I glanced at my hands, noticing how manicured and clean they looked. Since living in the valley, trying to make my hands look as though they didn't spend every hour in the dirt had been difficult.
It was as if this bath had wiped away any trace of my previous life.
Time slowed as the handmaidens braided my hair, applied lotion to my arms and face, and decorated the corners of my eyes and top of my cheeks with tiny, glittering crystals.
They had taken a black coal crayon, darkening my eyes, making me look like someone else. Half of my hair had been braided and twisted. The rest curled and cascaded down around my shoulders, one diamond encrusted clip pushed in the top of my head like a tiny crown.
I didn't recognize the woman in the mirror.
But she definitely looked the part of a queen.
Thinking back to all the kids in the village who made fun of me, I wondered what they would say now. Would they be impressed? Part of me couldn’t believe I was actually here.
If only things had gone differently.
Was I a fool to run away from the temple?
Before my thoughts could wander into all the what-ifs, the maids brought over a small wooden trunk, opening it to a glittering array of gems and jewelry. The amount of wealth in that trunk could feed multiple settlements. Glittering bracelets and necklaces were taken out and laid out on display on a nearby table covered in linen.
The dress had a sweetheart neckline showing more than I cared for. Liora picked up a large cascading diamond andsapphire necklace, the teardrop gems small and delicate with long, various strands.
She held it up, looking at me in the glass, right under my collar.
“What about this?” I tugged at the magical dampener.
“The king will remove it before the ceremony,” she said, clasping the jeweled necklace around me.
Bracelets covered my wrist, and the amount of wealth decorating me created rainbows against the mirrors. It was almost blinding. Liora stepped back, examining her handiwork.
After I had been primped, prodded, and perfumed, it was time.
Liora put a veil on top of my head, covering me. “I know humans have certain traditions. While the fae have their own rituals, I wanted you to at least feel comfortable, given the circumstances.”
The lacy material fell in front of my face, hiding me from the world, and covering the mark that had dictated my life since the moment I was born.
We left the bath area and went into a narrow stairwell. There was no loud cacophony of talking or music or anything signifying that today was a special day. They brought me to a drawing room on the first floor of the castle where we waited.
Gitz walked into the drawing room and motioned for Liora. The two whispered and I strained to hear what they were saying.
Liora spoke fast, then the goblin scurried out, and Gideon walked in, dressed in a navy-blue doublet.
“What is it?” I asked.
“We're just waiting for the king,” Liora said, the smile not reaching her eyes.
“What do you meanwe’re waiting for the king?”
She paused before continuing. “King Kane is currently missing.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Deirdre
“My, my, you make a magnificent bride.”Gideon moved toward Liora, a scheming smile on his face. “I need to speak to the future queen in private. Royal matters.”
Liora stood straight and I nodded at her to go. “I’ll be fine.”
I think.
