“No, there will not!”
Another voice cuts through the silence—loud and authoritative.
My father steps forward, with Lady Yilara behind him. She is dragging my soon-to-be bride by the arm, and my father kicks at goats and gravels to clear a path to where I stand.
“There will be no ceremony,” he says. “Only an execution—followed by the razing of Aralysse. Because this female is not the Stone Bride. She is animposter.”
A collective gasp ripples through the crowd.
For the first time since our initial meeting, Sallie Rose looks truly afraid.
“No, no, I am the Stone Bride!” she insists.
My father lifts a crumpled piece of parchment. “I have a letter here that proves she is not who she claims to be. She is merely thebest friendof thetrueAralysse princess. An imposter sent in her place.”
I glance from my father to Sallie Rose. Then calmly say to Yilara, “You will unhand her” before holding a palm out to my father for the letter.
Which he gladly hands over as Yilara lets my bride go.
However, Sallie Rose leaps forward, her brown eyes wet and desperate. “No! This is a mistake!”
She has the audacity to snatch at the letter, prompting me to flick a finger and bind her wrists in front of her with shadows so she cannot interfere.
Her bound hands do not silence her voice, however.
“That letter… I wrote that, okay? Back when I thought I could get out of this. It was just a joke! Please don’t punish Aralysse for my cowardice. I’m the tribute. I am, I swear!”
She swears.
I look up from the letter. And just then, a great thunk sounds outside the doors, letting me know the carriage has been dropped off by Kinnarick and the three others.
“What was that?” some of the servants whisper.
But I keep my gaze fixed on Sallie Rose.
“Little liar.”
“I’m not…” Her voice falters. Tears brim in her eyes. “I’m not lying. Please… believe me.”
“I do not,” I say coldly. I lower the letter and stroke a talon over her cheek. “Because I, too, have proof that you are lying.”
I swirl my finger again. The great doors open.
Then Kinnarick and the rest of the contingent I took with me step through—escorting, and in one case, dragging, my four human guests behind them.
Wedding
SALLIE ROSE
Seraphyne.TherealPrincess of Aralysse is here.
I watch the missing Kinnarick drag her in sobbing. While three other soldiers pull in the King and Queen of Aralysse.
And my father.
My father.
My wonderful, innocent father, who should be back home in his garden, is confused about my sudden disappearance, but safe—safefrom the Stone Fae King’s wrath.
