Cast Away
Page 13
Sophie patted Laurel on the head. “Don’t measure all weddings by this one. I have the sense it will be loud and proud.”
I leaned over and whispered to Laurel, “Don’t worry. This is my first wedding, too.”
“I think everyone in Spellbound is here,” Millie said. “Except maybe the Grey sisters.”
“Not everyone is invited to the reception, though,” I said. I’d have to endure that spectacle without my friends.
"I didn't think you’d want to witness this farce,” a voice said.
I turned to see Jasper, Elsa’s spurned fiancé. "I could say the same to you."
Jasper smiled grimly. "I wanted to see it happen for myself. Otherwise, I would never believe it was real.“
I could wholly relate to that. “Some might say you dodged a bullet.”
His brow creased. ”I guess that’s a human world expression.” He shielded his eyes from the sun and scanned the area. “I haven't seen the bride or groom yet. Knowing Elsa, she has some grand entrance planned."
"That sounds about right," I said.
At that moment, a group of white doves flew into the air together and formed the shape of a heart above our heads. The crowd oohed and aahed. Then the birds exploded in a display of white flowers. The petals drifted to the ground, scattering beneath our feet. The blow of a trumpet alerted us to the groom's arrival. Daniel arrived on a magic carpet, which struck me as silly given his beautiful set of wings. Elsa’s idea, most likely. The magic carpet landed directly on the floating platform and Daniel rose to his feet with a catlike grace. He looked elegant in his white suit, his ivory wings spread wide and proud behind him. I stared at him, overwhelmed with emotion. I'd often heard the phrase that someone ‘is a vision,’ but I never truly understood it until this moment.
A lump formed in my throat and I struggled to breathe. Daniel was getting married. To someone else. I couldn't believe this moment was actually happening.
He gazed at the crowd, appearing pleased with the turnout. The spell was likely strong at this hour. I imagined Elsa gave him an extra dose today, to be on the safe side.
A trumpet sounded again, signaling the arrival of the bride. I heard the appreciative noises before I glimpsed her. I followed the crowd’s gaze skyward where Elsa flew on the back of a winged white horse. A freakin’ Pegasus.
"Spell’s bells," Begonia whispered.
Spell’s bells, indeed. Where on earth did she find a Pegasus? The magnificent beast glided onto the shore and splashed through the shallow waters, depositing Elsa with her groom on the floating platform.
"Mayor Knightsbridge spared no expense," I heard a voice say behind me.
The Pegasus flew away, leaving me with a clear view of the bride and groom. Elsa looked as beautiful as one would expect. Her golden hair was pulled up in a soft bun with loose tendrils caressing her angular cheekbones. She was a stunning bride. Even I couldn't argue with that.
“Who’s performing the ceremony?" I asked. Although I’d never actually been to a wedding, I knew that nonreligious ceremonies sometimes involved a justice of the peace. It seemed odd to me, though, that the mother of the bride would officiate the ceremony. Then again, I didn't put anything past Mayor Knightsbridge. She'd shown herself to be a cold and calculating fairy, same as her daughter.
"There is no officiant," Markos said. "I've seen them a few times during a wedding ceremony, but most residents of Spellbound choose to officiate themselves. It's more of a declaration of love than a formal ceremony."
Looking around, it was hard to see this as anything but a formal ceremony. The crowd hushed as Elsa’s voice was carried by the breeze.
"Daniel and I thank everyone for coming today to witness our declarations of love. Today we begin a new chapter in our lives, one that has been written in the stars from the very beginning. No two beings were ever more of a match than we are, as I'm sure anyone who has ever seen us together can attest."
I bristled at her words. No, I wanted to scream. You were not written in the stars. You were written in crayon on a Denny’s menu.
"She seems to have the stars confused with magical drugs," Begonia whispered.
“No kidding,” I said quietly.
"If it's any consolation," Markos said, "I don't think anyone here believes a word she says.”
"If no one believes her, then why doesn't someone stop the wedding?" I asked.
Markos shrugged. “Daniel is a grown angel. He’s also somewhat unpopular here, depending on the demographic. Either way, without hard evidence, I don't think anyone really knows what to do.”
I returned my attention to the ceremony where Elsa was still reciting her vows. "It has been said that if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Today marks the day our efforts have paid off.”
“There is no try, only do," I mumbled.
“Who said that? Shakespeare?" Markos asked.
"Yoda," I replied.
"I declare my love for you, Daniel Starr. I declare it in front of all those assembled in Spellbound. May our union be blessed with the fruits of our love and may we be bound together by our everlasting affection for each other."
I wanted to hurl. The sentiment would have been beautiful—if he actually loved her.
Daniel cleared his throat. Apparently it was his turn to speak. My pulse raced. He clasped her hands in his and gazed into her eyes. I fought another urge to vomit.
"Elsa Mae Knightsbridge. I wronged you many years ago and for that I am eternally sorry. You didn't deserve such treatment and I only hope to make it up to you now every day for the rest of our lives."
My chest ached. The rest of their lives. Daniel was an angel. He was immortal. The idea sickened me. He was imprisoning himself and he didn't even know it. I gazed out at the lake, my jaw tightening when I saw the wooden pier on the other side of the water. An image flashed in my mind of me running the length of it, my feet pounding on the wooden boards until I reached the edge. My car had been barreling down behind me, threatening to crush me to death. The only alternative had been to jump, even though I couldn't swim and my mother had drowned. Still, I had jumped and Daniel had saved me. I’d never believed in angels until that moment. I’d never believed in any type of paranormal creature, not ghosts or vampires or witches. That single moment changed my life forever. Instinctively, I twisted my neck to find the spot on the clifftop where I’d first spotted Daniel from my car. He’d been perched there, ready to jump. If seeing him there wasn't fate, then I didn't know the meaning of the word. Elsa could talk about the alignment of the stars all she liked, but I knew in my heart that Daniel and I were meant for each other. I’d never believed in fate before, but I'd warmed to the idea slowly over time. What were the odds that a human girl from Lemon Grove, Pennsylvania would turn out to be a paranormal trapped by the curse? There was no other explanation. Too many coincidences. It was fate, pure and simple.
Daniel’s words rang out, clear and strong, and I immediately recognized the quote from one of the Winnie the Pooh books I’d given to him from the library.
My heart swelled. Somewhere in there was my Daniel, struggling to get out. There was no way Elsa would have written Winnie the Pooh quotes for him to recite. This part was all angel.
Sure enough, Elsa frowned as he spoke, her dissatisfaction with his choice of vows evident.
Daniel continued on to the closing remarks and I held my breath. “And with this ring, I bind us…"
No, don’t bind yourself to her, Daniel, I pleaded, knowing no one could hear me. You’re still in there. Break the hold she has on you. Break the spell!
As he slipped the ring onto her finger, something snapped inside me. I felt the power rise up like a wave riding into shore. Between the power and the momentum, I had no hope of stopping it. The magic ripped through me. When I raised my hand to protect myself, the power shot from my fingertips. Guests screamed as yellow light streamed from me. I watched in horror as the line went straight to Daniel, zapping him unconscious.
“Daniel,” she shrieked. Her wreath was caught by the breeze and drifted into the water, floating away from the bride and groom.
“Oh no,” I cried. What had I done?
Chapter 20
I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. "What did you do?" Lady Weatherby’s stern voice shocked me to attention. Her expression was both grim and fearful at the same time.
"I don't know," I stammered. "I just said I wanted to break her hold on him.”
Everyone watched as Elsa helped Daniel to his feet. He blinked at her.
"What's going on?" he asked groggily.
"Someone tried to use witchcraft on you," Elsa said hotly. "Someone who wanted to ruin our wedding."
Daniel shook his head, clearly confused. "Wedding? What wedding?"
The crowd gasped as Elsa tried to remain calm.
"Our wedding, Daniel,” she said in a soothing tone. “Darling, we're getting married this very moment."
Daniel recoiled slightly. “Married? How?" He glanced wildly at the guests gathered on the shoreline and his gaze fell upon me. "Emma? I don’t understand.“
I sighed with relief. The obsession was over.
"Daniel," I cried. As I moved to rush toward him, the firm grip of Lady Weatherby held me back and I struggled against her. “Let me go."
“Hush, Miss Hart,” she hissed.
“What have you done?” Elsa shrieked at me. “What kind of magic was that?” She glanced helplessly at the assembled guests. “She didn’t use a wand. That wasn’t any witch magic I’ve ever seen.”
Mayor Knightsbridge fluttered toward me, her features twisted in anger. “What are you?”
“She’s a witch,” Begonia said, stepping forward. “You know this. The coven tested her when she first came to Spellbound.”
Lady Weatherby released her hold on me. “I’m afraid the test is not entirely foolproof.”
“Not entirely foolproof?” Mayor Knightsbridge glared at the head of the coven. “In what way?”
Lady Weatherby hesitated. “The potion does not distinguish between close relatives of witches.”
Uh oh.
“She’s a sorceress,” someone yelled.
“Or an enchantress,” another voice cried.
I felt the crowd’s energy shift. The fear was palpable as guests began to edge away from me.
“Call the sheriff,” someone yelled.
“Lock her up,” another voice called. This statement was followed by cheers.
I looked around wildly, trying to find a friendly face in the sea of frowns. My heart hammered in my chest and I felt my anxiety skyrocket.
“Please,” I said. “It’s me. Emma.”
The sound of my voice was drowned out by shouts of ‘lock her up.’ My chest tightened and I began to run, pushing my way through the crowd. I needed to get away.
“Stop her,” someone screamed. Elsa.
As I cleared the mass of bodies, I felt strong arms around my waist. Suddenly my feet were off the ground and I was airborne.
“I’ve got you,” Daniel said. “Just don’t wiggle too much or I might drop you. Something we’d both regret.”
I squeezed my eyes closed as we rose above the cliffside. I’d already been fighting to keep down breakfast throughout the ceremony and being hundreds of feet in the air wasn’t helping.
“Don’t worry. No one’s coming after us,” Daniel said.
I couldn’t answer. I was in too much shock.
“Where are we going?” I finally managed to ask. I surveyed the area and realized we were near the cave of the Grey sisters.
“Somewhere safe.”
“You think I need to be kept safe?” I asked softly. “From the residents of Spellbound?” From my friends?
“The pitchforks are out,” Daniel said. “You don’t want to be near them until they calm down. Distance is the best answer.”
Although my feet scraped the ground, my legs crumpled and I fell in a heap. Daniel slid a hand underneath my armpit and lifted me to my feet.
“You’re shaking,” he said quietly.
“Can you blame me?” I tried to quell the wave of nausea that continued to plague me.
He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close, and I felt the tickle of his white wings. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I said. “It’s not your fault.”
“I don’t know exactly what happened, but I get the sense that if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have used your sorceress magic.”
And I’d do it again, knowing it would save him.
There you are. I’ve been searching everywhere for you.
I glanced skyward to see Sedgwick circling above us.
“Sedgwick, what are you doing here?”
Making sure you’re not dead.
“Still alive, thank you very much.”
You caused quite the uproar. Well done.
“I’m glad you approve.”
So what’s next? It’s not like you can leave town.
I glanced at Daniel. “What’s next?”
“I think we should hide out with the Grey sisters until things calm down. They like you. They’ll protect you if anyone comes knocking.”
“Will you let Gareth know?” I called to Sedgwick.
I’ll do my best to communicate with him, but, fair warning, I don’t speak lower level species.
“Do your best.”
Stay safe, he replied and flew off.
Daniel rubbed the spot between my shoulder blades. “Ready?”
I nodded and we made our way to the mouth of the cave.
“The heart of darkness has entered the cave, she has,” the shorter Grey sister said.
“Hey, who are you calling the heart of darkness?” I objected. “I bought your sister teeth and a new pair of eyes.”
“A fair trade,” the taller sister said.
“So we have a favor to ask,” Daniel said.
“A favor?” the shorter one queried. “From the Grey sisters?”
“Yes, you,” Daniel replied. “Emma and I need a place to hide out for a bit. We figured this is one of the last places anyone would want to…I mean, would think to look.”
“You are most welcome here, you are,” Lyra said. “Your secret has been discovered, I take it.”
Tears stung my eyes. “It has.”
“And they have turned on you, they have,” the shorter one said.
“No surprise to us,” the taller one chimed in. “The curse serves as no reminder.”
“Too far gone. They have all forgotten,” Lyra said.
“You think the curse was to punish them all?” I asked. “I thought it was because of…” I halted and cast a furtive glance at Daniel.
“I told you my story,” he said matter-of-factly. “I can’t say for certain the curse wasn’t because of me, but I don’t think it was.”
“Some of the residents weren’t even born when the curse took hold,” I said. “It isn’t fair to the innocent ones.”
“And what have they learned, my pet?” Lyra asked. “Did anyone speak up for you?”
“Some tried,” I said, thinking of Begonia’s effort. “And Daniel…”
Lyra clucked her tongue. “They learn nothing, they do.”
We made our way further into the cave and I tried to ignore the gloomy and depressing interior. I was lucky to be here—criticizing the lack of decor and modern amenities was ungrateful, to say the least.
The sisters circled Daniel. “You act upon your own free will, you do,” Lyra said.
“I do, thanks to Emma,” he replied.
“I don’t know what I did,” I admitted. “Some kind of sorcery.”
“My mind is beginning to clear,” Daniel said. “When I first snapped out of it, I felt confused.”
“You didn’t seem to know where you were,” I said. “Do you re
member everything now?”
He rubbed his chin, thinking. “I remember, but it feels like an out-of-body experience. Like it happened to someone else and I watched it.”
Panic crept through my veins. “Do you remember anything aside from Elsa?” Like my confession of love at the Spellbound Care Home?
He laughed. “I remember the bachelor party if that’s what you’re about. You created quite the mess there.”
“Because I was trying to test all of the Anti-Obsession potions on you!”
He grinned. “And you did a bang-up job.”
I elbowed him in the ribs. “Hey. I was trying to rescue you. Next time I’ll let you get married.”
“We’re sorry we came without gifts,” Daniel said. “We don’t mean to offend you.”
“None taken,” Petra said. “Circumstances are unusual, they are.”
“We hope we haven’t put you in any danger,” I said.
The Grey sisters gave a collective scoff.
“Impossible, that is,” Effie said. “The Grey sisters are both feared and revered.”
I didn’t argue with that.
“Come and find comfort in our home,” Lyra said, gesturing for us to enter an offshoot of the main cave.
Comfort was a stretch. The room was as Spartan as the main cave area. Other than a few fey lanterns and chairs, there wasn’t much to look at. I really hoped we didn’t need to hide here for very long.
“Now you will be able to practice your magic openly,” Lyra said, a gleam in her two eyes.
“I can’t practice what I don’t know,” I replied.
“Learn you must,” Petra said. “Control the magic before it controls you.”
Daniel removed his suit jacket and tie. “This is suffocating.”
“And absurdly unattractive,” Lyra said. “Burn it for you, I will.”
A slow grin stretched his lips. “Actually, I’d like to do the honors, if you don’t mind.”
“This way to the fire,” the middle Grey sister said, crooking a thin finger.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “It’s a really nice jacket.” Ricardo would be bawling his wereferret eyes out if he knew.
“I’d burn the whole suit right now if I had something else to wear,” Daniel said.