It was easier than she expected. Her toes and fingers found purchase, and she was able to climb up in only a few seconds. When she reached the top, Adelaide sat for a moment and calculated her next steps. Whatever she decided to do, there was no going back the way she came. The pitch of the roof would make a climb back down nearly impossible. She knew with all certainty that she’d fall. She’d simply have to go down the chimney, or sit there until someone rescued her.
A crisp breeze blew Adelaide’s hair about her face as she straddled the apex of the roof. A few inches thinner, and it would be too narrow for her to walk on. As it was, it would be just wide enough for her to plant one foot down at a time. Slowly, Adelaide brought herself up onto her knees, and then into a standing position, one foot behind the other, arms held wide to help keep her balance. Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look down.
Keeping her eyes locked on the chimney ahead of her, Adelaide took each step with deliberate, calculated slowness. She became acutely aware of the wind as it played with strands of her hair, threatening to impair her vision. With each step, she wondered if the next might be her last, and what people would say when they found her broken body lying on the ground, covered in clothesline.
Her eyes drifted to the ground for a brief, terrifying moment. Her body froze. The dizzying distance caused her heart to race. The chimney to Celeste’s room was only a few steps away, yet it might as well have been a mile. Adelaide could not will her feet to move another step, and she did not dare to lunge for the chimney.
It took her some time to gather her courage, but finally one foot lifted, and placed itself securely in front of the other. Deep breaths. Another footstep. More deep breaths. With the agility of a snail, Adelaide finally made her way to the chimney. She gripped it tightly, leaning against it for support while she caught her breath and calmed down. Now, she had to figure out how to shimmy down the chimney without killing herself.
Adelaide pulled the rope off her shoulder, and tied the end of the rope to create a loop large enough to encircle the chimney. She put it around the lip of the chimney, securing it through a crack in the corner of the mortar, and pulled tight. The rest of the rope she threw down into the inky blackness of the chimney.
Adelaide hoisted herself up on the ledge of the chimney and dangled her legs in, holding the rope tightly in her hands. Her plan suddenly seemed impossible, and more than likely would result in her being severely injured at best, and at worst, dead. She counted to three, took a deep breath, and scooted herself down inside the darkness.
Sandwiching her body between the walls of the chimney, Adelaide braced her feet and back against opposite walls. Using the pressure of her body against the wall, she was able to slip slowly down, inches at a time. After a while, she looked up to see the square of nighttime sky above her had become smaller. Many more cautious steps later, and she was out of rope. The bottom of the chimney was nowhere to be seen. Adelaide hoped that her calculations were correct.
They were not.
It seemed like she dropped forever, until the hard, stone floor came crashing up into her feet. Adelaide rolled out of the hearth and onto Celeste’s rug. She couldn’t tell whether the stinging pain in her feet was worse than the pain in her hands, rubbed raw by the rope. This is the worst idea I’ve ever had.
The moon was rising. A cold glimmer of light filtered through the windows and bounced off the glass slippers. Adelaide tried to stand up, and immediately found one of her ankles did not want to fully support her. She hobbled to the vanity table, and picked up the shoes. She thought for a moment about putting them on. She was covered in soot and grime from her trek down the chimney. Wearing the shoes would conveniently keep her from dispersing soot all over the floor as she made her way out of the house. But once she put them on, would she be able to take them off? Would it be possible for her to hand them over to Merelyn, knowing that she was so beautiful with them, and so unremarkable without them? She decided not to take that chance. It was already nine. It had taken her nearly an hour to get this far. She needed to hurry.
Though she was eager to see Merelyn, it was Julian’s face she saw in her mind as she walked. She found herself thinking about how beautiful his eyes were, and how he smiled with half of his mouth first, before it split into a full grin. She wondered what it might be like to feel the skin of his face, how smooth and soft it would be.
What am I doing? Just because he cares about me, doesn’t mean that he thinks of me this way. She shook her head to clear it of any lingering feelings, and continued to walk.
Adelaide’s ankle was screaming in pain by the time she arrived at Merelyn’s house. The air teemed with noise from a house full of children. She knocked on the door. A young girl, about half Adelaide’s age opened it. Standing in her dressing gown, she was clearly getting ready for bed. The child didn’t take time for formalities. “Your hair is dirty. And your face is sooty. You need a bath.”
“Thank you, Lilian,” Merelyn said, running to the door. “Time for bed.” She scooted the child from the door, and joined Adelaide outside.
The two girls walked to the back of the house to afford themselves some privacy. Merelyn noticed Adelaide’s hobbling. “What happened? Are you hurt?” she asked.
“It’s nothing serious. I’m sure it will heal soon. It’s not broken, just sprained a bit.”
“Did this happen when you were trying to get the shoes?”
“You could say that.”
“Adelaide, this is too much. You’re risking your stepmother’s wrath, and now you’re hurt. It’s dangerous. We should stop.”
Adelaide pulled a satchel off her shoulder, opened the bag, and held out the pair of shining shoes. “Too late for that.”
Merelyn caught her breath. “They’re so beautiful, Adelaide. Are you sure that you want me to wear them? What if I don’t fit in at the ball? What if can’t find Prince Julian? What if Prince Leon asks me to dance with him? What if I break the slippers? They’re made of glass, after all!”
Adelaide laughed. It felt good to release some of the tension that had been building up in her body all day long.
“First of all, they won’t break. You’ll understand when you put them on. And if Prince Leon asks you dance, you dance with him. Who would dare refuse a prince on his birthday? Not to mention, I think you will enjoy dancing with him. He’s an excellent dancer. You’ll fit in perfectly, and will be the most beautiful girl at the ball. The magic of the slippers will make it so. But, please, do everything you can to find Julian.” Adelaide thrust the glass slippers in Merelyn’s hands. “Please,” she repeated.
Merelyn held the slippers tightly to her chest. “All right.” She put the shoes down on the ground. “So, it’s just ‘Julian’ now, is it?” Merelyn asked.
Adelaide blushed and felt her birthmark flame red. She hadn’t meant to speak of him with a familiarity she should not possess. “Well, he spent the night in my bedroom, so I should have the privilege of calling him by his first name.”
“Adelaide, you are positively wicked!”
Merelyn slipped her feet into the glass slippers. A flash of light, and she stood enveloped in the same magical beauty the shoes provided for her earlier that day. “Do I look alright?” she asked.
“You look marvelous. No doubt, you’ll be the belle of the ball tonight. When you have a chance, you should stop by a mirror. Make sure that no one else is around, though.”
“Why is that?”
“You won’t want to stop looking at yourself for a good ten minutes. People will wonder what you’re staring at.”
Merelyn smiled. “Don’t forget,” Adelaide added, “the fairy godmother said you must be back at midnight. That’s when the magic will wear off. You need to come home by then.”
“She said that you need to be back by midnight, Adelaide. Do you think she’ll mind that I’m wearing the glass slippers? She gave them to you, after all.”
Adelaide pondered that for a moment. “No,” she decid
ed. “I don’t think so. She said she helps young women in need, but what I really need is for you to go in my stead.”
Adelaide reached into her satchel once more, took out the invitation the prince had left for her, and gave it Merelyn. “Now, picture yourself at the foot of the castle stairs. Can you see it?”
Merelyn closed her eyes. “Yes, I can see it.”
“Good. Now, take a step.”
Merelyn took a step forward, and disappeared. The bells of the town clock began to strike. It was ten o’clock.
CHAPTER 8
Adelaide made her way slowly through the streets of the town. Her ankle was starting to swell. Though she was fairly confident that it was only sprained and not broken, she was no doctor. She did know enough, though, to realize that walking on a swollen, sprained ankle was not a good idea.
At least Merelyn would have plenty of time to get her bearings and find Prince Julian. She was supposed to let him know that Adelaide would meet him in the public garden just outside the castle walls a quarter before midnight. Adelaide hoped she would make it in time. At the rate she was going, it was starting to look doubtful. The clock tower had chimed eleven some time ago.
Finally, Merelyn reached the public garden, a small place with a few flowering trees and lonely benches. At this late hour, the garden was completely empty. She had made it in time.
Adelaide collapsed onto a bench just as she hear a swift Clip! Clip! Clip! of shoes against the stone street caught Adelaide’s attention. Someone was running towards her. Julian? The sound grew louder. Was he coming?
Adelaide’s stepmother came around a corner of the garden, her steps quick and determined. She was looking for something. Or someone. Adelaide had the feeling it was her.
It was. Celeste spotted her and ran over to the bench where Adelaide was sitting. Grabbing her by the shoulders, Celeste pulled Adelaide up to her feet. Adelaide cried out in pain.
“You wretched beast of a girl!” Celeste said, shaking her. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Is Merelyn wearing the glass slippers?” Celeste asked.
“Yes,” Adelaide stammered.
“Stupid girl!” Celeste said, releasing her. Adelaide fell to the bench and looked up into her stepmother’s face. Anguish was written all over it.
“You have condemned her, don’t you understand? Why did you have to go and give her the shoes? I told you that magic is dangerous!”
“What do you mean, I’ve condemned Merelyn? Condemned her to what?”
“Stupid, stupid girls. You have no idea what pain you will cause.”
“No, you don’t understand. The glass slippers just make you beautiful. They change your appearance for a time, and then when you remove them, you go back to as you were. What is so dangerous about that?”
“You don’t understand, Adelaide. That is not all those shoes do. They are dangerous. Evil.”
“How could you possibly know?” Adelaide asked.
“Because I have worn them.”
Adelaide sat speechless, gaping at her stepmother. Deep, dark regret was etched into every part of Celeste’s body, from the lines of her frown, to the defeated slump of her shoulders. Celeste crumpled next to her on the bench. “I was only seventeen when it happened. An old lady gave me the glass slippers, saying their magic would make me irresistibly beautiful. She told me she was my fairy godmother. In truth, she was nothing more than a witch.
“I wanted to go to the celebration ball for the prince’s twenty-first birthday. You know him now as our king. I knew him as Prince Philippe, long before he ever met the queen.
“I wore the shoes to the ball, and the old woman’s prediction was true. Everyone adored me, including the prince. By the third night, he was completely smitten. I was the only woman he would dance with. We spent hours and hours talking to each other, until midnight, that is. When I returned at midnight of the third night, she asked me if I loved the prince, and of course, I did.
“My heart was so full with love, and then in a moment, she stole it all away. The power of the glass slippers drained me of all my love. The witch took it, and drank it. From that night, I have not been able to love anyone, not even my own child.
“I have suffered for decades without feeling a hint of love. I have no inner compass to guide my morality. A constant battle of bitterness is being waged for my soul at all times. But most keenly of all, I feel regret and remorse. No young girl should live cursed as I have.
“That is why we have to find Merelyn and persuade her to take off the shoes. She must not be wearing them at midnight. I have seen how the Elder Prince has filled her heart tonight. She loves him. The witch will take her love, and devour it.”
Adelaide’s mind was spinning. Everything she knew about her stepmother was skewed. What kind of strength did it take to keep from giving in to the darkness and hatred if your heart was devoid of love? Her stepmother was uncaring, and even cruel at times, but she hadn’t gone so far down the path of darkness to become completely inhuman. Would she? As years passed by, would her stepmother become less and less of herself and fall more deeply into darkness? Would Merelyn be next?
“I can barely walk. Can you not stop her?” Adelaide asked Celeste.
“She is in the arms of the Elder Prince. He hasn’t left her side all evening. Besides, after my reaction to the glass slippers this morning, I doubt your friend will believe anything I have to say. No, you will have to convince her.”
Adelaide spoke words she never expected to say to her stepmother. “I’ll need your help.”
Adelaide put her arm around Celeste’s shoulder and leaned heavily on her stepmother as the two walked along the castle wall, slowly crossing the distance towards the great staircase leading to the back of the castle keep.
“How did you know I was out here?” Adelaide asked.
“When I saw Merelyn at the ball, I knew you probably weren’t far behind. I thought perhaps you had taken one of Thalia’s dresses, and attempted to come to the ball as well. When I couldn’t find you inside the castle, I guessed you must be outside. Why are you outside?”
“I wanted to speak to Prince Julian. He has been nothing but kind to me, and I’ve treated him abhorrently. I wanted to apologize, but when I wore the glass slippers last night, he didn’t recognize me. I couldn’t very well tell him who I was. He told me things, while I was disguised. Why didn’t you tell me that he had stood by my bedside all night long, the night my father died? I didn’t know until the prince told me himself.”
Celeste answered candidly. “Why would I?”
“Don’t you think I would want to know that? Don’t you care?”
“You don’t seem to understand the depth of the condition of my heart, Adelaide. The truth is, I don’t care. Caring about your feelings is just another way of showing love.”
“If you don’t care, why are you helping me and Merelyn? Why bother at all?”
“It’s as simple as self-preservation, Adelaide. If we can persuade Merelyn to get us close enough to the witch, there may be a way to break the spell that has cursed me for so long.”
“You want to use my friend as bait?”
“I want my suffering to end.”
Adelaide and Celeste reached the base of the stairs. “Come on,” Celeste urged her. “We can do this. Together.”
There was sweat on Celeste’s brow. Bearing Adelaide’s weight had been no small feat, and now she was willing to help Adelaide mount the great staircase and ascend to the top. Adelaide put her foot out and hopped up. The sound of someone quickly descending caused her to pause. Prince Julian was quickly making his way down towards her. Merelyn must have found him.
“Miss Adelaide, you’re hurt,” he greeted her. “Please, sit and rest while I fetch someone who can help.”
“No, Your Highness, there’s no time. I’m sorry to intrude on the party, but I must find my friend, Merelyn. It’s gravely urgent. Have you seen her?”
Confusion rippled across his brow. “Yes, I just s
poke with her. She said that you were in the garden waiting to speak with me. I must confess that I am confused.”
“Please, Julian, my friend’s life is at stake.”
The prince didn’t flinch at the familiar use of his name, though Adelaide blushed as soon as the words escaped her lips. She didn’t look away, though, as his steadied gaze took in the seriousness of her face. He regarded her for a moment, looking deep into her eyes. Adelaide wondered if he would believe her. She hadn’t given him any reason to, and yet, here he was. In one swift motion, he lifted her into his arms, and began ascending the stairs. “I think this might be quicker than watching you hobble your way up to the top,” he explained.
Adelaide flushed even more deeply, knowing her birthmark would be more than obvious once they reached the lighted rooms of the castle. She almost protested, but agreed silently that this was much quicker than her sad attempt to scale the staircase. In just seconds, they were at the top, and Julian marched towards the ball, Adelaide still securely in his arms.
She wanted to scream for him to stop. The humiliation of being carried into the ball with her birthmark flared red as blood across her face, was more than she thought she could bear. Julian, however, didn’t seem embarrassed in the slightest. She decided to take strength from that.
They scanned the room, pushing their way through mingling guests and onto the dance floor. Merelyn was not there. “I see my brother, just across the room.” Julian said. “Leon hasn’t left your friend’s side all evening long, but I don’t think he’s with her now. Surely, he knows where she is though.”
Adelaide hoped so. Julian thrust his way through the crowd, marching towards the Elder Prince. “Leon, where is Merelyn?” he asked, finally making his way across the room.
Leon turned around and startled at the sight of Adelaide in his younger brother’s arms. “What is this, Julian?” he said. “What’s going on?”
Cursed Beauty (A Fairy Retelling #1) Page 6
