“You are, as always, Helena, a delight,” replied Mischa, her gaze hitting the ceiling in annoyance. “None of you take this seriously. They are all savages!"
Helena covered her mouth with her hand and I prayed a smile was behind it.
Mischa went on thoughtfully, “It’s just an engagement. There will be a way to break it.”
Beryl had instructed the rest of us to return to the dormitory, instructing which corridor entrance led there and we finished our meal, stood, stacked our plates and made our way to the corridor’s entrance. Approaching from the other direction, headed for the same corridor, were Perch, Thatcher and my husband-to-be.
Thatcher was looking at Helena, but she only watched where she walked.
They stopped at the entrance, as if to allow our party to go in first. Between the two parties, other keep staff walked past us, everyone ready to go about their days.
I did not look at Alric and I sensed he also avoided me.
“I need you to ask me to marry you,” Mischa blurted, looking at Perch.
“What?” he burst out.
“Ask me,” she said slowly, as if he were a witless idiot, “to marry you. I want to be in the second level dormitories with everyone else.”
Alric and Thatcher looked at their fellow Procurer as he said, “Absolutely not.”
“Who else are you going to ask? Catrin?” countered Mischa. “She is a Tigon, far too good for the likes of you. Plus, her family might ransom her. Trust me, I am your only choice.”
He stared at her, openmouthed.
“Mischa, you are so kind,” murmured Catrin, biting back a smile.
“You cannot marry Eefa or Maureen,” Mischa carried on. “They are not yet at their majority and Eefa pregnant with another man’s babe. Bronwyn could be your bloody grandmother and believe me when I say, Quinn and River are not remotely interested. Helena and Edie are spoken for. I’m it. And you’re hardly suffering that much. I’m a fine woman. Many men have said so. So ask. Please. Quickly.”
Perch spluttered out another denial, but Maureen spoke over him. “Please do not separate us from her. We’re a family. Mischa and Edie are like the father I never had.”
The three men looked at her, confused.
There was a pause as Tintarians, both servants and armor-clad, streamed past.
“Please,” Helena said, finally looking up at the three Procurers, but focusing in on Perch. “We are, the four of us, like family. And Edie and I will make sure Mischa is nice to you. Please.”
Perch, moved by Helena’s gravity and earnestness, gave a nod.
“Well, that’s done,” said Mischa and swept into the corridor, the rest of us behind her.
As we made our way, Helena turned to Catrin, Quinn and River. “And now, it will be the seven of us that will be like family.”
30. Bride
When we returned to the little dormitory, Zinnia was waiting with my wedding dress. It was a simple affair, a white version of the black dress that I wore but the sleeves were shorter, stopping at just above my elbow. A basket of aquamarine flowers sat on the floor, their petals oddly ovular with a rippling texture, almost as if pockets of air were trapped inside. Contrasted with the dark velvety green of the leaves and stems, though strange, they were an attractive bloom.
“And these are the abalone blossoms?” I asked, distracting myself from their symbolism.
“Lovely,” said Helena picking up one and smelling it. “It smells like the sea.”
“Sounds disgusting,” commented Mischa. “Like fish and brine?”
“Like salt and …rock,” Helena puzzled out. “It’s very unusual.”
“They are for the lady’s hair,” Zinnia explained, beaming at me. “They are her bride crown.”
“The ceremony is after the midday meal?” I was fighting panic.
