Queens needed to be social and well versed in flattery; neither of them was Luci’s
particular skill set. Gladys, however, knew how to make even the grumpiest of men laugh while getting them to agree with her. She would make a wonderful monarch, but the problem with that was Ira would too. Even though he insisted he didn’t care one way or another, it was hard not to feel like she was taking something away from him.
“I tried to go to the library, but Father said it was a family event and I must make my appearances,” Max grumbled, coming up beside her.
He was as handsome as any young prince with pristine white pants matched to his crimson. A strange alternative to the prince who rarely lifted his eyes from books.
“I’ve decided if you hide inside the ballroom, it still counts as attending,” Luci said, leaning against the pillar.
Max crossed his arms and furrowed his brows, considering.
“If I knew of a spot particularly tucked away on the east corner, would it be wrong if there happened to be a book there?” he asked.
“Absolutely not. Furthermore, if anyone comes looking for you, I might just say they just missed you dancing, and I’m fairly sure you are around here somewhere.” Luci said.
“If you take out the dancing part, it wouldn’t be a lie,” he said.
When he smiled up at her, his front tooth was newly missing, and it melted her heart a little bit more. He was an old soul in a young body.
“You know, though, do you see that boy over there?” Luci bent down and pointed across the room. “His name is Cochran, and he helped Ira and me out on our quest. He happens to live very close to the Blue Mountains, which I heard just had some new magical activity occurring. You might get a first-hand account from him.”
Max’s eyes widened, and without saying good-bye or thank you, he took off to where Cochran stood by Agnes. They were kind to accept the invitation on such short notice, but the way Agnes drank in every moment was well worth the urgency. Cochran, however, was much more anxious and unsure.
Luci watched as Max approached, and not a few minutes later, the two boys were waving their hands and talking animatedly. It made her chest tighten with emotion, but worse was Ira emerging through the crowd and dipping his head to Agnes. She fawned and praised him, smiling like a bride herself.
He offered her his hand, and even from across the room, her cheeks filled with color while he led her to the dance floor. They laughed and chatted like old friends, and of all the things she’d done right in her life, all of this was one of them.
“Do you believe in magic now, Cinderella?”
Luci turned and nearly fell over as Elowen appeared in a blue shimmer and a puff of cinnamon, wearing a sparkling blue ball gown that hugged her skin before spilling out. Her red hair done up and loose, looking like a drawing from a book.
Sometimes Luci woke up thinking it was all an elaborate dream, but then fairy godmothers popped out of nowhere in the middle of ballrooms, and there was no denying it.
“How long will the flower help her?” Luci asked as she watched Lucien spin Brielle.
“Time will tell, but I can tell you that she will live a long and happy life. After that?” Elowen smiled. “I suspect I’ll be seeing Brielle Treveon again.”
She said the words with a sort of wistfulness that smelled a lot like hope. Enough that a suspicion built in Luci, and she realized she’d never thought to ask.
“How do fairy godmothers come to be?” she asked.
Red lips curved up, and all the answer Luci would ever get was in a single wink. A mystery that maybe wasn’t so much a mystery. Despite the unsettling nature of it, Luci found that maybe that wasn’t such a terrible fate. No one would be better at making dreams come true than the woman who gave Luci everything she had.
“I waited a very long time for you, Lucinda, but I believe it was worth it.” She looked over Luci's shoulder and smiled. “I left you a present where we first met. Live well, Lucinda Blackthorn.”
Before Luci opened her mouth to say a thing, Elowen was gone in a fit of blue magic that lingered in the air several momentsbefore disappearing altogether. How nice it must be to come and go at one’s will. It would make parties like this much easier.
Unsure what one was supposed to do after their fairy godmother came and went without warning, Luci scanned the room for Ira, but Agnes was resting with a glass of wine with a wide smile on her face, and Ira was nowhere to be found.
An arm slid around her waist, and she was beginning to consider that maybe her hiding spot was not so clever after all. Grinning like a mad woman, Luci pressed herself against her assailant and shuddered when he pressed a kiss to her neck.
“Do you often have dalliances with strange women at balls, your highness?” she said.
Her stomach tightened when his warm breath ghosted over her neck.
“It’s something new I thought to try. Do you approve?” he asked against her ear.
Light above, she was melting from the inside out. She twisted and faced her prince, her missing piece. Happiness suited him. It made his bright green eyes shimmer, making her wonder if there wasn’t some truth to the Vencia’s holding magic in their veins. She was certainly willing to find out.
