The Night Belongs to Us

The Valentine plantation had never been so alive. Lanterns strung from the massive oaks swayed in the warm night breeze, their golden glow spilling across the veranda and gardens like captured starlight.

Music carried from the open windows, lively and full of laughter. It wasn’t just a wedding it was a victory. A celebration of love carved from the ashes of a world that had tried to take everything from them.

Inside the grand hall, Junie stood in front of an old gilded mirror, her breath catching. Willa’s careful hands weaved the final flowers into her hair, blossoms of deep crimson and soft ivory nestled among thick golden-red waves that tumbled down her back.

A loose braid trailed from the crown of her head, tendrils curling free to frame her freckled face. She looked ethereal, otherworldly.

“You look like the forest came alive just to watch you walk down that aisle,” Willa murmured, her emerald glow faint but warm.

Junie laughed softly, trying not to cry. “I feel… not like myself. Better than myself.”

“You are yourself,” Adelaide said from the doorway, holding up the lace-edged veil she, Odessa, and Willa had sewn together over many long nights. “This is just you… becoming.”

Simone leaned against the doorframe beside her, sharpening a dagger even at a wedding. “You’re stunning, Junie. Even I’d marry you.”

Celine smirked faintly, her twin blades gleaming where they hung on her hips. “You’ll make him lose his mind, you know that?”

Thomas’s voice carried up from below. “The men are ready, by the way. Trying not to outshine the bride… failing miserably.”

Junie moved to the window, peeking out. Her heart flipped.

There they were Lucien, Adonis, Claude, Jonah, and Silas lined up on the lawn. All in tailored black tuxes with subtle gold embroidery curling like vines over lapels and cuffs. They looked dangerous and regal, a brotherhood forged in fire.

And Rio… they looked like gods.

His wavy black hair was slicked back, except for a few loose curls that had refused to behave, now dangling rebelliously against his brow. His golden ember eyes scanned the yard with restless energy until they lifted… Met hers. He smiled, slow and devastating.

She pressed a hand to her fluttering chest. “I think I might faint.

Odessa snorted from where she adjusted her own deep green gown. “Not yet, sugar. Save it for the vows.”

As the music began, haunting and sweet…Junie descended the stairs, Willa on her arm.

“You sure about this?” Willa whispered, her eyes damp.

Junie smiled through her nerves. “Never been surer.”

When they stepped out, the crowd hushed. Lanternlight caught the flowers in Junie’s hair, the delicate embroidery of her flowing gown. The soft hush turned into an audible sigh.

Rio’s jaw tightened. For a heartbeat, he couldn’t breathe.

“She’s…” Jonah started.

“Yeah,” Lucien agreed flatly. “She is.”

Adonis standing tall at the altar, golden aura faint but steady, grinned like a proud older brother. “Told you all. I make a hell of a spectacle.”

Junie’s steps faltered only slightly as she reached Rio. He took her hands, thumb brushing her knuckles.

“You’re breathtaking,” he whispered.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Valentine,” she teased softly.

Adonis cleared his throat. “As much as I enjoy watching you two make heart eyes, can we begin? Before Jonah starts crying?”

“I’m not…” Jonah began but cut off when Silas elbowed him, smirking.The vows were simple, raw, and perfect.

“I’ve loved you since the moment I realized you were my safe place,” Junie said, voice trembling but strong.

“And I’ve loved you since the moment I realized I’d rather die with you than live without you,” Rio replied, golden eyes glinting.

Adonis’s golden glow brightened as he pronounced, “By the power invested in me by sheer charisma and overwhelming handsomeness”

“Adonis,” Lucien warned.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kiss her, Romeo.” Rio didn’t need telling twice.

They embraced and kissed for what seemed like eternity but was long awaited.

Everyone cheered and whistled.

The night blurred into music, dancing, and laughter.

Adonis held Jade in his arms like she was made of spun glass, rocking her gently as he watched over everyone from the center of the room.

“She’s your whole world,” he murmured to the sleeping baby. “And don’t you worry. I’ll keep her safe too.”

Odessa and Adelaide danced together barefoot in the grass. Claude and Thomas argued over which of them would catch the bouquet while Simone and Celine coolly refused to participate.

Jonah sprawled in a chair near Silas, who was actually smiling for once as he sipped wine.

“This is nice,” Jonah said. “Almost makes me forget the swamp tried to kill us six times last month.”

“Almost,” Silas agreed dryly.

The reception was a blur of glowing lanterns, music drifting lazily through the night air, and the warm sound of laughter echoing from every corner of the Valentine plantation. But for Junie and Rio, the world had narrowed down to each other.

They’d stolen away to a quiet corner of the veranda, away from the crowd, where fireflies danced in the humid night and the soft strains of a fiddle carried faintly from inside.

“You okay?” Rio asked softly, brushing a loose curl from her face.

Junie nodded, her golden red hair still perfectly pinned with flowers, though a few tendrils now curled wildly in the humidity. She leaned her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart beneath the fine fabric of his gold-stitched tuxedo.

“Better than okay,” she whispered. “I didn’t think this kind of happiness was real.”

Rio’s lips curved. “It’s real. And it’s ours.”

He tilted her chin up, his golden ember eyes drinking her in like he still couldn’t believe she was his. “You’re even more dangerous than any creature in that swamp, you know that?”

“Oh?” She arched a brow.

“Yeah. Because you’ve officially destroyed every ounce of my composure.”

Junie laughed, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “I’ll try to wield my power responsibly.”

“Don’t.” His grin turned wicked. “I like you dangerous.”

In the Courtyard, the music softened, and Odessa stood, lifting her glass high. The room quieted, all eyes turning to the warrior woman whose machete rested, polished and unused, against the wall for the first time in years.

“I’m not much for speeches,” Odessa began, her Southern lilt thicker than usual. “But I think I deserve some credit for this. If I hadn’t forced Rio to go to the meeting in the bar that night Rio never would’ve found Junie. And  if I hadn’t been keeping my eye on him back at Le Sang Vert—well, the council’s orders or not—I doubt the two of them would’ve crossed paths the way they did

Junie laughed, cheeks heating.

“So here’s to these two beautiful idiots,” Odessa continued, her sharp grin softening. “May your love be stronger than the monsters we fight. And may you always find your way back to each other—even in the darkest swamps.”

Glasses clinked all around as she sat, and then Adonis rose slowly, a mischievous glint in his golden eyes.

“Oh no,” Lucien muttered.

“Oh yes,” Adonis said, clearing his throat dramatically. “When Junie and Rio asked me to plan this wedding, I thought. Why stop there? Maybe I should plan their whole lives. Because clearly, I’ve got a gift.”

Laughter rippled through the room.

“But seriously,” Adonis went on, holding his glass high, “I’ve seen them bleed, fight, and even snore loudly…and still find their way to each other. That’s rare. So here’s my advice as someone who knows a thing or two about lasting bonds: never forget the little things. The flowers in her hair, the way he steals the covers. The sound of her laugh, the way he always burns the toast”

“Adonis!” Junie called, laughing with her face in her hands.

“because one day you’ll look back and realize those little things were actually everything.” His grin softened into something real. “To Junie and Rio. May your love outlive us all.”

“Here here!” Claude bellowed, lifting his glass.

The music swelled as Junie and Rio moved to the center of the floor. She kicked off her shoes, laughing as he pulled her gently into his arms. His golden eyes never left hers as the world fell away.

“You know,” Rio murmured, swaying with her, “I was terrified of this moment.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Because I’m a terrible dancer.”

Junie smirked. “Then it’s lucky for you I’m not.”

She rested her head on his shoulder as they moved, her gown swirling around them like water. Lanternlight caught the flowers in her hair, the gold embroidery on his tux, and the faint sheen of tears in his eyes.

“I love you, Junie Valentine,” he whispered against her temple.

Her breath caught. “Say it again.”

“I love you.”

“Again.”

He chuckled. “I love you. Forever.”

She kissed him, slow and deep, as the music faded and the room erupted into applause. And from there, the night unfolded perfectly. Adonis cradling Jade tenderly during the later dances, Simone and Celine refusing to dance but smirking anyway, Jonah and Silas joking quietly near the wine table, and Claude arm wrestling Thomas for no reason at all.

The laughter lingered in the air like the scent of the garden blooms. Sweet, vibrant, alive.

It was late when the laughter quieted. The lanterns flickered low as most guests retired to their rooms or drifted into the gardens.

Then

A sound at the edge of the property.

A hush fell. Adonis shifted Jade carefully into Willa’s arms, his golden glow flaring faintly.

Junie and Rio froze as a figure stepped out of the darkness—the tall pale Elder from before, draped in black velvet. Her eyes, like shards of ice, scanned the crowd with amusement.

“Good evening, Valentines.”

Behind her, a smaller figure followed. Cloaked, hood pulled low.

“You’ve all done well here,” the pale elder said. “But you know the rules. Any unregistered child belongs to the Council.”

Junie clutched Rio’s arm. “No.”

Then a soft voice from beneath the hood:

“Dad?”

The world seemed to stop.

Rio’s breath left him in a rush. His golden ember eyes went wide as the hood lifted just enough to show a glimpse of soft brown curls, a familiar tilt to her chin.

“Sophie?”