Page 8 of Kissed By Songs of Lilies

"A bride?" he echoed.

"A bride," I confirmed. "And an end to this wretched curse once and for all."

I started to stride away when he called out, "Where will you stay?"

I chuckled. "Oh, I assume they have ponds, too–the mortals."

CHAPTER 4

The Stolen Bride

Finally, I had my chance to escape.

After hours of pleasantries and unwanted dances, the orchestra was winding down. Couples were parting on the dance floor. Soon, everyone would gather at the refreshment table, filling their cups and dance cards for the next round.

I moved carefully along the edges of the stifling, hot room, trying not to draw undue attention to myself. After all, I was the hostess. It was impolite for me to even consider leaving.

But outside, the hum of the night–cicadas, bullfrogs, trickling fountains, and the ocean breeze–called to me. It cast a spell on me I couldn’t ignore.

I made a beeline for my younger sister, grabbed her hand, and tugged her toward the open french doors. She followed instantly. This wasn’t the first ball we had snuck out of this summer, and it was unlikely to be the last.

A sheer curtain blew invitingly in the breeze. We stepped out onto the cobblestone patio. A pyramid of champagne flutes waited on an elegant, linen-draped table. With no one looking, I snagged two glasses and then an entire bottle of champagne.

My sister grinned and pulled me through a gap in the rose bushes. Then she took off at a run, sloshing her glass of ill-gotten champagne. I followed, running and laughing. For once, I didn’t try to restrain myself or seek to be the perfect princess my father and kingdom needed.

We traveled under the old moss-strewn trees, past the ornate fountain, and down the lane. When our stately home became small in the distance, I threw my head back and laughed, spinning and sipping and looking up at the stars with my sister’s hand in mine. I felt so free.

"Beautiful," I heard someone whisper.

I whipped my head around, but I didn’t see anyone. I shook my head. I was worrying about nothing. No one had followed us. Even if they had, we would soon lose them in the thick undergrowth.

My sister and I detoured into the low brush. No doubt my hemline would be filthy, and I could feel briars catching the delicate fabric of my gown. I didn’t care. Not really. Soon, we wound our way to our favorite spot–a pond with an old weathered dock. It was hidden away from the main path and blanketed under the stars.

I wasn’t acting my age. I certainly wasn’t acting my station.

On my next birthday, there would be no more balls. There would be a marriage instead. I had met the men I would likely marry, and I wasn’t interested in any of them. Tonight’s new addition was no exception.

I shook those thoughts from my cluttered mind. That day wasn’t today. Overhead, the stars shone in an inky black sky, and I was grateful to be free.

In our hidden spot, I kicked back the entire glass of champagne, and the bubbles went straight to my head. My sister, only fifteen, did the same, but I took the last half of the glass. "You’re not old enough to have but a sip," I teased before downing her glass, too.

She groaned, but then her eyes lit up with mischief. My sister was nothing if not absolute trouble. One day, I feared she would bring herself to ruin. "Let’s take a dip like we used to," she said with a grin. "This fabric barely breathes."

I couldn’t agree more about the fabric. It was a stifling hot summer evening, and the air was as thick as molasses. Before I could answer, she undressed down to her shift and cannonballed into the smooth pond, forming ripples across the water.

I looked around; there were none but the crickets to see us. Maybe the bubbles had gone to my head, for I convinced Maggie to come back out and loosen the laces on the back of my gown. I stripped down, draped my ball gown across a tree branch, and submerged myself in the water. We floated on our backs, sighing and replaying the night’s highlights.

I saw small golden eyes glowing on the other side of the water. So many creatures lived here—turtles, foxes, rabbits, birds, frogs. One eye winked at me, and I laughed and winked back.

I hadn’t felt so carefree since... No, I mustn't think of my elder sister. My hand immediately went to stroke my golden shell necklace, the one I always wore, the one containing a mere echo of my lost sister, stolen by the fae five years ago. I wore this golden shell always—a precious memory.

When I held the shell to my ear, I could hear her final words to us. There was no sound of a skirmish, nor a plea to find her, nothing mysterious or uncertain, just… I love you.

I submerged my head under the water, hoping to free myself of this seeping melancholy. I arranged my long, golden hair to fall behind me and emerged. Then, I heard a branch snap.

"Maggie?" I called, searching the underbrush for my sister.

Instead, I saw her floating on the water blissfully several feet away. My head jerked toward the bank, and I saw the vile boy, Eldon, the third son of the archduke. Just seventeen and more immature than a schoolboy, he had followed us here.

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