly built a ceremony from both worlds.
Some of the guests were already seated.
Celestian nobles occupied the left side of the temple in pale formal robes, their expressions composed but their eyes constantly moving.
Demon representatives filled the opposite side in dark fabrics, armour, jewels, and enough visible weapons to make several Celestian priests nervous.
Humans, elves, dragons, and semi-human envoys sat between them, turning the wedding into the most politically dangerous seating arrangement Lara had ever seen.
And somehow, no one had started a fight.
Yet.
Lara stepped through the entrance with Malvoria, Raveth, and Neris beside her.
The quiet conversations inside the temple weakened almost immediately.
Heads turned.
Lara felt the attention strike her from every direction.
She resisted the urge to leave.
Not because she wanted to run.
Because several hundred people staring at her at once made fighting a dragon feel intimate.
Neris's hand remained in hers.
He stood straight in his white suit, though his fingers tightened slightly around hers when the attention shifted toward them.
Lara squeezed back.
"You're all right," she murmured.
Neris nodded.
She was not entirely sure whether she had spoken to him or herself.
A few guests began whispering.
Lara caught fragments.
The suit.
Her hair.
The Daemara embroidery.
The fact that she had not worn a traditional Celestian ceremonial mantle.
Good.
Those mantles were enormous and looked capable of smothering their wearers before the vows.
Malvoria leaned closer as they walked. "They are staring."
"I noticed."
"Some of them look impressed."
"Some look constipated."
"That may also be admiration."
Raveth glanced across the Celestian rows. "One of them dropped her fan."
Lara did not look.
"Wonderful."
"She is still staring."
"Raveth."
"What? I am observing the guests."
"You are trying to make me nervous."
"No. I am trying to make you vain. It might improve your posture."
Lara straightened despite herself.
Malvoria laughed.
They crossed the central entrance hall and reached the waiting area beside the temple's inner arch. From there, Lara could see the altar at the far end.
It stood beneath a suspended crescent of crystal, pale light spilling from it onto the ceremonial platform.
Two narrow flames burned at either side, one silver, one deep red. The officiant waited nearby with several priests and a demon witness.
Everything was ready.
Except Sarisa.
The thought made Lara's heart kick painfully.
She touched the ring box inside her jacket.
Still there.
For the ninth time.
Possibly the tenth.
She had stopped counting.
Near the inner arch stood Veylira and Elysia.
Both wore white.
Elysia's gown was elegant and soft, layered with delicate gold embroidery that caught the moonlight whenever she moved.
Her hair had been pinned back with pearl ornaments, and she carried herself with the same quiet warmth that seemed capable of calming a battlefield.
Veylira wore a structured white gown with silver details, severe enough to look royal and beautiful enough to make several nearby guests avoid breathing too loudly around her.
Malvoria saw Elysia.
Everything else ceased to exist.
She crossed the space without hesitation, abandoning Lara, Raveth, and all remaining dignity.
Elysia barely had time to smile before Malvoria slid one arm around her waist and kissed her.
Not a quick greeting.
A proper kiss.
In the middle of the Moon Temple.
In front of priests.
In front of diplomats.
In front of Veylira, who watched with the patient disappointment of someone who had expected this exact failure.
Lara stared.
Raveth nodded approvingly.
Neris tilted his head.
One of the Celestian priests looked toward the ceiling as though requesting divine patience.
When Malvoria finally pulled back, Elysia's cheeks were warm with colour.
"You look beautiful," Malvoria said.
Elysia smiled. "You saw me this morning."
"Not in this dress."
"You still could have waited until after the ceremony."
"No."
Elysia's smile widened.
Malvoria kissed her forehead as if the room did not exist.
Veylira cleared her throat.
Malvoria ignored her.
Veylira cleared it again, louder.
Malvoria finally glanced sideways. "What?"
"You are blocking the entrance."
"I am greeting my wife."
"You are attempting to climb inside your wife in a sacred temple."
Elysia covered her face for a moment.
Malvoria looked offended. "I kissed her."
Raveth came closer. "Enthusiastically."
"Jealousy is ugly on both of you."
"I am not jealous," Veylira said. "I am considering having you escorted outside."
"You cannot remove the Demon Queen from an interrealm wedding."
"I can ask."
Malvoria kept one arm around Elysia and smiled triumphantly.
Lara shook her head.
"Please try to behave until the ceremony ends."
Malvoria turned toward her. "You are giving me advice on behaving?"
"Yes."
"On your wedding day?"
"Yes."
"This is historic."
Raveth lifted one hand. "Should we record it?"
"No," Lara said.
Veylira's gaze finally settled on her.
She studied Lara from head to toe.
Lara waited.
Veylira's approval had never been simple. It usually arrived disguised as criticism and required translation from three people.
At last, Veylira nodded.
"Well, look at that. You look nice."
Lara stared at her.
"Nice?"
Veylira raised one eyebrow. "Would you prefer adequate?"
"No."
"Then accept nice."
Raveth leaned toward Lara. "That is practically a love declaration."
"I know," Lara muttered.
Veylira stepped closer and adjusted one side of Lara's collar by a fraction.
Lara held still.
"You did not wear the neckpiece," Veylira observed.
"It was trying to kill me."
"It was silk."
"Hostile silk."
"I see."
Veylira's fingers paused briefly near the silver embroidery.
Her expression softened by the smallest amount.
"The suit suits you."
Lara glanced down at it.
"Thank you."
The words felt strangely difficult.
Veylira gave one final nod, then stepped back.
Lara looked around.
Something was missing.
Two somethings.
"Where are Kaelith and Aliyah?"
Veylira stared at her.
Malvoria stared at her.
Elysia smiled.
Raveth laughed immediately.
Lara frowned. "What?"
Veylira folded her hands before her. "Did you forget they were the flower girls?"
Lara blinked.
Right.
She had not forgotten.
Not exactly.
She had temporarily misplaced the knowledge under several layers of panic.
"They are already in position?" Lara asked.
"Yes," Elysia said. "They are waiting with Sarisa."
"Kaelith was given strict instructions not to throw all the petals at one person," Malvoria added.
Lara's concern deepened. "Why was that instruction necessary?"
"Because she said she wanted to bury Councilor Vaeris."
"In flowers," Elysia clarified.
Raveth smiled. "Still sends a message."
"And Aliyah?" Lara asked.
"She is keeping Kaelith under control," Veylira said.
Lara looked toward the temple doors.
"So no one is keeping either of them under control."
"Essentially," Malvoria replied.
Lara exhaled.
She could imagine it already.
Aliyah walking with solemn concentration, white dress moving around her legs, while Kaelith hurled petals at guests like colourful accusations.
It would be chaos.
It would be perfect.
A temple attendant approached quietly and bowed.
"Lady Daemara, the ceremonial procession is ready. You may take your position."
Lara's body went still.
This was it.
The conversations around her became distant. The music had not begun yet, but she could feel it waiting in the air. She could feel the guests shifting, the priests preparing, the entire temple holding its breath.
Her hand moved to the ring box once more.
Veylira caught the motion.
"The rings are still there."
"I know."
"You have checked enough times to wear a hole through the jacket."
"I am being careful."
"You are panicking."
"I am not."
Veylira looked at her.
Lara sighed. "A little."
Veylira's expression softened again.
She moved to stand beside Lara.
Not behind her.
Beside her.
The gesture struck deeper than Lara expected.
Veylira had been many things in her life. Mother. Strategist. Protector. Source of impossible expectations.
The woman who had raised Lara to survive power even when Lara wanted nothing to do with it.
Now she was standing at Lara's side before the aisle.
Lara looked at her.
"You are walking with me?"
Veylira's eyebrow rose. "Did you think I would let you walk alone?"
Lara swallowed.
"No."
It came out quieter than intended.
Veylira offered her arm.
Lara looked at it for one moment, then linked her own through it.
Behind them, Malvoria was still holding Elysia.
Raveth stood with Neris, who gave Lara a small, encouraging smile.
The first note of ceremonial music rose through the Moon Temple.
The guests fell silent.
Lara turned toward the aisle.
At the far end waited the altar, silver moonlight, and the place where she would marry Sarisa.
Veylira stood steady beside her.
Together, they stepped forward.