After bathing, she tossed me a pink gown.
I hate pink.
She dolled me up — face, hair, and all.
“The ladies of the house will be having breakfast in the garden house today. It’s lovely out,” she said.
I followed her to the garden. It looked more like an enclosed gazebo to me. Confederate jasmine, my mom’s favorite plant, had conquered most of the structure and released the sweetest smell, which served as an ironic juxtaposition to my somber mood. The only furniture was a round French-country style table placed in the middle of the room surrounded by windows. A small chandelier hung from the center down. The room practically sparkled with sunlight. Lauren was the only one there.
“Hi sister,” she said standing and kissing both my cheeks. “Please sit by me.” She smiled. She was always smiling.
She poured me a cup of tea, and we chatted momentarily about the weather being perfect for a wedding. Larelle and Isabelle joined us. Isabelle allowed there to be one chair between us. She obviously wanted nothing to do with me. The thick negative energy Isabelle brought with her seemed to darken both the mood and the room.
“Rowena, you are going to love what Nurse has done with your dress. It looks absolutely amazing,” Larelle said with false excitement.
“When will the wedding be?” I asked. One would have thought I’d know that by now, but no one had told me.
“At dusk, of course, silly,” Lauren laughed. I looked at her confused. “All royal weddings occur at dusk, but you couldn’t have known that. Right.” It was as if she was reminding herself that I wasn’t from here.
Isabelle didn’t say a word throughout breakfast, but she said a lot with the way she looked at me. I could tell she was infuriated at the idea of adding yet another woman to their marriage. I can’t say I blamed her.
After tea and more pointless chatter, she finally spoke. “Shall we take a walk, Rowena? You know, get acquainted with one another?” she asked. I was shocked and didn’t even try to answer. I simply stood up and walked out with her. She clasped her arm around mine. An outsider would have thought we were the best of friends.
We strolled down the garden’s meandering path for a few minutes before she spoke again.
“How was your night, dear?” she asked.
“Fine.”
“Did you enjoy your time with your gentleman friend?” She turned to look me in the eyes.
My stomach jumped into my throat so quickly I almost gagged. “I…”
“Shh. You don’t have to say anything. I understand the idea of having one last fling with an old flame before the chains of marriage confine you,” she said and smiled, which seemed odd to me. “You see, I’m in charge of the wives on this side of the family, and it never hurts to have a little leverage on them, just in case I were ever to need it. I don’t foresee that being an issue, but to be clear, Dekel is a very jealous man. If he ever thought you were interested in someone else, he’d stop at nothing to end your lover’s life, as he knows it anyway. Oh, and yours too.” She laughed, took my arm again, and continued to walk.
I was stunned. I guess the yellow wings weren’t a dream. She was in my room watching us. How many other times had she watched me?
“Me next!” Lauren said as we approached the garden home. She and I took yet another walk and talked about blooming magnolias, no less. The pointless conversation did nothing to distract me from what Isabelle said or what Chester said last night. The time was drawing closer to when I’d truly give myself to someone else, and I couldn’t help but wonder — Will it be worth it?
Chapter 31
Dashielle
“Hello?” I answered the phone.
“Hey, babe. How’s your day been?” Lil asked in her usual upbeat tone.
“Fine. You know, work, school, and stuff. Same old thing. What’s up with you?”
“Oh, there’s big news. Or at least, Mom thinks so. Someone supposedly found a piece of fabric in the woods out behind the old Victorian. Did you know that was Tim’s grandmother’s house? No wonder he had exclusive access to Blakely’s scariest home. Anyway, supposedly it was part of Rowena’s skirt. Who knows, really? I swear they are never going to move on. It’s almost been a year, you know?” she said.
“Tim — as in the guy I work with and the one who got me the job?” I asked.
“Yeah. It’s his grandmother’s. She’s in a nursing home over in Randolph County. If she could only see her beloved home now. I’m sure she’d be appalled.”
“He never mentioned that. Who found the piece of dress?” I asked.
“Oh, God. Not you too! Please tell me you don’t buy into this whole new evidence bit. If it was Rowena’s, they would have found it ages ago. It probably tore off someone’s clothes as they were out there getting frisky. You know that’s a popular make-out spot.”
“Where did they find it?”
“Somewhere near some sink hole or something. That’s the other part. Detectives are theorizing she might have fallen in and starved, dehydrated, or something. What a terrible way to die, huh? Anyway, they’re planning to investigate the hole tomorrow to see if they can find her remains,” she continued.
“God,” I said flatly. The idea of them finding Rowena’s body was both sad and relieving. I dreaded the finality of it, but I yearned for it at the same time. “How are your parents holding up?”
“They’re a wreck, as usual. This is the first new lead we’ve had in a while, and I think they believe it. I still think it seems odd they haven’t found all this before. They’ve searched the area dozens of times. It doesn’t make sense.”
I haven’t been out there since the morning after she went missing. The cops organized a large search party, but no one found anything. There was a part of me that feared finding her. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself. I’ve seen enough investigation shows to know that a dead body is something I never wanted to see, especially that of my girlfriend. All this time, I wanted to believe the police’s theory — that she’d run away. Even though I knew, I mean really knew, that wasn’t true. Something happened to her, and the thought of finding out the details frightened me.
“I need to get out of this house and get my mind off all this. How about you pick me up at five? We can catch a movie or something,” she asked.
“Or something. See you at five.”
While driving home, I couldn’t help but condemn myself for never having been out there since that morning. I owed it to her. What kind of ass doesn’t go and look for his missing girlfriend more than once? I felt disgusted with myself.
I picked Lil up at a quarter till five. She wasn’t ready, so I waited in the living room.
“Hi, Dashielle. Did Lil tell you about what the investigators said?” Mrs. Snow asked. She stood with her arms clasped around her thinning body. She had become only a fraction of her former self.
“She did.” I nodded.
“Do you think they’ll find her down there?” She slumped into the couch and stared at the wall behind me.
“I don’t know.”
Lil danced down the stairs wearing a mini skirt and a green V-cut top. “I’m ready,” she announced.
She insisted we have dinner at her favorite restaurant.
“What movie are we going to?” she asked.
“We’re not going to a movie.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” I said.
We hopped in the beater and made our way to the old Victorian on Alice Street.
“You have got to be kidding me,” she mumbled, as I placed the car in park.
“Nope. We’ve got to look, Lil. It’s the right thing to do.”
“No, it’s not. It’s creepy. I don’t want to find my dead sister!”
I felt the urge to agree and drive away, but something inside of me had to know if she was there. I needed to know. I coerced her out of the car, promising it would only take a minute. We walked to the back of the house and out into the w
oods. It wasn’t long before we saw the yellow police tape wrapped around a series of trees that surrounded the sinkhole.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered and refused to go any further. I continued forward and stepped under the tape. I slowly approached the hole, trying to keep a steady footing. It probably wasn’t safe to advance on foot, so I scurried on my stomach and peeked in. Darkness was the only apparent entity below.
“You got a light?” I yelled to her.
“Here. Use my phone,” she said bringing up the flashlight app. She tossed the iPhone to me. I rolled my eyes at the thought of it falling down the gaping hole, but caught it.
I held the phone and the light into the darkness. At first, I didn’t see much other than dirt. Then I saw something else − claw marks. Like someone had tried to climb out. My heart raced. Chicken skin covered my body, and I suddenly felt the urge to get the hell out of there. I took Lil’s arm, and we ran back to the car.
“What happened? What’d you see?” she asked panicked.
“Nothing. It was just creepy,” was all I’d say. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that something happened there. I could feel Rowena. I could almost even smell her.
I walked Lil to her door, but she wasn’t as ready as I was for the night to end. She sat on the porch swing and insisted I swing with her. I could tell her nerves were a little rattled too, but she always got over things quickly. She placed her head on my chest and pulled my arms around her.
“Everything is perfect in your arms,” she whispered. But I barely acknowledged her at all. My mind was trapped in the depths of darkness with Rowena.
Chapter 32
Nurse brought me the dress, and Larelle let me borrow her room to prepare for the wedding. Lauren dressed early so that she could help me, which I was thankful for. She was the only seemingly nice person in the family, and I was glad to have her on my side.
Nurse twirled my hair and pinned it in beautiful swirls and braids.
“Fairy tale hair,” I laughed nervously.
Lauren placed the crown on my head. It was daintier than I would have imagined. “You’re one of us.” She smiled.
“You’ll wear this to all public events from now on, and you’ll wear the smaller headband Dekel gave you for family functions,” Nurse said while giving my hair one last poof.
“It’s not how I imagined it would be,” I said out loud but to myself.
Lauren’s expression saddened. “I wish your family could be here too. I can’t imagine not having mine at my wedding,” she said.
“It’s not just that. There are other things. Traditions. Like, it’s our custom to wear something borrowed, blue, and new.” I laughed again, but I wasn’t really laughing. I had the jitters from hell, and I didn’t know how to process everything. “And a bridesmaid. I always thought my sister would be my maid of honor.”
“I didn’t know you had a sister,” Lauren said while taking my hand gently.
“Would you be my maid of honor?” I asked, squeezing her hand. I didn’t know her well, but I felt close to her somehow, at least close enough to call her a friend. Mostly I just didn’t want to stand up there alone. Fear crippled me.
“Sure!” She perked up. “Only I don’t know what one is.”
“You’re already acting like one. Bridesmaids help plan the wedding and help the bride. The only other thing you’ll need to do is stand next to me at the wedding.” I forced a smile for her, which she returned.
Nurse pulled the gown out from closet and struggled to hold it.
“It’s a heavy thing,” she said. “Lauren, you get this side. It’ll take two of us to get it on her.” They both carefully maneuvered the fabric to prevent it from ruining my hair and make-up. Once on, I realized this was really happening. It took them several minutes to fasten all the buttons and clasp everything.
It was stunning. It had a silk corset bodice with periodic sequins that caught the light perfectly. Layers of toile formed an occasional rose at the bottom, and the train seemed to never end. There was a wide peach colored satin sash that wrapped around the base of my hips. There were two lace ruffles around the sweetheart top, and the straps were simply several ribbons that slouched off my shoulders. Under normal circumstances, it would have taken my breath away.
“Of course, a dress isn’t complete without shoes.” Lauren smiled and a pair of heels appeared in her hands. They were clear as glass and adorned with what looked like diamonds.
“They’re lovely. The only question is — can I walk in them?”
“Oh, no worries!” she said. With a wave of her hand, they turned into studded flats.
“Perfect.” I forced another smile.
“One last thing,” Nurse said and clasped the lace veil at the back of the crown.
“There’s still something else,” Lauren said while grabbing the lipstick. “Nothing tops the cake like a cherry.”
With a shaky hand, I ran the ruby stick across my lips.
Lauren and the rest of the family had already left. Larelle and Nurse accompanied me to the wedding. We rode there in a carriage, just as we had before. There was mostly silence between us, but I was far from calm. Chaos and panic ravaged my mind.
Dresdem’s promise to bring me to the portal every day until I opened it had quickly been overshadowed by the extravagant desires of his son, which seemed odd to me. It felt like I was walking into a trap, but there was no place to run but straight into the enchanted claws of the royals.
Have I been crazy to accept this marriage? Will I actually be able to save anyone? Or will I be the only one who needs saving? I can’t do this. I can’t do this.
You have to. We have to protect them. This is the only way.
Since when do you care about them? You only want Dresdem’s magic so you can have your kingdom back! There has to be another way!
I’m choosing to ignore that statement and blame it on your over-emotional state. You know deep down what we have to do. What’s necessary is rarely what’s preferred; victory belongs to the brave.
I can’t be with Dekel. I just can’t. I’d rather die!
Don’t think about that. We’ll burn that bridge when we cross it.
I couldn’t help but think about Chester and Dashielle and the mixture of weddings that I’d dreamed up in the past. Everything was wrong. The husband, the family, the place — everything. My chest tightened. I lost all control of my breathing and gasped for air. I felt like I was about to pass out.
“Breathe!” Larelle yelled. “Deep breathe in and release.”
Pull it together. We can fix everything once we have magic.
I struggled, but by the time we got to the wedding, I’d resumed some sort of zombie-like calm.
It looked magical, really. There were tea lights in little glasses hanging in the trees. White roses were scattered throughout that somehow had grown overnight. The evening came and so did the forest’s fog, which made everything look more mysterious and strangely perfect. A photographer was there — one like I’d seen in old movies who took photos under a black veil. Dekel and I were instructed to stand under a large oak and pose. I was told to place my hand on his chest and look at him with loving eyes. I did my best to follow instructions, but I nearly gagged.
“You look great, even with all the layers,” he whispered and gave me a dirty wink. My spine shivered in response.
We were told to assume our places. Dekel, dressed in a three-piece tux, looked slightly less grotesque than I’d pictured him before, but nothing he could have worn would have masked his perverse nature.
The whole event sort of reminded me of prom, what little I’d seen of it since Dashielle and I only showed up for pictures. Mom insisted on those photos.
Lauren took my side, dressed perfectly in peach chiffon.
“Here,” she said handing me a small gift. It was an oval locket, edged with tiny sapphires. There was a cameo on the front of it. “You see, it’s new, and the sapphires are blue, and the picture inside i
s borrowed, until you replace it with your own.” She smiled. I nearly cried. I felt incredibly thankful to have Lauren for a bridesmaid. I couldn’t imagine Lil being so thoughtful. I started to open it, but Larelle said, “Let’s begin.”
Music rang from the trees and carried in the wind. Lauren walked down the aisle before me, and I followed. There were maybe thirty guests, almost all of whom I didn’t know. A woman in the trees caught my attention. She wore a large white brimmed hat that covered almost everything but her ruby red lips. No one else seemed to notice the lonely black silhouette. I continued walking. When I passed Dresdem, Larelle, and Nurse, I finally gathered the nerve to look at Dekel. He was smiling and seemed genuinely happy. An outsider would have thought he was in love.
I took my place next to Lauren. I handed her my bouquet. I turned and placed my hands in Dekel’s and tried to retreat into the remote corners of my mind.
An older man stood with a tattered book in his arms and said, “Do you Rowena agree to share an eternity of unbroken love with Dekel? Held in perfect union by the magic of this world, and sanctified by the agreement of these witnesses. Do you agree to concede your emotional desires for the fulfillment of your mate’s natural, logical wisdom? And do you agree to support his efforts to build and sustain Mezzanine with the accompaniment of the entire royal family? If you do, please say I do.”
Don’t do it! My mouth was dry until I almost regurgitated my last meal. I clasped my arms around my stomach, trying to force myself well enough to answer.
“I do,” I stuttered.
A strong current ran through my body. Every part of me was lit up from the inside. For a moment I believed I’d been struck by lightning. Everything within me throbbed. I could hardly breathe. I almost collapsed, but Dekel steadied me.
“It’s okay. It’s just a little magic,” he whispered, slipping a large black diamond on my left hand. Within seconds, the current ceased. He kissed me hard. The guests applauded. He pulled me close; I felt his breath brisk across my ear. He gently blew, and I felt a slight burn behind my lobe. I clasped where I felt the pain. He pulled away and smiled. “It’s a symbol of our love. All of my wives wear it.” He snapped his fingers and held two mirrors. “Take a look.” He handed me one of them as he held the other slightly behind my ear. When I caught the reflection, I saw that two intertwined rings were tattooed there. Devastated to have a permanent mark to commemorate the worst day of my life, I tried to rub it off to no avail.
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