“Let’s get to bed,” said Rinka. “We need our beauty sleep. Some of us have somewhere to be in the morning, although those boys don’t seem to know it.”
In the morning, Alison and Rinka got ready in Julian’s bakery, which was one of the only places in town to have fully functioning ‘lectrics. Julian and Charlotte finished their work on the wedding cakes (they refused to let Alison see them until they were finished) while Rinka curled Alison’s hair with the ‘lectric curler Keir had bought her.
Ceri came by and offered them some pointers she’d picked up from Ana, her roommate whose mother was a hair stylist back in Turtle Island. “Curl them tight so they’ll stay. Then we’ll brush them out to make them look more natural.”
Ceri was nice enough to help them with their makeup, although Rinka was quite accomplished with it herself.
“I’m grateful to have you both,” said Alison when she saw herself in the looking glass. There were neat lines around Alison’s blue eyes that she never could have managed herself, and her lips were done in a soft plum lipstick that she’d borrowed from Ceri.
“You’re so lovely,” said Rinka, brimming with pride.
“You as well.”
Everyone was looking their best, it turned out. Rinka had made Alison wait until Keir was already in the town hall so he wouldn’t see her before the big moment, but Alison saw most of the town come by after him. It was such a delight to see everyone in their finest clothes.
“Who are they?” asked Ceri, pointing through Julian’s shop window to a couple making their way up the High Street.
It took Alison a moment to recognize them. The fairies Genn and Mab had somehow taken Fulling height once more, even though they were no longer in the fairy world. “They’re the rulers of the fairies, I think,” said Alison. “Or at least the ones in Wilderise. I’m not sure how any of it works.”
“They’re spectacular,” said Ceri. Genn was wearing a fine suit in a blue that perfectly matched the sky, while Mab wore a long gauzy dress in a pale lavender that seemed to shimmer as she walked. Both of them kept their folded wings behind them, but their white feathers seemed to float behind them like wisps of fog.
Alison laughed as a long-furred creature with floppy ears went running by next—Barney the dog was being chased by Yordin’s children, all of them except for Finnli, who was walking calmly along with Willow. “I bet Willow is furious, but Barney seems to be having a good time.”
“The cakes are done,” said Charlotte, joining them in the front, “if you wanted to sneak a quick peek before you head over. We’ll bring them around after the ceremony.”
Alison went to the back (with Rinka holding her train), and she couldn’t believe what she saw.
“They’re a work of art,” she said. She walked around each cake, admiring it from every angle (and forcing poor Rinka to work very hard not to tangle the lace of her train). Thewhite cake had a cascade of sugar flowers in pink, yellow, and blue, with a few real pansies mixed in that were almost indistinguishable from the ones they made. The chocolate cake was glazed to a mirror shine with a simple “A” in the center that looked as though it had been embossed somehow.
“I can’t believe you made them,” said Alison. Then she realized how rude that sounded. “No offense, Charlotte. I know you’re new to baking. When you said Mrs. Knox had to leave, I thought you’d make us something simple. I never expected this. They’re incredible. Thank you. Thank you both.”
“Of course,” said Charlotte, giving Alison a hug. “Welcome to the family.”
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
It was Mab, and in her hands were bouquets of flowers that were out of season: peonies, roses, sprays of lavender, and quite a few flowers Alison had never seen before. “Hello again, Alison Lennox. I went to the town hall, and the aisle was bare. No flowers to speak of. You can’t have a wedding without flowers. I’ve gone to the liberty of adding a few. I hope you’ll accept these bouquets as a token of our congratulations.”
“Thank you, Mab. But how did you manage? There aren’t many flowers in winter.”
“Not in Wilderise, but there are warmer places. The fairy world has many doors.”
Alison had a lot of questions about travel in the fairy world, but she would have to find out at another time. It was time to head to the town hall.
“Are you ready to be Mrs. Ainsley?” asked Rinka.
“Oh,” said Alison, touching the locket on her chest that held her father’s picture. In all the madness of planning, Alison had forgotten to decide what to do about her name. She still wasn’t certain what she wanted, whether she could give up that link to her father forever. She decided to make the choice in themoment—she’d know what felt right then. “I’m ready to be Keir’s wife, at least.”
When they arrived at the town hall, they quickly realized that Mab had been operating under a different definition of “few” when she described the flowers she added.
“My Gods, it’s beautiful!” said Rinka. Every inch of wall was covered in a magnificent display of floral color from all around the world. The aisles were adorned at the ends with elaborate arrangements, and a path of white petals led to a grand archway at the back with Weyland’s anvil beneath it.
Underneath the arch stood Gwenla, and beside her, there was Keir.
Alison had seen Keir done up in his best suit before at the balls at Weldan House, but there was something different about him now. It was in his posture, she realized. She’d never seen him stand straight and tall in all the time she had known him; he’d always seem weighted, as if something sat on his shoulders that kept him from being upright.
Whatever that had been had lifted now. He was light as a feather. When his eyes met hers, his mouth fell open in awe.
Alison could feel his magic from across the room. He’d opened it to her, inviting her in.
