She leaned against a wall thinking about what her friend told her then Josh came up to her. "Hey, I been looking everywhere for you. Is something wrong?"
"No, I just… the new arrival was a maid at my house and she told me my uncle Vlad and sister are worried about me." He thought it over, "well you don't have to worry, you'll see them again I'm sure. Things aren't so bad down here you'll see, I'll be here for you."
Then elder Gutknecht came over with the red book he used for the Ukrainian haunting spell. "Excuse me but we need to talk, there is complication with your marriage."
"What is it?" Josh asked worried.
"The vows are binding only until death do you part."
"What do you mean?" Cassie said.
"Death has already parted him" Josh sucked in a shaky breath and looked at her with worried eyes. Cassie blinked, trying to process what it meant.
We aren't really married. Why wasn't she happy? Then it clicked in her head. I love him, I want to be with him…
"Is there anything you can do?" Josh asked desperately.
"The only way for you to be married is for Cassie to give up her life. She'd need to repeat her vows in the land of the living and drink from the wine of ages."
"Poison" Josh whispered to himself.
"This will stop her heart forever only then will she be free to give it to you." He told him grimly.
Josh looked at Cassie and seemed to come to a decision. "No, I can't ask Cassie to do that." He took her hand looked deeply into her eyes, "I can't kill you, I want you to live."
In that moment Cassie realized that he loved her, really loved her, and she loved him back.
Cassie told him, "Josh, I want to get married to be your wife. To have a happy existence with you. We'll get married and we can be together."
He stood stunned, elder Gutknecht said, "My dear if you choose this path, you may never return to the world above. Do you understand?"
She took Joshes hand and whispered "I do."
They travelled to the town square and announced the trip upstairs. Everyone rushed to make all the preparation. Josh cleaned got his suit and sowed. Cassie redid her hair and some women tried to get her in a dress but she refused, she just needed to be there and marry him.
Then it fully set in. She was going to get married to the man she loved. Cassie couldn't be happier about it