Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
“Then you will be pleased beyond measure,” Bella said.
I smiled as my sister’s comforting words sailed into my ears. I took in a deep breath then slowly opened my eyes and looked at the woman staring back at me. I quietly gasped as I saw her, blue eyes bright, black hair pulled back off her face. Radiant white material almost heavenly against her pale skin.
“Well?” Beauty stood beside me. I wanted to meet her eyes, but I could not remove my gaze from the girl in the mirror. “It is perfect,” I whispered and ran my eyes over my reflection from head to toe. The dress ran, like a waterfall of silk and lace, to the floor. The pristine material hugged every inch of my body. My hands smoothed over the roundness of my stomach. “I like this,” I said and had to fight back the tears in my eyes. “I like that my little girl or boy will be present as I wed their father. I like that people will see the product of our love at the altar along with our spoken, eternal promises.” Then my eyes continued their journey. The bodice ended above my breasts, leaving my arms free. They were covered in the finest lace, which fell off my shoulders.
I next looked at my hair, which was swept off my face. Delicate diamond leaf clips sat against my black hair like stars glittering in the night sky. Diamond earrings sparkled in my ears.
“One last thing.” Beauty stood behind me. I watched through the mirror as she placed a floor-length lace veil in my hair. Beauty fanned the material around my shoulders, and I had to wipe a stray tear from my cheek.
“I could not have asked for anything more,” I whispered and turned to face my sisters, Letti and Ruth.
Bella, Lilah, and Maddie were crying too. I stared down at my sisters with unrivalled relief that they were here. Bella rose from the couch and stood before me. She took my hands. My fingers ran over her wedding band. She must have seen the happy smile on my face because she smiled too. “It will give you a kind of peace you could never imagine,” she said and lowered her eyes. I knew in that moment she was picturing Rider. And she was right. I had witnessed them together. They fit, each the perfect complement of the other.
At peace.
“I know you have that with Styx already. And some would argue that a marriage could not strengthen what was already a solid foundation to begin with.” She shrugged and met my eyes. “But something will shift in your heart, a spiritual embrace in your soul. And it will change you. Forever.”
“It is true,” Maddie said and came to stand beside Bella. My shy, reserved sister blushed. “Having them vow to love you forever will change you irreversibly. Both of you. Styx too, as it did Flame.”
Lastly Lilah came to stand on Bella’s other side. “After everything we have experienced, it will simply fill you with calmness. Such a heady calmness, Mae. Such beautiful serenity.”
I had vowed to wed Styx only when my sisters were safe. And here they were, all happy and free before me. “I cannot wait.” I had to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall. “Now,” I said and released Bella’s hands. “We must see you in your bridesmaid’s dresses.”
Grace stood beside Lilah, and I stroked her face. “And you in your flower-girl dress, little miss.”
“Yes!” Grace said and followed Beauty to the changing rooms. My sisters followed, and I watched them go. Maddie, Lilah, and Grace would be my bridesmaids. Bella would be my maid of honor.
I turned and studied my reflection again. I wondered what Styx would think the moment he saw me at the end of the aisle. I wondered what would be going though his head.
Then my smile fell when I thought about him of late. Thought about how he was signing more, even when it was just the two of us. Shutting down and sitting alone on our porch. Troubled. Styx was troubled. But I did not know about what.
I prayed it was not the wedding . . . that it was not me . . .
“Heads up, Mae,” Letti said from the couch.
My sisters and Grace were coming from the changing room. I could not help but smile widely when I saw them. All of them were wearing identical ice-blue dresses. I had wanted to pick Styx’s favorite color: the color of my eyes. Their hair was down, and delicate white flower garlands crowned their heads. Grace was dressed in white, a basket in her hands. On the wedding day it would be filled with petals. My sisters gathered around me on the plinth, and we all stared into the mirror.