by Hope Collier
Erin pulled me from my seat and untied my robe. She wrapped a corset-type material around my torso and hooked the front together. As soon as she finished, Aurelia began tugging at the laces on the back, squeezing everything up and into place.
“Why am I wearing a reception gown before the ceremony?” I breathed, wincing as Aurelia tied the lace at the small of my back. If the dread didn’t kill me, the corset would.
“In our world, the reception comes first then a brief ceremony,” Aurelia explained. “This allows the newly matched couple to spend their evening alone without waiting through the party.” She winked and my heart sputtered before kicking into overdrive.
Erin dressed me with care, buttoning and lacing the necessary parts of the elaborate gown. Aurelia followed behind, weaving rows of lavender and ivy through the curls tumbling down my back.
“There now.” Erin smiled at her sister. “She looks absolutely stunning, wouldn’t you say?”
Aurelia nodded and twirled a loose strand of my hair to my shoulder. “And there’s still room for the crown.”
Erin’s smile melted, and she sighed. “I left it at the palace.”
“Guess we’d be better hurry back then.” Aurelia shrugged. “Ashton, we’ll be back with your coronation crown as soon as we dress.”
I nodded and swallowed against the knot in my throat.
“Try and relax,” Erin offered with a smile as they walked outside. “This will all be over soon, and you can just enjoy being a newlywed.”
I shut the door and began pacing frantically, fighting the tears and desperation each heartbeat carried. I couldn’t do this! I couldn’t be a wife. In all the weeks of worrying about the wedding, it never actually felt like it would happen. Where was my supposed rescuer now? Months had come and gone with no sign of her.
You may as well accept the fact, my brain ordered as I wrung the sash at my waist. The life you chose ran out and left you to hopelessness.
A sharp thud at the door tugged me back into reality. I pulled it open to see Kyle on the stoop. I didn’t say anything for fear of losing it. His expression fell as he took in my dress.
“You look absolutely stunning.” Kyle’s tone was as bleak as the weather. He stepped through the archway, pulling me in behind him, and pressed the door together. Keeping my hand in his, he tugged me through the hall.
Halfway to the kitchen, he turned on his heel to face me. His oversized hands wrapped around the tops of my arms, and he stood squarely in front of me, gazing down to meet my eyes.
“Ash, do you want this?” His hands tightened, and he took a deep breath. “What I mean is, if you could leave, would you? Would you be happy if you weren’t here?”
My heart swelled as I considered his question. I took a shaky step back and leaned against the wall.
“Even if you didn’t have your first choice of a life? You could be happy, right?” He searched my expression then squared his shoulders. “I can keep you safe. We would have to go somewhere that no one could find us, but I can protect you.”
His words sang like a bluebird. And I knew they were true. Kyle would rescue me. He would defy his family. He would rebel against the same laws that brought punishment down on my mother … the same laws that separated me from Gabe.
“You would betray your family? Abandon your people?” I pressed.
Pain flashed in his face, followed by resolution. “I would for you.”
“Why?” I whispered.
Kyle cupped his hands around my cheeks, his thumbs resting on my chin as he refused to let me look away. “Surely by now you know the answer to that, Ash.”
“I … you shouldn’t say things like that, Kyle. I’m marrying your brother in a matter of hours. There’s no point now.”
“Kevin doesn’t love you. Your marriage would be hollow and superficial. Just like him.” Anger shone in his eyes, his voice low and intense. “You don’t know who he is, what he’s done. He’s capable of a lot more than the bruises he left on you. I can’t lose you like that. We’re out of time. We have to leave.”
His warm breath caressed my skin. I opened my eyes to find his face inches from mine, his resolve waning with every rapid heartbeat.
“Kyle, don’t,” I spoke softly. “Don’t do this to yourself. You know it can’t be like that with us. You deserve better than the nightmare you’d live wanting me.”
“There’s nothing better than you, Monet,” Kyle whispered fervently. His lips possessed mine with a need I’d never experienced. Raw passion drove every thought from my head, except one. Gabe.
“Stop, please,” I breathed, my body crushed against his. His eyes burned into me, swaying my conscience. “I-I can’t do this.”
“Ashton, I love you. I know your heart is out there, but he’s not here. I am. And I would never hurt you. I would never leave you.”
I drew a slow breath and placed my hand on his chest, fighting the selfishness that yelled at me to escape with him. “I know. But I’m not whole anymore, Kyle. All I had to give is gone, and I don’t think it’ll ever be right again. That’s not fair to you. If I can’t have…” I hesitated. “If I’m doomed to this life, then let me suffer it alone. Don’t make it harder on yourself by betraying your family. There’s nothing for me to lose, but you have everything.”
“I don’t have you,” he whispered.
“I’m not worth it.” I offered a hopeless shrug.
Kyle’s eyes narrowed, his heart picking up pace under my palm. “So that’s it? You’re just giving up?”
“What should I do, Kyle? Drag you into it for my own benefit?” I shook my head, nothing left in me for arguing. “I won’t lie to you. I’m not exactly being noble here. There’s just nothing in me to salvage.”
“I hate what’s he’s done to you,” Kyle growled, his voice rising with every word. “How can you care about someone who’s betrayed you? He’s no different than my brother. Gabe’s not coming back, and you know it.”
My chin quivered as a tear fell down my cheek.
“After everything he’s done, you still love him?” Kyle murmured. Pain colored his expression.
I looked away, unwilling to answer him. Kyle yanked the towel from the mirror.
“See what love has done to you. You won’t even look at yourself anymore.” His voice warmed my ear. “This isn’t a result of love, Monet. Love isn’t cruel.”
My hollow gaze roamed over my expression, taking in the tired eyes with dark circles underneath. The glow had all but vanished; every part of me seemed lifeless.
“You’re wasting away. You’re a shell of who you used to be. I want you for you, not because of your status, or any dues owed me. I love you. The girl that no one else sees, the one who walks like a kid. I love the girl who reads the same monotonous stories over and over again and sings at the top of her lungs when she drives.” He laughed then his expression turned smoldering. “I want that girl.”
Desire, longing, and desperation warmed Kyle’s eyes as he watched the emotions play across my face. “You don’t have to pretend anything with me, Ash. I would know anyway.” He swept a strand of hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear.
And it was true. Kyle knew me inside and out, just as I knew him. He understood how I functioned, what I needed. He could take care of me and make me as happy as I could possibly be … without my insides. But I could never give him the love that he so deserved. How could I steal that opportunity from him?
“It doesn’t matter though, does it?” His voice turned cold.
“Kyle,” I began.
“Before you turn me away, there’s one more thing you have to know.” He hesitated. “Do you remember that day in the cave when Oren assured Gabe that the rest of his demands had been met? Did you ever wonder what they were?”
Cold dread washed over me. I slowly shook my head.
“He was exonerated for his own crimes against his people as well as the Dryads. Your Prince Charming has an ugly history. But that’s not all.” Ky
le’s tone lowered, his expression torn. “Harry held Gabe’s fiancée captive here, but he agreed to let her go in exchange for one thing. You.”
“Fiancée?” I wheezed. The room seemed to shift, like it’d been turned on its side, my fractured heart raced on but my labored breathing ceased. It felt like every fiber of my being had been torn to shreds, leaving me exposed and vulnerable. I stumbled back against the wall, panting. My arms pulled around my chest as I doubled over in empty-heartache, struggling to catch my breath.
Kyle’s hands moved around my waist, and he pulled me to his chest. Warmth enveloped me as his breath brushed my ear. “I would never do that to you.” He kissed my forehead before pulling away just enough to meet my eyes. “I’m not perfect, I won’t even pretend to be, but I will not lie to you when I know the truth. And there is nothing in this world or theirs that I would trade for you.”
Was it all a lie? Everything Gabe told me, all the emotion, all the turmoil he’d put himself through — was it real? I shook my head, swayed in my beliefs. My whole life had been a lie. What made him any different?
What love? It wasn’t enough, if it was ever there at all.
“I trust you,” I murmured. Those three simple words warmed his eyes. He smiled, brushing his thumb across my lips, and then leaned in to kiss me once more. Memories of Ilana’s words floated through my mind.
“Aiken knew my life, my love, but he still wanted me. And over the years, though I never regained the heart that longs for my Naiad, I love Aiken more than I would have ever dreamed possible. He is more than I deserve, better than I’d ever been allowed to hope.”
Maybe it was all I could hope for. Maybe it would be enough for Kyle, for me.
The kiss deepened as Kyle’s passion stirred. Hot hands wrapped around my waist, lifting me to his height. I threaded my fingers through his hair, allowing the months of loneliness and grief to fuel my reaction. He moaned softly as he held me tighter, and I reveled in the feel of his love.
The wall slammed against my back and Kyle leaned into me, yet it wasn’t close enough. My arms strained against his muscled frame, pulling him tighter still. The overwhelming heat from his body bled through my clothes, combining with the slow simmer inside, warming me from every angle.
Somehow, the logical part of my mind registered that this was wrong — that it opposed my wretched and broken heart violently — but something else silenced it quickly as Kyle’s lips burned against mine once more, his warm scent invading my conscience.
My reluctance, my admittance, my love for his enemy, nothing swayed Kyle’s love for me. For the first time, he was proving it.
“I love you,” Kyle breathed hard, his mouth trailing back to mine.
I didn’t say anything as a tear trickled across my cheek.
Kyle backed away, a soft smile on his face. “I have to go. I need to gather a few things before we leave.”
The hope in his eyes flooded me with guilt.
“Grab one bag you can carry easily. I’ll be back for you in an hour.” Kyle’s finger traced the bridge of my nose. He leaned in and lightly brushed my lips with his. “I’ll see you soon.”
With that, Kyle smoothed his hair and stole through the door into the rain.
Why couldn’t the man I wanted to be in love with me, love me? I had no desire for Kevin to have feelings for me, shallow or not. I’d rather he lavish his superficial sentiment on someone else.
Kyle’s overjoyed expression invaded my thoughts. The throbbing in my chest turned painful. How could I do this to him? He was the only good thing in my life now. All this time, he’d been watching me, watching over me. He’d seen every ugly thing I’d done, yet he wanted to be mine. I was hurting him in so many ways. The one man who loved me.
“What are you doing?” I growled at myself and punched the mirror in the hall. It fractured and splintered from the center, leaving a wet red imprint of my knuckles across the shards. I held my hand up and watched the blood trickle to the floor in fat drops. Within minutes, the cuts faded into dry gashes reminiscent of Gabe’s arm.
I wiped the dried blood from my hand and stared out the window at the torrential rain. A low ceiling of encroaching black clouds darkened the sky. I hadn’t seen rain like this since … Arizona. Ugh! How many ways did I want to die today?
I had to get out here before I went mad.
Ignoring my dress and perfectly styled hair, I ran for the pond. My feet glided over the smooth grass without a sound, picking up pace as I entered the forest. The rain beat through my clothes, weighing the material down and cooling my skin. I slowed as the giant willow tree came into view then paused at the edge of the water. The sharp rainfall battered the surface as I gazed dissatisfied into the pool that usually comforted me. This wasn’t what I wanted. It didn’t fix anything, and it didn’t help.
Grief, confusion, and heartbreak swirled around me like a cyclone. My world felt like it was closing in on top of me, but I had no escape. I shut my eyes and drew a deep breath through my nose, wincing at the smell of the fresh rain — a scent I hadn’t encountered in a while.
I stared through the impenetrable curtain of fog and moisture at the nothingness, depressed by the similarity it showed to my life. My breathing spiked as sobs built in my chest.
Without warning, a cool slick hand wrapped my mouth from behind and squeezed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
October Rain
“Don’t speak,” the familiar voice whispered. “It’s time to go. Do what I tell you, and we might make it out of here.”
I nodded. My breathing and heart rate sprinted with a flood of adrenaline. The hand slowly unclamped, fingers extended in a steadying gesture as it pulled away. I wheeled around, and a gasp caught in my throat.
“Allie?” I breathed. My knees went weak as shock, fear, and questions surrounded me from all sides. Allie was the girl? How was it possible? A hint of joy crept in before I could shut it out.
Allie’s sapphire eyes crinkled into a grin. She yanked me toward her for a surreal but much needed hug. My arms hung limp, too surprised to offer her much else.
“Hey, Ash. It’s great to see you, but don’t say anything else. You never know who might be listening.” She slipped her hand around my wrist, towing me toward the western wall of The Valley. “I’ve been waiting and waiting for a rain like this. I didn’t think it would ever come. Too bad it isn’t the end of spring instead of the end of October
October? Had I been here almost four months?
“I was terrified that you’d spot me before it was time.” Allie tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder. “You almost made me the other day at the pond when you decided to chill at the bottom. Any other time of the day and you would have seen me in an instant. Thank goodness for shadows, huh?”
My steps faltered. She had been watching me? For how long? A week, a month, the entire time? Had she seen or heard everything said between Kevin and me? Between Kyle and me? My breath caught in my chest.
“Hey, everything is fine.” Allie squeezed my hand. “It’s just me. Don’t worry about anything that’s happened here. I’m amazed you’ve lasted this long through all the madness. Trust me. I understand,” she added, a flush of bitterness in her tone.
Allie suddenly froze.
“Oh, no.” Her words were lost in the pounding rain as her fingers flew to her lips, her eyes wide with fear.
My breathing slowed as I waited, unable to hear or see the cause of her alarm. The scent of pine and sandalwood drifted through the clearing. Kevin and Kyle were moving closer, and I had no idea why.
“What do we do?” I asked, my voice high even in a whisper.
Allie froze in thought. “We try not to get caught.”
She grabbed my hand and yanked me into the trees, heading to the west. My heart drummed in my ears as gruff voices carried behind us, and the sound of hurried footsteps moved across the ground.
“She’s probably gone for a walk. Let’s just head to the house,” Kyle ca
lled from the path, not thirty yards away. Allie backed against an oak, pulling me alongside her.
“A walk in the rain?” Kevin growled.
“She likes the rain,” Kyle said. “Besides, where is she possibly going to go?”
A thick silence fell over the woods when the footsteps stopped. I wished I could see them.
“That depends on how much you told her about this place,” Kevin said, his tone low and threatening.
“I haven’t said anything,” Kyle murmured, a hint of remorse in his tone. “Perhaps you should ask Harry.”
My blood ran cold. Why would Kyle tell Kevin to talk to Harry?
Allie wrapped her free hand over mine. “It’s all right,” she mouthed, encouraging my grip to loosen.
“Fine,” Kevin said. “But be forewarned, if anyone has aided her in an escape attempt, I will have their head.”
“Of course.” Kyle cleared his throat.
I held my breath till the rain smothered the sound of retreating footsteps. Allie hesitated by the tree for a moment more. My mind ran circles around my body. What did Kevin mean by asking Kyle what he’d told me? Kyle would tell me if there was a way out … wouldn’t he? And why on earth would he suggest Kevin talk to Harry? We’d done well keeping Kevin away from him.
Allie jerked on my hand, snapping me out of my worry, and led me westward again. Rain continued sheeting down. My dress clung to my skin and weighed down every step. I trained my eyes on the rock-face, trying to make out a shape in the mountainside. The factory swam into focus. How on earth did she plan on getting through this place unseen? Allie paused by the edge of the forest and pulled me to a crevice.
“Absolute silence from here on out,” she warned. “I’m going to go ahead and make sure everything is clear. Stay here. I’ll be right back for you.”
“Wait.” I grabbed her hand.
“What’s wrong? They’re gone.” Allie’s eyes narrowed against the rain.
“I … I can’t go with you, Al.”
“What? Why? How could you even consider staying?” she asked, her tone a mix of confusion and disbelief.