Page 45 of Lacey's Warriors

Karwin stood in the doorway, a bemused smile on his face. “Remember, myalyah, no crying. You said it makes you puffy, and you want to look good in the wedding photos.”

“Oh, please,” her mom responded with a wry grin. “Your super computers can have me looking fresh as a daisy. You just hate it when I cry.”

“I do,” Karwin responded with the utmost seriousness. “It breaks my heart.”

“Come on,” Phin yelled from somewhere behind Karwin, “Our Lady has put us to work readying the ceremonial sight. We have much to do to prepare for the bonding of the daughter of our heart.”

With a lot of good natured yelling and ribbing, the men left and Lacey stared at her mother, both women tearing up instantly.

“No, no tears,” Lacey said and bit her lip. “This is a happy time.”

“And these are happy tears,” her mom snapped, her southern drawl strong. “Good Lord, my baby girl is getting married. I’m allowed some tears.”

Giggling at her mom’s antics, she nodded to the bag in her arms. “What’s that?”

“I had the computer design a replica of the dress that your great grandmother wore.”

Lacey let out a little gasp. “The one in the picture on the mantle?”

“Yes indeed.” Her mother visibly fought back tears as she said, “I remembered how much you loved it.”

The old black and white photo had always entranced Lacey, and she’d loved to look at her great grandmother’s wedding photo and imagine how happy she’d been on that day. Her great grandmother had come from substantial money, and the dress she’d worn had been the height of fashion in the nineteen forties. Long and sleek, it fell in a waterfall of white satin over her mother’s arms. A wide crystal belt shimmered around the waist, and the sweetheart neckline dipped low in the bodice. Originally the dress had a lace panel over the shoulders and chest, but Lacey was guessing her mother had the chest part removed so Lacey’s bondmark would show.

“I love it. Where’s Jillian?”

“Getting ready with her Grandpop and Grandpa, Karwin and Phin. They’ll help her nanny wrestle her into her dress while I help you get ready.”

Glancing at her mother’s bondmark, she turned and shimmed out of her teal dress as she said, “Mom, what was it like? The ceremony?”

Her mother’s movements behind her paused as she said, “I don’t want to spoil it for you, but it made me believe in magic.”

“Magic, huh?”

When her mom didn’t respond Lacey turned around and recognized the distant expression on her mom’s face as someone communicating with their mind. Gwarnon and Chel had assured Lacey that she would get used to it, and soon be able to hold conversations both in her mind and in person without breaking a mental sweat. In the meantime, she, much like her mom, had trouble focusing on more than one conversation at once. Her mom blinked rapidly, then pursed her red lips in irritation.

“Mom?” Lacey asked, “is everything all right?”

“Everything is fine. Gwarnon requested a change in venue. It’s no big deal, just had to rearrange a few hundred million things.” She waved her hands, her red nails glistening in the light. “But you don’t need to worry about none of that. All you need to do is show up and look pretty.”

Lacey rolled her eyes before her mom slipped the dress over her head, pulling it gently down until the skirt pooled on the floor at her feet. Right away, Lacey could tell the fabric wasn’t satin, but some Kadothian material that was incredibly soft and fit her perfectly. Her crystal implant tried to give her information on the nanotechnology that made the dress, but she ignored it and mentally adjusted the settings so it would shut up during the ceremony. Smoothing her hands down her hips, she smiled up at her mom as she fastened the crystal belt around her waist. Since her kidnapping, her body had slimmed down, but also gained new curves, and she felt pretty in the gown.

It was a nice feeling, to love oneself, to be happy with who she was and how she looked.

Taking a step back, her mom placed her hands over her heart and sighed. “You look beautiful, of course, but you’re also glowing with happiness. I am so, so happy you found your husbands.” Her mom giggled. “Okay, that sounds weird, but it’s true. I want only the best for you, and I know Phin and Gwarnon will give it to you a million times over.”

Lacey gave her mom a kiss on the cheek, then a pinch on the butt. “No crying.”

Her mom swatted her away with a laugh but managed to blink back her tears. “Right. Oh, I almost forgot.” Her gaze went distant again, but only for a moment. “Holy moly, that Orushel can be a nag. I’m telling her, I’m telling her. Sheesh. Anyways, Orushel says to tell you that belt is part of your winnings, and it was made by the—um, Holy Empire or something like that? Anyways, Orushel said you should wear it as a way of saying thank you. It is considered a great honor to have ones craftsmanship adorning a bride and they will be honored to see you wearing it.”

Tracing her fingers over the sparkling stones, she said, “This thing costs a fortune, doesn’t it?”

“Karwin said you could probably buy a couple of the smaller, junkier planets in the Bel’Tan Galaxy for that belt.”

“Yikes,” Lacey said. “Great, now I’ll be worried about breaking it.”

“Don’t be. According to Orushel it’s more than just a pretty bauble. When activated it will provide you with an invisible energy shield that will act like a bulletproof vest.”

She stared down at her waist. “Am I in danger?”

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