Avond knew that coming to the wedding was a bad idea. It was like putting an arrow through his own heart or a dagger through his chest, because it sure felt like something in him ripped in two. A heartbreak that he had never experienced before. And this was before he saw her in her wedding dress.
When he did, Avond knew she was the one who got away and it was a secret he'd always keep. He wondered, if he had fought harder for her hand—maybe early on—maybe Erickson would change his mind and let him marry Celeste instead. Unfortunately, early on, he had deluded himself into thinking it was for him to fulfil his curiosity, to fill his loneliness, and tasted what he found was too good for his brother.
