MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Ninety: The Palace
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The drive from the market took two hours.
The cars wound through the hills, past fields of sugarcane and coconut trees, past villages with painted walls and temples with gold roofs. The sun was setting. The sky was orange and pink and gold. The air was warm. The windows were open. The wind was sweet.
Percy was in the first car. His head was out the window. His voice was loud. "ELEPHANTS! HONEY! LOOK! ELEPHANTS!"
Honey grabbed his shirt. "If you fall out of this car, I'm not saving you."
Percy pulled his head in. He was still grinning. "There were elephants."
Honey looked at the elephants. Gray. Huge. Ancient. Their trunks were raised. Their ears were flapping. Their eyes were wise.
"There were elephants," Honey said.
Percy kissed her cheek. "We're in India."
Honey smiled. "We're in India."
---
Aries and Ella were in the second car. Their hands were intertwined. Their eyes were on the hills.
"It's beautiful," Ella said.
Aries kissed her hand. "You're beautiful."
Ella laughed. "You're cheesy."
Aries smiled. "I'm honest."
She leaned against them. "I love you."
They kissed her forehead. "I love you too."
---
Lyra and Alex were in the third car. Lyra's face was blank. Her eyes were on the window. Alex's hand was in hers.
"You're quiet," Alex said.
Lyra looked at him. "I'm watching."
He pulled her close. "What are you watching?"
She looked at the hills. At the fields. At the temples. At the elephants. At the place where she was getting married. "Everything."
He kissed her hair. "I love you."
She leaned against him. "I love you too."
---
Care and Cole were in the fourth car. Care's head was on Cole's shoulder. His arm was around her.
"Are you nervous?" Cole asked.
Care looked at him. "About what?"
He smiled. "The wedding."
She touched his face. "I've been waiting for this my whole life."
He kissed her. "So have I."
---
Rakki and Ci N were in the fifth car. Rakki was looking at her saree. Orange and gold. Fire and sunset.
"I'm going to look hot," Rakki said.
Ci N laughed. "You always look hot."
She grinned. "I know."
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Mica and Calix were in the sixth car. Mica's laptop was open. Calix closed it.
"No," Calix said.
Mica stared at him. "I was just—"
"No work. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not until the weddings are over."
Mica looked at him. Her glasses were on her nose. Her face was serious. "You're annoying."
He kissed her. "You love me."
She kissed him back. "I love you."
---
Freya and Erdix were in the seventh car. They didn't talk. They didn't need to. Freya's hand was in Erdix's. His thumb was on her skin. That was enough.
---
Grace and Denzel were in the eighth car. Denzel was looking at his phone. Grace took it.
"No," Grace said.
Denzel stared at her. "I was just—"
"No work. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not until the weddings are over."
Denzel smiled. "You're bossy."
Grace almost smiled. "You love it."
He kissed her. "I love you."
---
Kuya Angelo and Ion were in the ninth car. Ion was looking at the hills. Kuya Angelo was looking at Ion.
"You're staring," Ion said.
Kuya Angelo smiled. "I'm observing."
Ion laughed. "Same thing."
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Tita Gemma and Tita Rachel were in the tenth car. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her hand.
"We're in India," Tita Gemma said.
Tita Rachel smiled. "We're in India."
---
Keigan and Keiran were in the eleventh car. Keiran's face was pressed against the window. His voice was loud. "Keigan! Keigan! Look at the elephants! Look at the temples! Look at—"
Keigan sat in the corner. His arms were crossed. His face was cold. His eyes were on the window. On the hills. On the place where they were going.
"Keigan!" Keiran pulled his arm. "Are you excited?"
Keigan looked at his brother. His face didn't change. "Yes."
Keiran grinned. "Me too!"
---
Jay and Keifer were in the last car.
The seats were leather. The air was cool. The windows were open. The wind was warm. The sky was purple. The stars were coming out. Jay leaned against Keifer. Her head was on his shoulder. His arm was around her.
"You're thinking," Keifer said.
She looked at him. "I'm always thinking."
He kissed her hair. "What are you thinking about?"
She looked at the window. At the hills. At the fields. At the temples. At the elephants. At the place where her family was getting married. At the place where her family was becoming something new.
"I'm thinking about the garden," she said. "About the mud. About the Ferris wheel. About the contract. About the day you put the ring back on my finger."
He kissed her forehead. "I'm thinking about the day you took a bullet for me."
She touched his face. "I would do it again."
He kissed her hand. "I wouldn't let you."
She smiled. "You don't have a choice."
---
The cars stopped at the gates of the palace.
The walls were white. The towers were gold. The gates were iron. The guards were in white. Their turbans were red. Their swords were silver. The sun was gone. The lights were on. The palace was waiting.
Percy was out of the car before it stopped. His voice was loud. "A PALACE! WE'RE STAYING IN A PALACE!"
Honey grabbed his arm. "We're staying in a palace."
Percy pulled her close. "We're staying in a palace."
She kissed him. "We're staying in a palace."
---
The family gathered at the gates.
The cars were behind them. The bags were beside them. The palace was before them. The walls were white. The towers were gold. The gardens were green. The fountains were blue. The lights were soft. The air was sweet.
Keiran ran to Jay. His hand was in hers. His face was bright. "Ate Jay! Ate Jay! Look! A palace! A real palace!"
Jay looked at the palace. At the walls. At the towers. At the gardens. At the fountains. At the place where her family would be married.
"It's beautiful," Jay said.
Keifer was beside her. His hand was on her back. "It's beautiful."
---
The doors opened.
The staff was waiting. Women in silk. Men in white. Their faces were warm. Their hands were folded. Their voices were soft.
"Welcome to Bengaluru Palace," the manager said. He was tall. His turban was gold. His smile was bright. "We have been expecting you."
Percy stepped forward. His voice was loud. "You have elephants?"
The manager smiled. "We have elephants."
Percy turned to Honey. "ELEPHANTS!"
Honey grabbed his arm. "I know."
Percy kissed her. "I love India."
She kissed him back. "I love you."
---
The family moved through the palace.
The halls were wide. The ceilings were high. The floors were marble. The walls were painted with scenes from the Mahabharata, with gods and goddesses, with elephants and tigers, with flowers and trees. The lights were chandeliers. The air was incense. The silence was ancient.
Keiran walked beside Jay. His hand was in hers. His voice was low. "Ate Jay. This is like a dream."
Jay squeezed his hand. "It is like a dream."
Keigan walked behind them. His face was cold. His eyes were scanning. He was watching. He was protecting. He was always protecting.
Keifer walked beside Jay. His hand was on her back. "Are you okay?"
She looked at him. "I'm perfect."
He kissed her forehead. "You're perfect."
---
The rooms were on the top floor.
Each couple had their own suite. Percy and Honey. Aries and Ella. Lyra and Alex. Care and Cole. Rakki and Ci N. Mica and Calix. Freya and Erdix. Grace and Denzel. Kuya Angelo and Ion. Tita Gemma and Tita Rachel. Keigan and Keiran.
Jay and Keifer were at the end of the hall. The door was carved with elephants. The handles were gold. The room was waiting.
Keiran ran to his room. Keigan followed. His face was cold. His eyes were on Jay until the last moment.
"Goodnight, Hipag," Keigan said.
Jay touched his arm. "Goodnight, Keigan."
He nodded. He walked into his room. The door closed.
---
Jay and Keifer walked into their room.
The ceiling was high. The walls were white. The floor was marble. The bed was huge. The windows were open. The garden was below. The fountains were blue. The lights were soft. The air was sweet.
Jay walked to the window. Keifer was behind her. His arms went around her waist. His face was in her hair.
"You're thinking," he said.
She leaned against him. "I'm thinking about the garden. About the mud. About the Ferris wheel. About the contract. About the day you put the ring back on my finger."
He turned her to face him. His hands were on her face. His eyes were steady. "I'm thinking about the day you took a bullet for me."
She touched his face. "I would do it again."
He kissed her hand. "I wouldn't let you."
She smiled. "You don't have a choice."
He knelt. His face was level with her stomach. Her stomach was flat. The twins were hidden. The twins were there. The twins were theirs.
"Hello," he said. "We're in a palace. In India. In Bengaluru. The walls are white. The towers are gold. The gardens are green. The fountains are blue. Your aunts and uncles are getting married. And then we're going home. You're going to be born. You're going to be loved. You're going to be everything."
The twins moved. Two small flutters. Two small lives. Two small hearts.
Keifer looked up. His face was wet. "They know."
Jay laughed. She was crying. She was laughing. She was everything. "They know."
He stood up. His arms were around her. "I love you."
She held him. "I love you too."
---
The night was quiet.
The palace was silent. The family was sleeping. Percy was dreaming of elephants. Honey was beside him. Aries and Ella were curled together. Lyra and Alex were in each other's arms. Care and Cole were holding hands. Rakki and Ci N were tangled together. Mica and Calix were arguing in their sleep. Freya and Erdix were silent. Grace and Denzel were still. Kuya Angelo and Ion were reading. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her hand.
Keiran was asleep. His face was soft. His hands were open. Keigan was awake. His eyes were on the window. On the garden. On the fountains. On the palace. On the place where his brother was happy. On the place where his hipag was safe.
He closed his eyes. He slept.
---
Jay stood at the window. Keifer was behind her. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair.
"We're in a palace," Jay said.
He kissed her neck. "We're in a palace."
She looked at the garden. At the fountains. At the lights. At the stars. "In three days, Lyra and Alex get married. In four days, Care and Cole. In five days, Rakki and Ci N. In six days, Mica and Calix."
He pulled her closer. "In seven days, we go home."
She turned to face him. "And then?"
He kissed her forehead. "And then we wait. We wait for the twins. We wait for our family to grow. We wait for our lives to begin."
She touched his face. "Our lives already began."
He smiled. "When?"
She looked at the window. At the garden. At the fountains. At the stars. At the place where she had found him. At the place where he had found her.
"In the garden," she said. "When you threw mud at me."
He laughed. "You threw mud at me first."
She kissed him. "I love you."
He kissed her back. "I love you too."
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END OF CHAPTER NINETY