Bell was ready when Geranium strolled up the road, using a long stick to tap the road in front of her, seeking any kind of obstacle. Geranium’s adaptation wasn’t what struck Bell – her sister looked happier than she had ever seen her, her new life suiting her better than any other. Still the most beautiful out of all three sisters, Geranium now had a happiness that shined out from her, replacing the cold disdain she had always worn.
Stepping out into the lane, Bell called to her sister, who stopped so they could hook arms before proceeding on to Town.
“Do you remember Mama much?” Geranium queried, breaking their amiable silence.
Frowning, Bell shook her head before realizing her sister couldn’t see. “No, not really. I remember little things, like swishing skirts and pats on heads, but that’s it. You and Poppy probably remember more than I do.”
“Most likely. You were so young when she died, and she had never been very interested in us. I don’t remember much either, but I do remember the smell of her perfume. I was wondering, are you wearing it now? I noticed it last night but thought my head was playing tricks on me, as I don’t know how you’d have gotten your hands on it. But sometimes Papa smells the same way. Roses are extinct now, aren’t they?”
Bell almost tripped, shocked by her sister’s words. Was the smell of roses an indication some magic had clung to her? Did this mean she had been exposed to enough that she had started to be poisoned as well?
Geranium hadn’t been expecting a response as she didn’t wait for a reply before changing topics. “Everyone is so excited you’re home, little sister. We’re even more excited you’re staying this time.”
Bell squirmed, guilty. “I thought my arrival was supposed to be a surprise?”
“Oh, it is for Papa and the kids, but Oppa and Jayr needed to know so we could make all the accommodations. Oppa was up all night working on the cake, and Jayr and I worked on getting all the food together. We’ve invited some other people from Town as well; Mr. Arqam was delighted to get the invitation. Town has grown quite a bit since you were last here, so we invited several families that are good friends. You’ll like them – it won’t be like how it was before when it was just you and Papa. I promise.” Geranium squeezed Bell’s hand comfortingly.
A sudden thought caused Bell to stop, yanking her sister in the process. “Geranium, what happened to Roger? He was arrested, but I had to leave before…” she trailed off, unsure of what she had meant to say. Roger had assaulted her sister the last time she was home, and she didn’t want him to show up at her party if it had turned into a more public affair.
To her surprise, Geranium laughed, pulling on her arm to continue walking. “I know what you’re thinking, and he won’t be showing up unannounced. He was released from jail early on the condition he left Town and didn’t return. I think he might have tried staying, but the entire Town turned against him. Apparently, hitting a blind woman is so bad that even he couldn’t wiggle his way out of it with his good looks.”
The pair walked in silence while Bell worked up her courage to broach a question she dearly needed an answer to. “Sister… I know you married Dr. Jayr, but what about… you know… your other marriage? What if he comes back?” She glanced at her sister, surprised to see her soft smile hadn’t moved.
“We got a divorce before my wedding to Jayr. He didn’t tell me until after it was done, but my Jayr had the paperwork for the divorce drawn up and took them to that man. He thought I was dead, so he was extremely displeased to know not only was I alive, but I had a household full of witnesses to testify to the damage he caused me. Jayr said he signed the papers very quickly and forbade me from ever contacting him again, which is no great sorrow. So, my current marriage is legal and binding.”
Bell breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed her sister’s happiness had a strong foundation.
Geranium spent the rest of their walk filling Bell in on all the goings-on in Town. “We need to go to the Town Hall – Oppa’s house might have been big enough, but it’s hard to set up a surprise party where the guests who need to be kept in the dark are constantly underfoot. Madame George agreed to allow us to use the Hall for free, given that we clean up when we’re done. You’re getting there first, and everyone else is going to arrive after.”
Bell allowed her sister to pull her along as she looked around them, taking in all of the changes time had wrought on Town. New buildings had popped up, and facades had been repainted.
“Geranium! Geranium dear stop for a second I need to speak to you!” a voice called out from across the street.
Bell watched her sister roll her eyes and huff. “I have to speak to Mrs. Carter’s sister. Stay right here I’ll try to make it as quick as possible.”
Smiling, Bell shifted her position on the sidewalk to stay out of the way and watched the townsfolk bustle around her. No one had recognized her yet, with the large hat covering her face. As soon as it was known she had returned, she would momentarily be a town celebrity, but she wasn’t ready yet.
A motion in her peripheral made her turn with just enough time to see a gigantic furry black cloud barreling full force at her before it bowled her over, knocking the breath out of her. A sizeable wet tongue started drooling all over her face in its attempt to lick every piece of exposed flesh she owned.
Fighting her way to a sitting position, she stared in wonder at the wiggling mass of fur before her.
“Fluffy?” she whispered, her eyes wide. The dog wiggled even more, nearly knocking himself over in his excitement.
“Oh my god, I am so sorry, Ma’am! I have no idea what’s gotten into him. He’s never like this! Here, let me help you up.” A strong arm reached down, and she grabbed it, her mind too focused on Fluffy to pay attention to who was helping her to a standing position.
On her feet once more she continued to pet Fluffy’s head, who had decided to sit on her feet since she had changed positions. “Oh goodness, I hope your hat isn’t ruined. Here let me grab that.” Bell only glanced up when her now squashed hat was thrust back into her hand.
She froze in shock; Alder stood before her, every scar gleaming in the sunlight. The only difference was that there was a happiness that infused his soul, which Bell had never beheld.
His eye’s widened as they met hers before roaming over every inch of her face. Bell’s heartbeat echoed in her ears, drowning out all noise from the street.
His attention was wrenched from Bell by a woman wrapping herself around his arm. Bell turned to look at her. She was petite and blonde, her proportions that of a delicate doll. Her lips pursed, staring up at Alder. “Why did you run off like that? You left me all alone!” she whined, gripping his arm tighter.
Shaking his head as if to clear it, Alder patted her hand. Bell noticed he didn’t try to remove her overly familiar grip. “Fluffy ran off, Caroline. I had to go grab him. He even knocked her over.”
Caroline turned to Bell; her dislike mirrored on Bell’s own face. Jealousy rolled through her. Alder and this spoiled woman had a close relationship, and Bell was selfish enough to pray that they weren’t married.
“Oh my gosh, it’s you!” Caroline exclaimed, pointing at Bell. “It’s you!”
Bell was saved from having to respond to such a confusing statement by Geranium grabbing her. “What’s going on here?” she hissed.
“It’s okay. I just got knocked over by a dog, Geranium. I’m okay, truly.”
“It was Fluffy, Mrs. Jayr. He ran away from me. I truly am sorry.” Alder didn’t look away from Bell the entire time he spoke to her sister.
“Oh! Mr. Kyrin!” Geranium visibly relaxed. “I didn’t realize it was you! I was too worried about Belladonna. Did your family receive my invitation? It was rather late last night.”
Comprehension dawned on his face. “Why, yes, we did. We’re headed there right this moment. Am I to understand that you’re the missing sister, ma’am?”
Bell nodded, still unable to speak to him.
“This is
Mr. Kyrin; I was telling you about his family on the way into town. They’ve become great friends of our entire family. Mr. Kyrin is close to your age, as well.” Caroline cleared her throat, and Geranium started. “Oh, and it seems like Miss Caroline is here as well. Shall we all go together?”
Bell allowed herself to be drawn down the street, her sister happily chattering to Miss
Caroline and Mr. Kyrin. Belladonna stayed silent, her head still spinning.
Chapter Fifteen
“May I walk you home?” Bell froze, recognizing the deep voice. Taking her lack of response as hesitation, he added, “Fluffy will be escorting you as well.”
Bell turned to face him and smiled. “I’m staying out at Flor Cottage, so it’ll be quite a walk.”
“Not a problem. I’ll wait for you here while you go say goodbye.”
Bell strode off to tell her family she was headed home, the entire time feeling Alder’s – Mr. Kyrin’s – eyes on her back. All of her insistence that she help clean up after the party had been shooed off.
“Geranium, Mr. Kyrin is going to walk me home with his dog. I’m headed out.”
Her sister wrapped her in a tight hug, whispering in her ear, “I’m not surprised. He’s been staring at you since he first saw you. Don’t go breaking his heart now – he’s a very nice man.”
“Geranium, you can’t even see! How do you know that?” Bell shrieked, louder than she intended.
Her sister smothered her laughter. “I don’t need to see to know. Now hurry up I’m sure your escort is eyeing you from across the room even as we speak.”
Throwing a completely useless glower at her older sister Bell turned and walked back to the doors. “I’m ready.”
They walked in silence until they were at the edge of Town. He cleared his throat loudly. “I know this must sound odd, but have we met before Miss Belladonna?”
“You may call me Bell; you don’t need to use Belladonna. And I don’t believe so, Mr. Kyrin.” She bit her trembling lip. She wasn’t really lying, the man she had met was not the man standing next to her.
“No, I quite like Belladonna. I’d prefer to call you that. Your sisters have such wonderfully unique names as well.” He paused, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I hope you don’t find this too strange – I mean, I’m not strange otherwise your family wouldn’t have let me walk you home – but I mean. Well. I don’t exactly know how to say this, so I guess I’m just going to blurt it out.”
Bell watched him get more flustered with each word.
“I’m a painter, you see. And I paint lots of things, but that one thing I’ve always painted is you.” He turned and met her shocked eyes. “Well, someone who always ends up looking like you. That’s why I was wondering…” he trailed off helplessly.
Choosing her words carefully, Bell replied, “There are lots of people in the world. I’m sure several people you’ve met in passing must have looked like me. I’ve never met you here before, as far as I know.”
“Oh.” They walked in silence, watching Fluffy run ahead of them before doubling back to prance in front of their slow pace.
“That was a very nice party. Everyone missed you very much.”
Bell smiled. “Yes, I don’t think any of us have cried that much in years.”
Mr. Kyrin took her free hand and tucked it under his arm. “I apologize if I seem too informal with you. They spoke about you all the time – I feel like my family knew you almost as well as we knew the rest of your family. You are very well-loved, Belladonna, and your presence was missed.”
For the briefest of moments, Bell imagined that it was her Alder who had said this, that he loved her again and stood by her side. Even if the man next to her looked like him, all the memories that made him were gone. “I hope they were truthful – absence makes the heart grow fonder after all.”
“From what I’ve seen, they weren’t truthful enough, nor kind enough.”
Confused, Bell didn’t know how to respond. Clearing her throat, she broke the thick silence, asking, “I think I briefly met your parents at the party, but I was wondering how you all got here? When I lived here before, no one lived in the Grand House.”
“We didn’t move in until last year. If you hadn’t noticed, I look nothing like my parents,” he said wryly. Bell had noticed but chose not to respond. “They found me when I was little and took me in. We lived in the Big City, and I went to art school there. When I graduated, they bought the house out here, both for them and for me as they’re getting older and the Big City life is too tiring for them. Now I just paint and sell from here.”
As he spoke, Bell smiled broader; he had had a good life this time around, and he was loved. Sidero had done as she had asked.
Side eyeing him, Bell asked the question that she had been burning to ask since that hand had curled around his arm. “And Miss Caroline? Did she come to see you?”
“Not really,” he laughed, giving her a playful grin that said he knew why she had been curious. “She’s my much younger cousin, and she got in trouble last month. My Aunt and Uncle shipped her out here so she wouldn’t cause any more ruckus.”
Reaching her gate, they paused, Fluffy sniffing along the fence line.
“I am curious; why didn’t you ask about my scars?”
Bell looked at him thoroughly for the first time, frowning. “It never occurred to me to ask. They aren’t very noticeable.”
Mr. Kyrin barked out a laugh at her genuine disinterest. “It’s shockingly refreshing to have the scars covering all of my body be deemed ‘not very noticeable.’ You indeed are unique, Belladonna. Your sisters didn’t exaggerate.”
She tilted her head questioningly. “If we’re going to go down this train of thought, why didn’t you ask me about mine?” She held up her burned arm, which would never return to its previous form.
He shrugged. “To be honest, I barely even noticed it.”
The pair stood facing each other, smiling. Looking up into his face in the fading light, it almost seemed like they were back at the Palace together, just the two of them. Her heart gave a tight twist in her chest – those days were over for them.
“I do have a question, Mr. Kyrin.” He stared at her expectantly. “What’s your first name?”
His eyebrows rose up his forehead in surprise. “It’s Alder. And you’re welcome to call me that, Belladonna, if you so wish.”
“Perhaps,” she replied, opening the gate and heading inside.
“Can I come to walk you to Town tomorrow?” he called after her. Bell didn’t reply – she knew he would be there regardless of her answer. A smile drifted softly over her lips. Maybe everything would be some version of okay, given enough time.
Bell joined Sidero, who was sitting at the little table in Flor Cottage, sipping a steaming cup of tea. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
Sidero nodded, taking another sip. The pair sat in amiable silence until both their teacups were empty.
“I don’t have to go back, do I?” Bell asked hesitantly.
Sidero shook her head, her long white hair shimmering as if in sunlight. “No, there isn’t anything left to go back to.”
Pouring herself a second cup, Bell waited. When Sidero didn’t speak, Bell started. “I have some questions. I would like you to answer them, but if you don’t, I understand. That wasn’t normal fire, was it? It was too alive and green.”
Snorting, Sidero put another spoonful of sugar in her tea. “Of course not. I don’t know why you even asked. It was old magic, eating up what remained of the last strands of magic and time that had held the Palace together. It chased you because it’s alive, and it could. You shouldn’t have been able to get out of the grounds, rightly you should have been eaten alive by the magic, but somehow you managed to slip out. The strings of magic tied to you were looser than even I expected.”
“And that pit? Was it the same one I ran into when I was looking for my father?”
“Why girl, you are not as dumb as the average h
uman. Yes, it was the same, but it’s a gate between our realms, not a pit. It’s the only thing that could have stopped that fire.”
“I saw… I mean. I met someone who seemed to be Alder. What does he remember?”
A warm smile pulled Sidero’s chilly lips back. “Ah, you found him already. Yes, that is Alder, at least his body. I wiped all his memories, just as you asked.”
“Then why did he recognize me?” Bell snapped, her teacup shaking in her hand. If his other memories returned…
“Do not speak to me in such a tone,” Sidero commanded, her voice ice. “I can erase almost everything from a person: their memories, their feelings. But I cannot completely rid a mind of love. He apparently did love you, since his heart seems to call out to yours.”
“Does that mean he still loves me?” Bell whispered, hopeful.
Sidero snorted in derision. “How could he love you or you love him? Have you considered yet that the man you knew is gone? He was built on experiences he no longer possesses. The man you loved is as good as dead.”
Bell shrugged. “I did consider that. But now we get to fall in love all over again, and we will. And hopefully, this time our love will be happier from the beginning.” Bell nodded. “Thank you, Sidero. For everything. My family has told me all the things ‘I’ did for them when I was away.”
Sidero raised her eyebrows at Bell. “And why do you think I did all that?”
“Because no other Fae would have thought of those human things. My oldest nephew has memories of the letters I sent just to him, and the coins I sent him as well. No other Fae would have thought of such a small, human action for a young boy.”
Rose Bound Magic Page 18