A Captive of Wing and Feather A Retelling of Swan Lake - Melanie Cellier Page 0,101
new members of their households, while the Keep itself had gained a whole family of hounds. Already the stories of their feats were spreading beyond Brylee, and I imagined the creatures would soon become legendary.
“Lady! Cora!” Audrey called to us from the doors of the Keep. “I mean, Lady Cora and Princess Lady.” She began to giggle. “You two are so confusing.”
“Did you save Junie’s dress from the mud?” I asked.
“Yes, she’s inside now. And we need both of you. It’s nearly time to start the processional.”
Cora and I hurried in, ready to take our places beside Wren who had insisted we both be attendants. When I saw the bride, dressed in softest pink accented with pearls, and with flowers through her hair, I stopped.
“You look beautiful.” Tears filled my eyes.
“As do both of you,” she said, reaching to clasp hands with both of us.
“Just wait until you see the courtyard,” crowed Audrey, almost bouncing in place. “I think I outdid myself.”
We all laughed, but from what Cora said, it was true. Audrey had thrown herself into the wedding, devoting herself to giving her sister the perfect day. We had all assured her over and over again that none of us blamed her for what had happened, but she seemed to need a physical outlet to demonstrate her remorse.
Leander’s threats against Juniper had been enough to keep her from telling us the truth, but I had been right that she had been hoping she could help us secretly defeat Leander before the date of her betrayal arrived. We hadn’t succeeded, but it had all worked out in the end, and no one was going to hold any of it against her.
The rest of us were already dressed in the deep rose-pink gowns I had brought from Palinar for the attendants. I had insisted that since I couldn’t be around to help with the other preparations, I would bring all the dresses back with me. Wren had already taken me aside this morning and told me that it was too much. The pearls on her dress were worth more than the rest of the wedding put together. But I had laughed and told her it was royal privilege and that I would soon be her crown princess, so she couldn’t refuse my gift.
“Just make sure you sell them afterward and use the money for Junie—and any future babies who might soon be on their way,” I had said with a wink.
She looked down, blushing rosily, and I laughed and nudged her with my shoulder.
“Junie would love a younger brother or sister, I know. Or two or three.”
She had chuckled at that and pushed me away, refraining from commenting further on the dress. And seeing her now, I was pleased at my choice.
The look on Ash’s face as we joined him in front of the gathered townsfolk only reinforced my pleasure. And when I glanced sideways at the appreciative look on Gabe’s face as he gazed at me, I blushed as well. Before I knew it, it would be my turn to stand in front of my family and friends and promise to spend my life with the man I loved. And the moment couldn’t come too soon.
Note from the Author
Read what happened while Adelaide was missing starting in A Dance of Silver and Shadow, or see where it all began in the first book in the Four Kingdoms series, The Princess Companion: A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea.
Or for more romance, adventure, and intrigue in a new world, try my Spoken Mage series. In Elena’s world words have power over life and death—but none more so than hers. As a commonborn, Elena has always been forbidden to read and write, until a startling new ability thrusts her into the Royal Academy where she finds herself among the mageborn including the enigmatic Prince Lucas. You can turn the page for a sneak peek.
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