When I stepped into the sunlight, my dress burst to life. The little decals fluttered and waved in the breeze, preening in the sunlight as if they, too, loved the warmth. A muted glitter shimmered from within the fabric. It had a joyful, vibrant personality of its own.
“I forgot one thing.” Millie turned, rummaged on a table near her, and unearthed something from my former life. My human life. “Your crown.”
Before I could resist, Millie nestled the tiara I’d worn on my wedding day into my hair. This time, my curls weren’t unnaturally bleached by the salon; they’d been gently lightened by the sunlight. My hair wasn’t crimped and scorched with tools, stuck to my scalp with painful pins. This time, my hair had dried naturally and flowedin wild, sea-salt waves down my back. It all felt so easy, so right.
The burst of chatter came to a stop as people noticed my presence one at a time, like a wave spreading across the cottage garden. Except the party didn’t stop at the garden’s edge. It extended beyond and beyond and beyond. I could see people behind the fence, some on others’ shoulders, trying to get a glimpse of something.Of me?
I shifted, feeling uncomfortable with the attention.
“It’s her.”
“She’s arrived!”
“A natural beauty.”
“How astounding.”
I heard clips and broken phrases as hushed whispers moved through the crowd. All eyes landed on me. I had no clue what to do, so I very slowly gave the slightest of curtsies, twitching my dress and bowing my head to the general crowd. It was slightly awkward, but apparently the right thing to do.
The reply was immediate and overwhelming. One by one, like the wave of conversation and whispers before, the guests bowed to me. Deep, lingering bows in my direction. The courtyard stilled, the only sound a faint beating of butterfly wings and the swaying of flowery stalks.
I felt his presence before I saw him. A dark shadow along one wall, towering over everyone else. Big, bold,dressed in black against everyone else’s bright displays of jubilation. The dress code seemed to be pastels and florals, but for Silas it was black. Hunter black.
Except apparently, we were keeping that bit of his history a secret for some reason.
When I raised my head from my bow, I glanced toward Silas. He was watching me closely, studying me from the tip of my tiara down to my bare feet beneath my gown. A sparkle of approval danced in those onyx pools.
When Silas caught my eye, he gave the slightest of smiles—and then he, too, bowed. Just a nod of the head, but enough.
“Thank you for the warm reception.” I forced my attention away from Silas and addressed the crowd. “Your presence means more to me than you could ever know.”
As I smiled, I glanced around the crowd and found Irina and Henry. They were seated next to Lily and Ranger X. Millie stood in the background. In the strangest of ways, I already felt more at home here, in a crowd full of strangers, than I’d ever felt in Manhattan.
“I come from the mainland,” I said, using the words I’d heard Millie use yesterday. “Until a few days ago, I didn’t know a world like this existed. I must admit: it’s more magnificent than my wildest dreams.”
A few nods. I remembered Silas saying that I would never meet someone who loved their home as much as an islander. I could feel that love in a palpable way fromthis crowd, a close-knit unit of people who would protect this place until their last breath.
“I’m honored that you all would let me spend a little time here,” I said. “For however long it may be, thank you for such a warm welcome.”
I glanced at Millie. She gave me a watery smile, then dabbed at her eyes, wiping away tears. She nodded vigorously and gave me a not-so-subtle thumbs-up.
“You’re a doctor?” someone called from the audience. “Can you help us?”
“I’m new here,” I said. “To be honest, I don’t understand magic.”
“You healed Irina and the baby,” the same voice said. “Will you help us?”
“I mean—” I glanced at Silas, but he was watching me with rapt attention, like he wanted to know the answer too. “I’ll do what I can, but I can’t promise I’ll be any good at it. I’m not in the habit of making promises I can’t keep.”
I paused then, feeling like something was happening. Indeed, a few moments later, the group of guests parted, and a small child came forth with a woman beside her.
“Eloise has a mystery rash,” said the woman accompanying the child, probably Eloise’s mother. “Please, will you look at her? TheHealers don’t know what’s wrong.”
I licked my lips, gave a nod. Then I glanced toward Millie.
“Can you get my things?” I asked her.
Millie smiled, bowing her head, and retrieved a cart where she had stashed the medical supplies we’d unearthed the other day. She pushed it toward me. It was laden with all sorts of devices and tools, bandages and wraps, needles and compresses.
