The women formed a circle around her. The comments came one after another.
“You look beautiful.”
“The perfect bride.”
“We’re so happy you’re here and part of the family.”
Ashley thought this had to be the most perfect day ever. She took a deep breath. “I think I’m ready.”
“Great. Let’s get you married and celebrate.” Melinda laughed. The door opened, and they preceded her down the hall. She was actually getting married. Ashley Bennett, the girl who thought she would never marry, had finally found a man she not only adored as a friend, but loved with all her heart.
CHAPTER 26
The doorsto the chapel opened. She heard the sound of a harp, and smelled juniper and beeswax from the candles. The scent of cinnamon and cloves filled the air. The chapel looked like something out of a fairytale, covered with greenery and candles. The wedding was to be family only. Afterward, they would join the rest of the castle in the hall for a feast with music and dancing.
Her soon-to-be sisters were dressed in beautiful gowns of every color, their jewels sparkling in the candlelight. And the men… Though all were handsome, she only had eyes for one.
Everyone was watching her. Ashley stumbled and straightened her shoulders. Somehow she made it to the front of the chapel where the priest waited. Christian mouthed,I love you.
“Tonight we come together, celebrating two souls joining together. Without love, life is meaningless; without love, death has no redemption.”
The priest nodded to Christian as a rumble of thunder sounded outside.
“Join hands. Above you are the stars, below you the earth. Astime passes, let your love be as constant as the stars, as firm as the earth. Be close to one another, have patience and understanding, for the storm will come. Together you will bend, not break.”
She was so full of emotion she felt the earth rumble.
“What was that?”
Ashley thought it was Charlotte who spoke. So it wasn’t just her. Everyone was looking around and at each other. And Ashley noticed each of the women were pale and watching her very closely. But she’d already survived a storm, and nothing had happened. It was fine.
The priest cleared his throat. “Place the ring on her finger.”
She felt something cool slip over her finger, a momentary pain and warmth. She looked down to see a gold ring with an emerald. It had hit a scab on her knuckle, as she watched, a drop of blood welled up.
Then the priest handed Christian a cup. “Drink and bind yourselves to one another.”
The wind screamed. There were nervous looks, but no one said a word. Christian drank and handed her the cup. She looked at her hands, the ring from her mother on her right hand and the gold band with the emerald from Christian on her left. She’d felt awful she didn’t have a ring for him, but he told her not to worry; she could surprise him later. Ashley drank from the cup and handed it back to the priest, yet it was if she were in two places, here and back in New York. She could see it all so clearly, hear the sounds of cars honking and people shouting, the subway as it rumbled down the tracks, taste the food from her favorite restaurants, and see her apartment with its big windows.
The priest adjusted his robe and looked to Christian, nodding. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. May your love endure any storm and serve as a guiding light in the darkness.”
The rumbling came again, and she heard thunder. It was like she was half awake and half dreaming as she saw her new familysurrounding her, the man she loved in front of her, and yet shecouldsee her home. The streets filled with traffic, the smell of the exhaust, overlaid with the smell of the greenery and beeswax here in the chapel, made her nauseated. She heard a scream, but wasn’t sure if it came from her or someone else. She felt like she was floating, and Ashley looked down to see that she seemed to be shimmering. Was she dreaming?
She reached out for Christian, and from far away heard him call, “Come back. Don’t leave me.”
She tried to focus on him, but the sounds were so loud. She turned her head to look.
Someone called out, “Ashley. Focus on Christian.”
But she wanted one last look.
Christian had been pleasedwith himself for getting Ashley to agree to marry him. They were almost to the end of the ceremony, and he had finally convinced himself she would not run at the last moment, when something odd happened. He had taken the ring and slipped it over her finger. But when he did so, it hit where she had scraped it against the stone wall yesterday, and he watched as a drop of blood welled up and fell to the floor. It was then that the earth rumbled, and as he took hold of her hand, trying to comfort her, he watched his hand vanish.
He would not let go of Ashley even as he felt a great pull. His arm vanished, and Christian heard terrible sounds. He saw everyone in the chapel, but also saw something else.
Strange horseless carriages he knew must be cars. It was as if he had one foot here at Winterforth and the other with Ashley in her world. He looked down to see he was still holding her hand. Yet when he looked up at her, she was still, like the stone walls of the castle.
“Ashley? Do you wish to stay?”
