“I’m so relieved you love it. It was nearly impossible to pull off within your tight time frame, but luckily, I had help,” Gianna exclaims. She grabs a flute of sparkling wine from a server dressed in a white tailcoat, then hands it to me. I’ve already had more than enough to drink. Drinks were constantly offered to me and Wilder before our guests tore us apart, stealing our attention from each other.
I scan the crowd of spring colors, and exhale longingly. It’s been a while since I last saw him. Originally, I envisioned asmall, intimate wedding focused on Wilder and me, but Gianna brushed me off.You only get married once,she’d insisted,and when you do, you do it big. Not wanting to argue, I agreed.
A happy Gi is a happy Leigh.
“Help?” I ask, noticing Wilder across the room talking with Ry and Isolde. My heart swells. Goodness, he looks so handsome in his suit. “Help from whom?”
Gi rubs her button nose, looking guilty as shit. I narrow my eyes. “I know you don’t like her,” Gi says carefully, her tan complexion turning waxen, “but you have to understand, you were so busy with your grandmother’s recovery, and I needed an extra set of hands…”
“Who?”
Gi doesn’t look at me when she says, “Felicity.”
My stomach hardens. “FelicityGraves?”
“Yes.”
I sneer. My cousin Felicity and I aren’t close. She only visits me and the family when she wants something, so the fact that she helped Gianna plan my wedding tells me I’m about to be asked for the biggest favor yet. I tighten my grip on my drink. As the daughter of my grandmother’s late brother from a second marriage, Felicity is technically next in line for my throne until I have children. Over the past few years, she’s become bolder, asking for a higher allowance and more royal responsibilities, and I don’t like it.
I make a mental note to deal with Felicity after the wedding.
I pretend to yawn. It’s time to meet Ravi, help him find the spell, and close the portal. Wilder’s busy with friends; maybe he won’t notice I’ve slipped away if I do it now. “I should go get some sleep. Thank you so much, Gi. Everything tonight was beautiful and special.”
Gi frowns. “It’s not even ten o’clock.”
“Doesn’t the bride need her beauty rest?” I ask.
Gi’s jaw sets. “Are you really going to bed, or trying to fuck around with your fiancé?”
I choke on my spit. Gi pats my back, waving off a few concerned guests.
“I already told Wilder I’d see him in the morning,” I wheeze.
“I’m sure he accepted that with the subtlety of a jackhammer.”
When I told him I wanted to sleep alone tonight, Wilder complained that I always break the rules so I shouldn’t have trouble breaking this one. He’s right, of course. I want more than anything to sneak into his room and fuck his brains out one last time before we make it official. The thought of him wanting to tear off my clothes as much as I want to tear off his is maddening. But I stayed firm despite how much it kills me, because the excuse that traditionally, royal engaged couples spend the night apart before the wedding is the lie that will allow me to handle the portal without him knowing. He’ll be happier inside the castle with the rest of our family and friends, blissful and excited as all grooms should be the night before their wedding.
“Wilder is fine with it,” I lie.
“If you say so,” Gi says, and I roll my eyes. “But, before you leave, you need to come with me to talk to Felicity. I told her we’d find her before the party ends.”
“I’m okay, thanks.” I sound bratty, but I don’t have time to get caught up in Felicity’s drama.
Eleven years older than me, Felicity spent our childhood criticizing everything about me. She incessantly commented on my uncouth princess behavior, my wild hair, and my mismatched clothes. The worst came after my father and Fynn died. While I was still reeling from the loss, Felicity gave an interview discussing the “tragic nature” of their passing. She toldthe entire kingdom how nervous she was about Corona’s future with me next in line for the throne.
I’m sure she hasn’t changed.
Tonight at the rehearsal dinner, I avoided making eye contact with her across the table and kept my distance when we moved to the ballroom for the party. I’d hoped to avoid her altogether, but that was wishful thinking.
Gi narrows her eyes. “All you need to do is thank her. Is that too much to ask? If she hadn’t helped me with the names of caterers and hotels for your guests, I never would have been able to pull this wedding off in time.”
“Felicity lives here, Gi. It’s not as if she went out of her way to give you those names.”
Gi leans in close. Her spicy perfume holds me hostage as she says, “Leigh, if you don’t accompany me right now to thank your cousin, I will put laxatives in your morning coffee.” My oldest friend flashes me a cold smile. “Taking photos will be awkward as hell when you can’t get off the toilet.”
Sensing she’s serious, I scowl. “Remind me why we are friends?”
“Ah, I see Felicity.” Gi waves. I follow her line of sight.
